Kids across Australia having a woofing good time reading to dogs

Kids across the country are overcoming their reading difficulties, with the help of some furry friends.

Carla, 5, and Lea Schell, 5, with Nicole Rosenthal and her golden retriever Lotti, a volunteer with the Story Dogs Reading Program, at the German International School, Terry Hills, Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd

What better way for kids to overcome their reading difficulties than reading books to a furry friend?

That’s one of the reasons why Nicole Rosenthal and her golden retriever Lotti became Story Dog volunteers at the German International School in Terry Hills.

“The kids love the dog [Lotti], whenever I come to school kids from all corners go ‘Lotti, Lotti,’. Everyone knows her already and they’re all really keen to just sit with a dog and read to her,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

Leonille Senfft von Pilsach, 5, Darris Etemad, 5, and Mina Buschhaus, 5, with Nicole Rosenthal and her golden retriever, Lotti, a volunteer with the Story Dogs Reading Program, at the German International School, Terry Hills, Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“That’s what this is all about. Getting contact with books and reading in a nice surrounding. It’s really lovely.

“Feedback from parents is that their kid who was hesitant to read at night just came home and said ‘Oh I just read Lotti and I can read this to you now.’”

Despite the immense success in regional NSW schools, Co-ordinator Greg Waterhouse says the biggest obstacle at the moment is getting into the Sydney market.

“Regional schools are crying out for help because they don’t have any government support. So all the volunteer support they can get — especially in literacy they just lap us up,” he said.

“I don’t know why it’s so difficult in Sydney.”

A Grattan Institute report shows that one-third of Australian students don’t have the reading skills that they need, with the report stating “Australia has an unacceptably high number of children and adolescents who fail to reach minimum proficiency standards in reading”.

Co-founders Janine Sigley and Leah Sheldon formed Story Dogs, an initiative that helps eight year old kids overcome their literacy issues free from judgement.

Inspired by a similar literacy program in the US, the pair first trialled it at their kid’s school, Murwillumbah East Public School in 2009.

Since its successful debut, the program has grown to every state and territory across the country. A growth that Mrs Sigley is beyond proud of.

“We’ve grown organically. Wherever there’s been a passion for it and the energy, that’s where we’ve gone. We’ve got nearly 600 volunteers and we’re in over 390 schools,” she said.

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