‘It helps us read because the dogs can’t judge you’
DOGS are changing lives in this western Sydney classroom where they’ve been enlisted to help children master the challenges of reading, and teachers are reporting extraordinary results.
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DOGS are being brought into classrooms to help children master the challenges of reading with teachers reporting extraordinary results.
The animals are credited with calming and relaxing children who find reading stressful or whose reading ability is inhibited by their history of violent trauma.
Penrith Valley Learning Centre is also using the program for children who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder.
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The centre’s principal Nic Danta said students who have trouble uttering a word to an adult will happily read to one of the reading dogs for 50 minutes at a time.
“It is completely non judgmental. Many of our kids have got real challenges with literacy, it is the embarrassment factor if they sit down next to an adult that they don’t have with a dog,” he said.
“The first thing that has got to happen for it to be successful is the kids have got to feel safe in that environment. The dogs bring their heart rate down and put them in a calm state which is conducive to learning.”
The school caters for students from Year Five to Year 12 and works to ready them to join mainstream schooling or the workforce.
Penrith-based charity Working Dogs is behind the program which has been running in the school for two years.
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The group’s general manager Paula Smith said within one year of the program running in the school she had seen a “complete turnaround” in students’ attitudes towards reading.
“The school approached us as they were looking for a different way for the kids to connect emotionally because they have been traumatised in different ways and (some students) have PTSD,” she said.
“We are really specialised — we have a psychologist and consult with teachers.”
The dogs also attend schools in exam time to relieve stress.
Donations to the charity are through the return and earn recycling program at HomeCo at Penrith or via the website.
Jackson Lee said his reading had improved since he started reading to the dogs a year ago.
“It helps us read because the dogs can’t judge you,” he said.
“We can take them for walks around the yard.
His favourite dog was Harry because it was little and wore funny outfits.
Trent Patrikis said he liked the dogs calm demeanour.
“Reading to dogs is therapeutic, you can sit with them and pat them.
“Reading with people they will yell and scream.
“It is stressful trying to read to people. People will butt in and start a conversation which is not about the book.
Isaiah Shareefpour said his favourite dog was Stella and loved playing with them at recess when they came to the school.
“Every recess when the dogs come I will run with the dogs and do tricks with them,” he said.