The R.E.A.D. program was founded by an existing Animal-Assisted Therapy nonprofit group, Intermountain Therapy Animals, that had years of experience bringing the benefits of animals to people in need. More than eighty articles have been published about the R.E.A.D. program, including popular media such as the Wall Street Journal, Time, Parenting, and Our Children (the official publication of the National PTA), as well as scholarly sources such as a book and journal published by the Association for Childhood Education International. (ITA 2005) When participating in this program, children are not actually taught to read by the dogs (of course), but having the dogs present is enough to make a big difference for many otherwise struggling readers. The environment created by having dogs present during reading activities has been described as an inviting and motivating one that is relaxed, comfortable, nonjudgmental, empowering, and fun by participants and educators. Part of the reason that R.E.A.D. is so successful is because of the realization that it is often low self-esteem, stress, fear, and other factors not related to whether or not a child is intelligent enough to learn to read. According to educator William Ayers, "Fear can destroy intelligence." (ITA 2005) However, this vicious cycle can be combated in part by the R.E.A.D. program; "At ease with the dogs, who do not criticize mispronounced words, children read enthusiastically. Confidence grows with success as each child reads aloud." (Barrett 2003)
Taking a look at a case study by Pam Loughman of San Diego State University, it is easy to imagine how the methods employed by R.E.A.D. would benefit a student like Loughman's David, who struggled with each word while reading. David had repeated the first grade, and upon entering...
Other students were impatient with David and often teased him, and he had little support at home, which lead to him having even less confidence and falling further behind academically. "There was no one he could read to or who would read to him." (Loughman, 2000) Loughman noted that practicing reading texts over and over, or Repeating Reading, is a highly effective method for acquiring reading skills, and David needed more of this kind of practice. Repeated Reading has been shown to increase fluency, comprehension, speed of reading, and to provide the practice needed in order to make reading automatic. (Loughman, 2000)
Although David improved through Loughman's program, the results were not as extreme as the educator had hoped. Involving David in a R.E.A.D. program could have easily made the difference between minimal and extreme results from Repeated Reading. Loughman wondered how she could make the experience more "enjoyable and motivating." (Loughman, 2000) One of David's biggest obstacles was his low self-image and not having a supportive environment in which to read. Animals like dogs are great reading companions for students like David because they have benefits such as relaxing the student and lowering blood pressure, which is why Animal-Assisted Therapy is so successful. The dogs do not laugh at or tease students, nor do they judge or criticize them. Dogs are altogether less intimidating than peers, and do not expect the child to understand unspoken social rules. "When a R.E.A.D. dog is listening, the environment is transformed, a child's dread is replaced by eager anticipation, and learning occurs.... Participating kids make enormous strides in
