PAWS TO READ Training

1. PAWS TO READ Training How a Dog and a Child Read Together

2. Introduction • Our mission is to improve reading skills of children using the positive influence of reading to a pet. • Today we will coach you on how you & your pet can do this. • This program provides another way that animals can make a positive difference in children’s lives.

3. Agenda • How children learn to read • Dialogic reading • What to do before, during & after a session • PAWS TO READ @ ACPL requirements

4. Reading is Important • The America Library Association estimates that there are 27 million functionally illiterate adults in the US. • If you can’t read you can’t: Read a prescription bottle Read a map Read a menu at a restaurant Read a job application

5. FACT • If a child does not learn to read by 3rd grade the chances of learning to read are slim to none.

6. Will reading to a dog really help? • Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D): a Program of Intermountain Therapy Animals • Pilot Project at Bennion Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah • All students improved reading scores • Plus more than that…

7. Pilot Study: Not only reading scored improved • Decreased absenteeism • Improved self-confidence & self esteem. • A willingness to get involved in other activities • Improved hygiene • Interactions with animals more respectful and kind • Found reading fun

8. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ?

9. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ? • Phonemic (or Phonological) Awareness • Phonics • Fluency • Vocabulary • Reading Comprehension Strategies

10. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ? PHONEMIC AWARENESS

11. What is Phonological Awareness?

12. Phonological awareness involves the understanding that spoken words are composed of segments of sound smaller than a syllable. It also involves the ability to notice, think about, or manipulate the individual sounds in words.

13. Why is phonological awareness important in learning to read?

14. It Helps Children Understand the Alphabetic Principle Children must understand that the words in their oral language are composed of small segments of sound in order to comprehend the way that language is represented by print. Without at least emergent levels of phonemic awareness, the rationale for learning individual letter sounds, and “sounding out” words is not understandable.

15. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ? PHONICS (PHONEMIC DECODING )

16. What is “Phonics”? It is a kind of knowledge Which letters are used to represent which phonemes It is a kind of skill Pronounce this word… blit fratchet

17. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ? READING FLUENCY

18. A common definition of reading fluency: “Fluency is the ability to read text quickly, accurately, and with proper expression.” National Reading Panel The most common method of measuring reading fluency in the early elementary grades: Measuring the number of accurate words per minute a child can read orally

19. The challenge of continuing growth in fluency becomes even greater after third grade • 4th, 5th, and 6th graders encounter about 10,000 words they have never seen before in print during a year’s worth of reading • Furthermore, each of these “new” words occurs only about 10 times in a year’s worth of reading • Sadly, it’s very difficult to correctly guess the identity of these “new words” just from the context of the passage

20. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ? VOCABULARY

21. Relationship between Vocabulary Score (PPVT) measures in Kindergarten and later reading comprehension End of Grade One -- .45 End of Grade Four -- .62 End of Grade Seven -- .69 The relationship of vocabulary to reading comprehension gets stronger as reading material becomes more complex and the vocabulary becomes becomes more extensive (Snow, 2002)

22. HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN TO READ? COMPREHENSION

23. Some Definitions of Reading Comprehension “Acquiring meaning from written text” Gambrell, Block, and Pressley, 2002 “the process of extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language” Sweet and Snow, 2002 “thinking guided by print” Perfetti, 1985

24. Preparing children to meet grade level standards in reading comprehension by the end of third grade is as much about providing the vocabulary and thinking skills they need as it is about helping them learn to read accurately and fluently This point becomes increasingly important as we move up the grades

25. Identifying words accurately and fluently Constructing meaning once words are identified Summary Five Instructional Components: Phonemic Awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension strategies

26. How am I going to do all that? I’m not a reading teacher.

27. Dialogic Reading

28. Dialogic Reading: “What” Questions • Ask “what” questions.

29. Dialogic Reading: “What” Questions • Ask “what” questions. • Follow answer with questions.

30. Dialogic Reading: “What” Questions • Ask “what” questions. • Follow answer with questions. • Repeat what your child says.

31. Dialogic Reading: “What” Questions • Ask “what” questions. • Follow answer with questions. • Repeat what your child says. • Help your child as needed.

32. Dialogic Reading: “What” Questions • Ask “what” questions. • Follow answer with questions. • Repeat what your child says. • Help your child as needed. • Praise and encourage.

33. Dialogic Reading: “What” Questions Have Fun!

34. Final Mission Share a love of pets & books. .

35. Pause to show video.

36. WHAT TO DO BEFORE, DURING & AFTER A SESSION

37. What should I do once at the library? • Be sure to always wear your volunteer’s badge, plus you will have a scarf with the PAWS TO READ logo on it for your animal to wear. • Go directly to the department hosting the session. • The library will provide an array of choices for the child to choose books, or children may select from library shelves.

38. Other Hints for a Successful Session • If a child is having trouble with a word, just say it for them. Or say, “ (Dog’s Name) says it is ----------.” • Don’t say, “Sound it out.” If they could they would. • You may even want to look up the word in a dictionary if they are unsure of the definition. But…

39. Hints Continued… • The child might feel embarrassed to have to look up a word. Technique: Say, “(Dog’s name) doesn’t know what that means. Let’s look it up.” Then have the child explain it to your dog. • Do use a dictionary for mispronounced words. Be the facilitator using the same format suggested above. • Stay spontaneous. • Importance of smiles – humor – laughter – patience

40. Hints Continued … • Practice careful listening. You need to be sincerely engaged in the process, even if you have heard the story many times before. • Participate enthusiastically in the reading session – be very interactive without dominating.

41. The Key to the Relationship The key is focusing questions on the dog, instead of targeting the child and putting pressure on him/her. This will keep the child from freezing in fear and helps the interaction flow. It also helps the child if s/he is he helping the DOG instead of vice-versa. This role-shift turns out to be pivotal to helping the kids enjoy the program.

42. After the Session • Make any notes you may need to remember…the child’s likes, dislikes, what worked, what didn’t work, etc. • Talk to the host about any concerns, ideas or questions you (or they) may have. • Inform the host of your evaluation of the sessions.

43. Miscellaneous Items If you or your dog becomes sick before a session is to begin try to find a substitute. If that fails, please call us as soon as possible so that we can notify our children.

44. Miscellaneous Items (continued) Boundaries • Special bond may develop • Many children may come with more than reading problems • You may want to do more • All that needs to be provided is your time, your caring and your pet • Pet must be on leash at all times

45. Big Commitment Needed: To Time 6 weeks 1 - 1 ¼ hours Be punctual To Grooming Pets need to be as well groomed as owners

46. Where to Get More Information • Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) www.therapyanimals.org • The Library • Reading Rockets: Information about teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle. www.readingrockets.org/

47. FREE Federal Resources The Partnership for Reading Website A collaborative effort by 3 federal agencies: • National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) • National Institute of Child Health & Human Health Development (NICHD) • U.S. Department of Education www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading

48. THANK-YOU!