R.E.A.D. - New York Therapy Animals
R.E.A.D.® Reading Education Assistance ... insured therapy dog teams as literacy mentors. In 1999, ITA designed and launched the first and foremost reading-with-therapy dogs children’s literacy support […]... R.E.A.D.® Reading Education Assistance Dogs® Children’s literacy program of Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) The mission of the R.E.A.D. program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered and insured therapy dog teams as literacy mentors.The mission of the R.E.A.D. program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered and insured therapy dog teams as literacy mentors. In 1999, ITA designed and launched the first and foremost reading-with-therapy dogs children’s literacy support program.The handler/owner facilitates fluency and comprehension as their trained therapy dog listens attentively without judgment. The student reads aloud at their own pace thus the student becomes the tutor for the dog. Learning to read is often less about intellectual limitation than about overcoming fears.Testimonial from a parent of a 3rd grader at PS59 New York City: With regard to the R.E.A.D. program itself, the most telling remark that my son made is that Melanie and “Mia”, the therapy dog team, listen to him non-judgmentally when he reads. He actually reiterated that point to me several different times.
