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published on 07/21/2005
READ ALOUD CHATTANOOGA BRINGS READING DOGS
TO CHILDREN'S ENRICHMENT CENTER
By
Rich Bailey
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Joshua
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For three days this week, Read Aloud Chattanooga and the First-Centenary United Methodist Children's Enrichment Center welcome three experts in learning motivation. Joshua and Brandy Alves and Peppy Clark have jumped into the cause of reading aloud with both feet. Well, all four feet actually... they are reading dogs.
Wait a minute... dogs that read? No, reading dogs help children become better readers by being attentive, loving listeners. Young readers, especially if they are struggling, benefit greatly from having an accepting, uncritical audience when they read aloud.
As certified therapy dogs, Joshua, Brandy and Peppy visit nursing homes, hospices, assisted living facilities, schools and other locations. Joshua is a twelve-year old golden retriever who was named 2003 Companion Animal of the Year by the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association. Three-year old Brandy is Joshua's daughter and junior member of the family business. Peppy is a mixed terrier and a champion dancer who has performed in many dance competitions.
Joshua and Peppy made their first visit to Chattanooga and the Children's Enrichment Center last April. (A photo from this visit is attached.) They have worked as reading dogs for the last three years in White County, Georgia. This week, the three dogs will spend time with children from six weeks to five years in the Children's Enrichment Center, and with children from first grade to age thirteen in the Inner City Ministry daycare center, also housed as First-Centenary United Methodist.
Note to media: The reading dogs will interact with children during the following sessions, to which media are invited: Tuesday, July 19, 2-3:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 20, 9:15-11:15 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.; Thursday, July 21, 9:15-11:15 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. Morning sessions will be at the Children's Enrichment Center, and afternoon sessions will be at Inner City Ministry. Both are located inside First Centenary United Methodist, 419 McCallie Avenue. On Tuesday, veteran teachers studying for their master's degree at Southern Adventist University will be present to observe. Daycare center directors from the Chattanooga area have been invited to observe at various times on Wednesday and Thursday.
How does it work? The dogs will be accompanied by their owners: Joyce Alves, who owns Joshua and Brandy, and Alice Clark, who owns Peppy. As one or more dogs visit each classroom, children will bring their favorite books to the dogs, according to Beverly Trobaugh, director of the Children's Enrichment Center. "Children who can read will read to the dogs," she said. "They hold the books up for the dogs to see the pictures. For those who are too young to read, an adult will read aloud and the dogs
will join the children in their reading circle."
"It may sound a little odd to say this, but dogs are very good listeners, and that's one of the most important things for children who are starting to read aloud themselves," she added. "Children need to be able to read without fear of criticism or interruption. The dogs give them that gift."
The reading dogs have had such a strong impact on the children that they have been named to positions in the Read Aloud Chattanooga organization. Joshua was named Honorary Chair for his quiet strength, with daughter Brandy as co-chair. Peppy's dancing talent earned her a place as Publicity Chair.
The tongue-in-cheek titles do have a serious purpose, according to Bill Thurman, founder of Read Aloud Chattanooga. "It's a fun way of keeping the focus where it needs to be: on motivating children to read. These dogs do an outstanding job as motivators, much better than anything we humans can do. Putting them at the top of the organizational chart is a subtle way to help the humans keep our role in perspective. Part of our mission is to do everything we do with good cheer, and that is much easier with colleagues like Joshua, Peppy and Brandy."
The use of reading dogs to help young readers is one of several learning motivation projects Read Aloud Chattanooga has organized in Chattanooga and surrounding communities over the last several years. Others include sponsoring numerous presentations by Jim Trelease, author of The Read Aloud Handbook; installing "rain gutter bookshelves," which increase children's demand for reading because they allow the books to face out where they can be seen more easily; training volunteers in how to read aloud effectively; and painting read aloud murals that promote reading in various locations.
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