Kids across Australia having a woofing good time reading to dogs
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Kids across the country are overcoming their reading difficulties, with the help of some furry friends.
March 17, 2024
What better way for kids to overcome their reading difficulties than reading books to a furry friend?
That鈥檚 one of the reasons why Nicole Rosenthal and her golden retriever Lotti became volunteers at the German International School in Terrey Hills.
鈥淭he kids love the dog [Lotti], whenever I come to school kids from all corners go 鈥楲otti, Lotti,鈥�. Everyone knows her already and they鈥檙e all really keen to just sit with a dog and read to her,鈥� she told The Daily Telegraph.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what this is all about. Getting contact with books and reading in a nice surrounding. It鈥檚 really lovely.
鈥淔eedback from parents is that their kid who was hesitant to read at night just came home and said 鈥極h I just read Lotti and I can read this to you now.鈥欌��
Despite the immense success in regional NSW schools, Co-ordinator Greg Waterhouse says the biggest obstacle at the moment is getting into the Sydney market.
鈥淩egional schools are crying out for help because they don鈥檛 have any government support. So all the volunteer support they can get 鈥� especially in literacy they just lap us up,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why it鈥檚 so difficult in Sydney.鈥�
A shows that one-third of Australian students don鈥檛 have the reading skills that they need, with the report stating 鈥淎ustralia has an unacceptably high number of children and adolescents who fail to reach minimum proficiency standards in reading鈥�.
Co-founders Janine Sigley and Leah Sheldon formed Story Dogs, an initiative that helps eight year old kids overcome their literacy issues free from judgement.
Inspired by a similar literacy program in the US, the pair first trialled it at their kid鈥檚 school, Murwillumbah East Public School in 2009.
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