Reading Buddies: Reading with Childs Best Friend

A Reading Program for Liberal Memorial Library, Liberal, Kansas

Mindy Brunkhardt LI 831 - Resources and Services for Children Dr. Angela Vietti-OKane Emporia State University Emporia, Kansas 30 April 2013

Reading Buddies
Overview of Reading Buddies
Reading Buddies is a semimonthly eight-month program that uses reading education assistance and/or therapy-trained dogs and their handlers as reading partners for children who struggle with reading fluency.

Background of Reading Buddies

For the sake of this course, this program uses Liberal Memorial Library in Liberal, Kansas as a template on which to form this program. It also uses Therapy Dogs Internationals (TDI) Tail Waggin Tutors and Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) R.E.A.D. reading programs as a baseline. The first step to implement this type of reading program would be to start a branch of therapy dogs in the Liberal area. Even if just one animal and handler is available, this is a start; I have a vision of training my next dog to work with children and adolescents, specializing in reading therapy. While registering a dog with TDI or ITA is not required, it does provide credibility to the handler and the dog; TDI evaluates a dog and handler team based on these objectives, but the dog and handlers education should begin with basic and intermediate obedience programs. TDI and ITA also provide liability insurance coverage to handlers, which is very important.

Reading Buddies Objective

Provide a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for children to practice reading skills Build self-esteem by increasing reading skill and fluency Associate reading with positive reinforcement

Technicalities of Reading Buddies

The program would run for eight months of the year, March to October. The reading teams would meet from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM on the second Saturday and from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM on the fourth Friday of the month. My dog would also be available for check-out anytime during the day to any patron (child to adult) who would like a reading companion. (A guardians presence is necessary, and the patron would need to remain in a line of sight to me; these logistics could be sorted out as needed.)

Selection of Materials
Each month a different topic, based on the National Months created by presidential proclamation, will provide focus for choosing books for story time and for the buddies to read; of course, children can choose a different book if they so desire. Month January February March National Mentoring American Heart National Nutrition Womens History National Poetry Child Abuse Prevention ALS Awareness May National Bike National Pet June July August September Adopt-a-Cat Month National Childs Day Dance Appreciation Immunization Awareness National Guide Dog/Therapy Dog Hispanic Heritage Domestic Violence Awareness October National Book CyberSecurity Awareness National Adopt-a-Senior-Pet November COPD Awareness Month National Novel Writing December National Music Appreciation Childhood Obesity Awareness Ovarian Cancer Awareness National Bullying Prevention National Work and Family Breast Cancer Awareness Prostate Cancer Awareness Stomach Cancer Awareness Mathematics Awareness Parkinson Awareness Mental Health Awareness Asthma Awareness National Foster Care Gay and Lesbian Pride National Oceans National Parents Day Topic Slavery/Human Trafficking Prevention Black History American Red Cross

April

General Plan for Each Reading Buddies Session

This is a modified lesson plan used by teachers in the Liberal school district USD 480. Public school education students should be familiar with this format and the consistency will increase the learning opportunities.
Reading Buddies Librarian: Mindy Brunkhardt Days: Second Saturday and Fourth Friday Months: March to October Children with an approximate 2nd grade reading level, any child (or teenager) who Age Range: struggles with reading, or any child that may enjoy reading to a buddy Read, comprehend & increase fluency of text of various genres by Objective: TCW reading aloud to their canine reading buddy, and being read to by their human reading buddy Standards: 1.1: Alphabetics 1.2: Reads fluently Uses sentence structure for fluency Adjusts reading rate to comprehend Uses picture and context clues Uses word structure Recognizes different types of texts Makes predictions, inferences, conclusions Inquiry Reading Recognizes rimes Uses phonics

Uses ? ! , . and for fluency Uses word-recognition strategies 1.3: Expand vocabulary Uses synonyms and antonyms 1.4: Comprehends variety of texts Identifies sequence, main events, topics

APK: Activate Prior Knowledge (20% = 18 min.) Ask Questions Use Emotional Hook LIP: Librarian Input (20% = 18 min.) Modeling Questioning

Notes for LIP:

Explaining a process

Introduce dogs and handlers Depending on the number of participants, If more than eight, read story to group If less than seven, give short book talks about librarians pre-selected topic Allow children to pick their reading dog and book CAP: Child Active Participation (45% = 40 min.) Active Manipulation of Content Inquiry Predicting

Reading

Clarifying Summarizing Collaboration Writing Child reads to dog OR handler reads to child (childs choice with handler encouraging the child to read) Handler asks questions that lead the child to predict the elements of the story Handler asks the child to clarifying a point she/he just read When dogs have multiple children, the handler helps them collaborate between reading and/or answering/asking questions Writing Inquiry Collaboration

Notes for CAP:

ICS: Identify Child Success (15% = 14 min.) Outcome Sentences A-B Partner Teach *Differentiated Instruction: Handler reads Reading Strategy Partner reads ELL

Parent reads Puzzles

Childs Assessment of Reading Buddies My Name: My Buddy: I liked my Buddies A Lot Some Did Not

Book

Story Time

Handlers Assessment of Reading to Buddy

My Name & Dog: I and my dog were respected by child and/or parent(s) My reading buddy had time to read a majority of the book The child seemed to enjoy the book The child checked out a book to take home Yes, there was no mistreatment Yes, and they finished Yes, they were highly involved in the book Yes, we found one together Reading Buddy: I have some concerns No, there are major issues I read the book

Yes, but they didnt finish

No, we didnt get very far in the book

We found a different book & everything was better No, they didnt want to check anything out

They said they didnt like it or want to read anymore

Im not sure; time ran out, but they stayed in the library

Publicity and Advertising

All publicity and advertising, whether in-house or in the schools or medical facilities, will include English and Spanish text describing the program, a brief explanation of the benefits to children who participate, days of the month (second Saturday and fourth Friday) of March to October, and various pictures of reading buddies in action. The following are types and location of publicity: o Library in-house publicity Librarys Facebook page and Twitter feed Reading Buddies Facebook page and Twitter feed Library website/calendar Brochure with research about benefits of Reading Buddies available at reference desk, childrens librarians desk, checkout counter, and automated checkout station TV screen announcements o Flyer/poster for schools, teachers, media resource centers, and school libraries Elementary Schools (K-3rd) Garfield McKinley Lincoln Southlawn McDermott Washington MacArthur Intermediate Schools (4th-6th) Cottonwood Middle Schools (7th-8th) West Middle Private (K-12th) Southwest Kansas Christian Academy Fellowship Baptist School o Special flyer to handout during parent/teacher conferences at school detailing benefits of the program Late April/early March Late September/October o Visits to the schools reading classes (2nd grade to middle school) and libraries February, March, and April August and September o Posters, bulletin announcements and/or brochures at Churches Recreation center Southwest Medical Center and Guidance Center Seward County Health Department Pediatricians, dentists, optometrists, and therapists offices Sunflower South Middle

Bibliography
Henderson Library. (n.d.). Henderson Libraries Reading with Rover. Retrieved April 27, 2013, from http://www.mypubliclibrary.com/catalog/library/userdef/rover.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.6 Intermountain Therapy Animals. (n.d.). R.E.A.D. Program. Retrieved April 26, 2013, from http://www.therapyanimals.org/R.E.A.D.html Jalongo, M. R. (2005). What are all these Dogs Doing at School?: Using Therapy Dogs to Promote Childrens Reading Practice. Childhood Education, 81(3), 152158. doi:10.1080/00094056.2005.10522259 Prairieland Visiting Animals Association. (2012). Prairieland Visiting Animals Association. Prairieland Visiting Animals Association. Retrieved April 27, 2013, from http://www.topekavisitingpets.info/index.html Therapy Dogs International. (2009, February 7). TDI. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www.tdi-dog.org/