How therapy dogs can be an intervention tool for struggling readers | Karen Burns | TEDxSaltLakeCity

Learning to read is arguably one of the most important skills taught in school, and it is no surprise how challenging it can be. Karen Burns knows how the reading skills gap can affect someone for their entire life. In this poignant and sometimes funny talk, Karen tells us how man's best friend helps create top-dog readers. After working in the corporate world for many years, Karen Burns found her true passion in a nonprofit organization, Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA). Karen is the Assistant Director of ITA and manages Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) Programs in 30 (and growing) schools and libraries in the state of Utah. She has partnered with three different therapy animals over the past two decades, and is also a licensed ITA Workshop Instructor and R.E.A.D. Instructor. Karen enjoys traveling around the country and internationally, training others to use our literacy support program. Karen remains passionate about sharing the gifts our four-footed friends can offer people during difficult times in their lives. They offer hope, healing, fun and a sense of normalcy in settings where that is rarely otherwise possible. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Emily and Zach

get to read together every week.

Zach is usually a little bit nervous
reading in front of people

because he's worried about making mistakes

and feeling kind of stupid.

But not with Emily.

Emily is a great listener:

she's interested in the story,

she asks questions on occasions,

and she never laughs at mistakes.

Zach looks forward
to seeing her every week

even though she drools

and she leaves hair behind.

But that's just what dogs do.

(Laughter)

(Applause)

Have you ever considered that dogs

could be a transformational
force in education?

Think about it.

What was it like
when you were learning to read?

Did you experience that paralysing fear
that rose inside you

when you were called on in class
to read out loud?

It's intimidating to say the least -

almost like speaking
in front of a big crowd.

Many of us froze,
with our minds going blank,

because of that fear we were experiencing.

But what if it's not just fear?

What if you're a struggling reader,

below the reading level of your peers,

without much reading support at home,

maybe trying to learn a new language?

According to the
Annie E. Casey Foundation,

we know that kids need to learn to read
by the time they enter fourth grade

so that they can read to learn
for the rest of their lives.

Another study says

that for every ten kids

behind in reading level
at the end of first grade,

only one will ever catch up.

Only one!

What happens to the other nine?

It's as if they go forward in life
with one arm tied behind their back.

However, there is an upside
to the research.

It says that the skill deficit
between average and below-average readers

can be largely erased
with appropriate early intervention.

What if we could provide a safe, calm,
comfortable, non-threatening environment

for these kids to practice their skills?

And what if that environment
included a dog?

But not just any dog.

A trained, tested and insured therapy dog.

Why a dog?

Dogs in a classroom?

I mean, how can this be
a constructive intervention?

There's numerous studies

citing the emotional
and physiological changes that occur

when a person interacts with a dog.

Things like blood pressure going down,

heart rate decreasing,

social skills improve,

overall relaxation improves,

and depression is diminished -

just to name a few.

And we also know
that the presence of a dog

creates a positive social atmosphere.

And this is an essential
precondition for learning.

With these things in mind,

twenty years ago,

it occurred to us
at Intermountain Therapy Animals

that the same benefits we see

working with children and therapy dogs
in healthcare settings

would transfer effectively
to the reading environment.

We created a full-fledged
literacy support program

in which kids read to therapy dogs.

And we call it R.E.A.D.:

for Reading Education Assistance Dogs.

The majority of our programmes
take place in schools and libraries,

but the possibilities are limitless.

We also have programmes at hospitals,

domestic violence shelters,

homeless shelters,

youth lockdown facilities.

And we work with kids
with learning disabilities.

We provide a safe place
for struggling readers

to practice their skills.

Our dogs never laugh
when a child makes a mistake.

And we work with only
one reader at a time.

We arrange our setting
in a quiet location at the facility.

We have a big soft blanket
that everyone can sit on.

And we encourage the child to pet the dog

or maybe even lean against
while they're reading.

And this is where

all those physiological changes
that I mentioned occur.

And the optimal precondition
for learning is set.

Twenty years ago,

my Great Dane Maggie and I were reading
with a third-grader who stuttered.

And it was incredible to see
how much that stuttering decreased

when I simply reminded her
that she could pet the dog while she read.

We also have many positive ways

that we train our handlers
to interact with a child.

They monitor fluency and comprehension,

they have discussions about the story,

they encourage the child's imagination,

and they even provide books
for the children to take home.

But one of the best things we learned

was to teach our dogs
to look at the pages of the book.

(Audience) Aww.

And then we encouraged the handler
to ask questions through the dog.

This helps the child believe

that the READ dog
is interested in the story

and paying attention.

This technique has become more effective
than we ever imagined.

On one occasion -

we have a handler in Wisconsin

who has a mini dachshund named Biscuit.

And the handler has trained Biscuit
to sneeze on command.

(Laughter)

So one day,

Dylan was reading a story to them,

and he read on the pages:

'There were three ladies sitting outside
with bananas in their hair.'

Knowing that was not
what was printed on the pages,

the handler cued Biscuit to sneeze.

And then she said:

'Dylan, Biscuit's wondering,

"Why did the ladies
have bananas in their hair?"'

And Dylan looked back at the book
and read it again,

and then he said:

'Oh Biscuit, I'm sorry.
It was bandanas not bananas.'

(Laughter)

And then he turned
to the handler and said:

'Boy, Biscuit really knows her stuff.'

(Laughter)

It's important to stress

that this programme is designed
to work with therapy dogs,

not just any dogs.

These dogs are well trained,

and their obedience skills
and temperament are tested regularly

to ensure they're not only
safe, healthy and reliable

but that they're empathetic companions

and they love children.

Each one is a registered
and insured therapy dog.

Our volunteer handlers are also
well-trained facilitators of the session.

Anything can happen
on that R.E.A.D. blanket,

and they are prepared for the unexpected.

However, every once in a while,

there can be a showstopper.

On one occasion,

while reading a story
about a new baby coming to a family,

the child stopped
and looked up and said:

'I know how you make babies.'

The handler took a deep breath

and replied with some trepidation:

'You do?'

And the child said proudly:

'Yes! You drop the "y" and you add "ies".'

(Laughter)

It's truly a dynamic harmony

between the handler, a trusted adult,

the R.E.A.D. dog, an active,
curious participant who listens,

and the child who experiences
less fear and pressure while reading.

Research shows us that the programme
is definitely working.

We see not only
improved reading-level skills,

but we see greater participation
in other areas, improved social skills.

And the cherry on top -

the kids who participate
develop a love of reading and books

that goes way beyond the R.E.A.D. session.

We have kids return years later

to tell us how much this program
has changed their lives.

Like Jordan.

Jordan got to read with Drew,
a retired racing greyhound.

And eight years later, at age 15,

he found us at a library,

and he told us:

'I used to think reading was a chore,

a hassle,

but Drew got me reading at a higher level
and he got me reading for fun.

I just can't tell you how much
this program has helped me.

Reading to Drew is something
that I value to this day

and will never forget.'

Twenty years ago,

a small group of us saw the need

and we created this program.

And now,

this small idea
that began in Salt Lake City,

has grown to over 6,000
registered R.E.A.D. teams

all throughout the United States

(Applause)

and 25 other countries around the world.

(Applause)

We've travelled to places
like Japan and Sweden and Spain

to educate others about the program.

And I had the privilege
of going to Taiwan last year

and seeing firsthand
how they've developed the program.

Not only has there been
a significant shift in the culture

in regards to dogs,

but the program is so effective

that the Ministry of Education

now requires

that all elementary school teachers

watch a video that demonstrates
the power of reading to a dog.

Our friends in Taiwan have served
20 elementary schools,

including one school in a native area,

and several after-school library programs.

And now,

I want to tell you about the legacy
of a sweet black Lab with soft brown eyes

named Cassie.

Cassie and her handler in Wisconsin
had an after-school R.E.A.D. program.

And they were so popular at the library

that when the children's department
wanted to paint a mural on the wall,

they insisted on including Cassie.

When Cassie passed away unexpectedly,

the children gathered around

and they were sharing memories
of their time reading with her.

And one child said to Cassie's handler:

'I'm really going to miss her.

If it hadn't been for Cassie,

I never would have made it
to the fourth grade.'

Research now confirms what we've seen
thousands of times over 20 years:

that we can make a difference
in the life of struggling readers,

opening up whole new worlds to them -

one dog and one child at a time.

Thank you.

(Applause)