Dogs are truly the very best of us.
This really has it all: dogs, cute kids, and books. Eight Dubai schools have now signed up with Reading Dogs UAE, an organisation that helps school children with their reading by giving them a very supportive canine audience.
Founded last September, the group has a team of dedicated (and adorable) volunteer dogs hand-picked for their calm temperament and ability to follow instructions.
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Like its counterparts in the UK and the USA, Reading Dogs works so well because children know dogs don’t judge, operations director Louise Dawe told Gulf News.
“Studies have shown that many children feel reading aloud becomes less difficult because the children do not feel they are being judged if they mispronounce a word,” she said.
Reading Dogs UAE keep their class groups small, so each child has some one-on-one time with the hound in question.
“We have a maximum of 12 children per reading dog session and one dog. The sessions are 20 minutes long, so keeping the groups to this size allows time for all the children to read,” said Dawe.
Founder Karalynn Thomson was inspired by 2016 being named the Year of Reading in the UAE, she told Gulf News.
“As a lifelong animal lover, I have always been aware of the social benefits of being around animals, and now their educational benefits are also being recognised in a tangible improvement in reading skills,” she told the site.
Every dog that volunteers with the group is adorable, but we’re sure you’ll find a favourite. Will it be Remy the wheaton terrier? What about Thor the schnauzer? Regardless, we’re huge fans. This is just another cool initiative that calls the UAE home.
If your kid is having some trouble with the written word, get in touch with these guys. We have a feeling it’ll help.
Images: Reading Dogs UAE/Instagram
