Students take to animal shelter for reading practice

WASHINGTON - Students from Stewart Elementary are practicing their reading by volunteering at the local animal shelter with a new program.

It's a trend gaining traction that partners students with shelter animals for reading sessions aimed at encouraging students and comforting animals.

'I thought it would be a really great community partnership and something fun for the students and animals,” said Elizabeth Goodwin, a teacher from Stewart Elementary who started the project locally.

Goodwin's second grade class was the first to be a part of the program at the PAWS & More Animal Shelter in Washington.

'We are so excited for the enrichment it will provide for the children and the animals,” said Amber Talbot, director of PAWS & More Animal Shelter.

Similar programs have shown to have some positive results. Second grade students participating in a six-week after-school study by Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction improved their attitudes for academic reading concluding the study.

The hope for the animals is that they'll benefit from the calming attention and even develop social skills allowing them to more adoptable.

And, done individually, the program offers timid students an opportunity to read out loud without worrying about other students listening nearby.

'Many students don't typically have an audience to read to and it will be an amazing opportunity for them,” Goodwin said. 'Reading to the shelter animals will be great practice for them to read fluently and work on their reading stamina.”

Dependent on its success, she hopes other students will have a chance at it as well.

'I hope we can continue, if things go well, and visit PAWS & More once a month,” Goodwin said.

If you're interested in volunteering, contact the shelter at (319) 653-6713.