Effects of a Reading Dog Programme on Reading Skills and Task-Related Behaviour in Special Needs Education

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10

Reading Skills; Special Needs Students; Special Education; Animals; Reading Instruction; Program Effectiveness; Intervention; Reading Difficulties; Student Behavior; Time on Task; Foreign Countries; Reading Programs; Emotional Response

10.1080/08856257.2023.2273643

0885-6257
1469-591X

In this study, we randomly assigned struggling readers in special needs education (n = 23; 8-12 years of age) to a dog-assisted reading intervention or a similar intervention without a dog present. Students participated in 30-minute reading sessions twice a week for a total of six weeks. Using two standardised tests we measured reading skills before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. In addition, the task-related behaviours and emotional expressions of a sub-group of these students (n = 17) were observed during the sessions. Results show that students who received the dog-assisted intervention had a higher increase between the pre- and post-test in their reading scores on two standardised tests, for both single-word reading and full-text reading. Differences between the groups at the follow-up measurement were present, but not significant. Observations indicated that the group receiving the dog-assisted reading intervention showed a longer duration of on-task behaviour and positive emotions during the sessions. No differences in the duration of off-task behaviour and negative emotions were found.

As Provided

2024

EJ1428147