ERIC Number: EJ1428147
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0885-6257
EISSN: EISSN-1469-591X
Effects of a Reading Dog Programme on Reading Skills and Task-Related Behaviour in Special Needs Education
Steffie Van Der Steen; Ivonne Douma; Ilse Snippe
European Journal of Special Needs Education, v39 n4 p648-657 2024
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.
Descriptors: 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
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Netherlands
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A