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A pilot study [PDF file] published this week by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University suggests that second graders can help maintain their reading skills over the summer by reading aloud to a dog.

In the study, 18 students entering second grade were paired with either dogs or people (the control group) and were asked to read aloud to them once a week for 30 minutes during the summer of 2010.

Students in the dog group read to dogs enrolled in the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program, a non-profit organization that uses therapy animals to encourage children to read.

At the end of the study, students who had been reading to dogs measured a slight gain in their reading ability as measured on the Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM), and an improvement in their attitudes towards reading as measured on the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS).

In contrast, students who had been reading to people experienced a decrease in both measures.

Another key difference was attrition--three of the nine students in the control group failed to complete the program, while no students left the dog-reading group.

"There are many health and psychological benefits of contact with animals, particularly for children," the authors wrote. "One study found that pre-adolescents who had a pet also had higher autonomy, self-concept and self-esteem, all qualities considered important for academic success. … Another study found that the presence of a friendly dog reduced blood pressure in children who were asked to read aloud. These benefits of the human-animal interaction could be used to make the learning process more comfortable and enjoyable for children."

"As with all academic studies exploring a new area, this small study raises more questions than creates answers," Lisa Freeman, one of the study's authors, said in a statement. "The R.E.A.D. program remains very popular among students in the local community, and we look forward to finding out more answers as the program continues."

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