The BaRK (Building Reading Confidence for Kids) Canine Assisted Reading Program: One Child's Experience

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of the BaRK program for Zack, one disengaged reader. The BaRK program is a canine assisted literacy program in which a child reads one-on-one to a trained therapy dog. The ‘Neale Analysis of Reading Ability’ was used to compare Zack’s reading accuracy and reading comprehension ages before and after the program. His perception of the program and possible correlations with the test results were also assessed. Results indicated dramatic gains in both accuracy and comprehension with greater gains occurring in comprehension. Possible reasons for the successful outcome of this study are discussed, along with its limitations and suggestions for further research.