Story Dogs at St James
Story Dogs is based on an American literacy program which was built around the idea of children reading to dogs.
Reading sessions are facilitated by a parent volunteer and take place in our 'Sky bridge' learning area next to the junior school classrooms. The session is approximately 20 minutes long, and during this time the student is one on one with the Story Dog "Boomer" a Golden Retriever and their handler 'Michelle', who generously volunteers her time to work with the students. Books are chosen to suit the student’s reading level with the volunteer and student working together to choose “good fit” books.
During the session, the 'Michelle' will speak through the dog saying phrases such as “Boomer (dog) doesn’t really understand what is happening on this page, could you tell him?” The confidence levels of the children improve dramatically as they are sharing their knowledge with the Story Dog.
The Story Dog program at St James School is incredibly popular amongst the students in Year 1. Students look forward to their reading session with Boomer and Michelle.
