• Reading a story aloud to a dog would allow children to enjoy reading more, thanks to the animal that reassures and does not judge.
  • These sessions are gradually developing in France as in Saint-Nazaire, where Linda Ouvrard and her dog Ixo regularly intervene with media libraries or schools.

Even when the story is about big cats, he doesn't move a bit. Comfortably lying on a red bench, a plaid under his paws, Ixo enjoys the moment. It must be said that this cute chihuahua of 9 years, carefully brushed for the occasion, is the star of the media library Etienne-Caux of Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique), this Wednesday afternoon. A dozen children have withdrawn their tickets to come and tell him and his mistress a story as part of the free operation "Read with a dog" that takes place here once a month.

In the small cozy space under the stairs, it is Adrien's turn to spend a moment, between 10 and 15 minutes per session, with the doggie. The boy, in first grade, sits down and starts. In a small voice, he strives to pronounce well the words of the book of circumstance he has chosen, The Wizard of Bones. If he keeps a free hand to turn the few pages, he does not forget to distribute caresses to his new companion, on the other. "I don't know if Ixo understood the whole story, but at least he will have learned a few words," smiles his older brother Alexis, who also indulged in this amazing experience.



"The animal does not judge"

If this tête-à-tête surely pleased the Chihuahua, rewarded each time with a small kibble, this method is primarily aimed at children, in whom the benefits would be numerous. Specialized in animal mediation, Ixo's teacher, solicited by the Saint-Nazaire media library for interventions, confirms: "The objective is to de-dramatize reading, push for pleasure and not necessarily success, explains Linda Ouvrard, who remains next to the child throughout the session, without taking it back or correcting it. The animal does not judge and does not expect performance. By its presence, it offers a reassuring, calm and gentle moment, which the child will be able to remember when he gets back into a reading situation. »

This Wednesday afternoon, the toddlers who follow one another at the media library seem comfortable with words, even if some had to overcome their shyness to leave their parents for a few moments. But the Reading with the Dog method, or LAC, has already proven itself among students in difficulty. "Researchers in Boston (United States) have shown the importance of the animal to give the audacity of the high voice in reading, abounds Chantal Hazard, retired from the National Education who imported the concept in France. The dog does not learn to read but helps to free the child who has difficulties at school, for example because he zozotes and is pointed at him. »

Regain self-confidence

Chantal Hazard, who reports training a hundred people (teachers, psychologists, school nurses ...) in this method per year since 2019, is well aware that the activity can seem crazy, and yet. "The voice out loud is crucial because when there is no more, there is usually no reading in a low voice either," she continues. And it can quickly become very embarrassing, just to understand an instruction. If the National Education is for the moment rather cautious, some schools play the game. In Saint-Nazaire, Linda Ouvrard follows a small group of CP, as part of the educational success program.

"Some people start by telling me they don't like to read, and eventually they feel more and more comfortable," she says. Even if it's at the last sentence or the last words, they regain self-confidence. An experiment was also conducted in a college in Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhône). "Fifteen minutes of weekly reading to dogs would increase reading capacity by 12% for schoolchildren and up to 30% for out-of-school children," say the project leaders, intended for 6th grade students.

  • Society
  • Dog
  • Media library
  • Saint-Nazaire
  • Pays de la Loire
  • Mediation
  • Reading