Four Legged Friends Help Greenville Students Learn

For the first and second graders at , learning to read can be an exciting and at times intimidating experience. Recently the students have had the chance to hone their skills thanks to a furry fou legged friend.

Brooke Napoli, the Lead Teacher at the school said starting last month the students got the chance to practice reading to Roxy, a trained therapy dog. Working in what she called a "relaxed and dog-friendly environment," helps the students read out loud to their friends and to Roxy. 

Roxy, she said, is a welcome addition to the classroom setting and an eager listener for the students. "By sitting down next to a dog and reading to the dog, all threats of being judged are put aside," she said. "The child relaxes, pats the affectionate dog and focuses on the reading."

It also helps that Roxy is a part of the Greenville family, as she is owned by Christine Giachetti who is a parent in the school. Napoli said with Roxy and the students comfortable together it makes for an enjoyable experience for everyone. "Reading improves because the child is practicing the skill of reading, building self-esteem and associating reading with something pleasant."

No matter what book they are reading Napoli said Roxy is there to listen to them and help them as they learn to not only read better but also love spending time with a nice quiet book and a loving companion.