Clucks and Quacks: Reading Buddies

Have you ever heard of READING BUDDIES at school?

An older students pairs up with a younger student just learning to read. Oftentimes the other student reads books to the younger one, or sometimes the younger one reads to the older one for practice.

Or how about a DOG READING BUDDY? Sometimes schools or libraries allow specially trained dogs to become non-judgmental READING BUDDIES to struggling readers. These readers find a furry friend much easier to read aloud to when it's still a struggle. It's a win-win! The reader reads and becomes confident and the dog loves the attention.

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But have you heard of a CHICKEN READING BUDDY?

:wink:

Yep! Totally unexpected, huh? Or maybe not...This is ME. :laugh:

My Sam is a struggling reader. With his SPD (see Sensory Processing Disorder in the tabs for more information) and visual tracking and convergence challenges, reading and following words are plain ol' hard work. Finding something - ANYTHING! - to bring the fun back into reading is one of my biggest trials as a homeschooling Mama of Sam.

One day I had this crazy idea to bring a chicken in for him to read to. Our lil' Welly Butterfly joined Sam on the couch. Sam read his Hooked on Phonics reader Mad Dog to her with his Eye Level Reading Ruler. 

And you know what? He read it without complaint, giggling as Butterfly cheeped softly occasionally. (I told him she was making a comment about the story he was reading.) So, now we have HEN READING BUDDIES!