Student readers enjoy story time with animals

Aorangi School have two groups of students who visit the SPCA each Wednesday to read to the animals.

Principal Debra Harrod said research showed that reading to animals helped motivate reluctant readers and encouraged the development of reading skills as children were able to read in a situation where they felt really comfortable and supported.

She included a write-up by school student Jazmine Pita who is really enjoying the sessions:

"Every Wednesday Whaea Anna takes us to the SPCA in the vans. I liked playing with the animals that were there. I also liked reading to them. My favourite animals were the kittens and a baby pukeko.

"When we read to the animals we sat on the bean bags and held on to the animals. I held three animals: they were a kitten, a guinea pig and a baby pukeko, but we weren't allowed to pick up the baby pukeko because it had to stay warm otherwise it would have died."