Animal Assisted Education
The therapy dog. A new opportunity to learn in a regular.
(LA Candia and clover. Drawing made by a student with ASD)
Since the 2013-14 academic year is carried out in our center, in collaboration with another center, the project "The therapy dog. A new opportunity to learn in an ordinary "to respond to the educational needs of the students assigned to the UAL-USEE. Last school year was funded by the pharmaceutical company BAYER and today the Council of Lleida.
This project is part of what is called Animal Assisted Education within the framework of the Animal Assisted Interventions (IAA), which involves the participation of animals, which in our case are dogs in educational interventions to promote health and well-being of the person.
But what are the Animal Assisted Interventions?
The IAA are programs designed to promote improvements in physical function, social, educational, emotional and / or cognitive person; directed, developed and evaluated by a health professional or education.
The IAA aim to improve the quality of life for people throughout their life cycle. Favor the creation of an emotional bond between the person and the animal therapy. This link helps to develop and improve motor skills, cognitive, communicative and emotional children or adults who participate.
Animal-assisted interventions include:
- Animal Assisted Activities: Leisure activities that promote the bond between dogs and users that are addressed.
- Animal Assisted Therapy: Where participating healthcare professionals and therapeutic targets have been established with a well-defined methodology that aim to improve the quality of life of its users.
- Animal Assisted Education: Where professionals involved in education or psychology, aimed at children who have special educational needs.
What are our goals?
- IAA to introduce new methodological tool of attention to diversity within a school ordinary.
- Offering a new motivating element (therapy dogs) that favors the acquisition of new knowledge and skills in our students.
What features make our project?
Our project continues the line of Inclusive Education for students with special educational needs and in order to introduce new methodological tools attention to diversity.
The sessions are performed with group and individual fortnight. As well as classroom work with animals without specific group of students, and to anticipate continuing the learning.
The sessions are conducted by professionals UAL-USEE (two teachers Hearing and Language and Special Education Educator) and equipment ILERKAN (Technical specialist interventions and animal assisted therapy dogs)
All sessions are established work objectives well defined and adapted to the characteristics of students who were targeted. The sessions consist of a start routine, or diferents activities learning and routine farewell.
The methodology and evaluation of the intervention is carried out in coordination between the professionals involved.
Why our project is special?
• It is developed within the framework of a kindergarten and primary school ordinary public.
• It is a pioneering project in the Department of Education of the Government of Catalonia.
• Follow the criterion of equal opportunities for all our students.
• It is located in our surroundings and diverse as it is an urban school (Lleida, Segrià)
