The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Having a pet dog helps to reduce children's stress. A new study shows that petting a dog really helps stressed kids. Researchers looked at 643 young children. They found that children with a pet dog are less stressed than children without one. Just twelve per cent of children with a dog had signs of stress, but this was 21 per cent for children with no dog. This will not surprise parents. They know dogs are great for helping children to develop.

There are many things that are still unclear. We do not know if less stressed children have pet dogs, or if pet dogs make children less stressed. There is a link between pet dogs and children's stress. Pet dogs help children start conversations. This is often difficult for children. A pet dog can comfort children. They tell their pet all his or her secrets and stories. Sometimes a pet dog is so important that its name is the first word the child speaks.

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Sources
  • http://www.healthaim.com/playing-pets-perfect-anxiety-cure/33472
  • http://rapidnewsnetwork.com/a-dog-is-a-child-s-best-friend-reducing-anxiety-levels/321154/
  • http://financialspots.com/2015/11/30/children-with-dogs-are-less-anxious/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Having a pet dog helps to reduce

a.

stress

2.

petting a dog really

b.

at 643 young children

3.

Researchers looked

c.

are great

4.

Just twelve per cent of children

d.

children's stress

5.

signs of

e.

with a dog

6.

This will not surprise

f.

to develop

7.

They know dogs

g.

parents

8.

helping children

h.

helps stressed kids



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

There are many things that

a.

and children's stress

2.

less stressed

b.

her secrets and stories

3.

pet dogs make children

c.

so important

4.

There is a link between pet dogs

d.

less stressed

5.

Pet dogs help children start

e.

child speaks

6.

They tell their pet all his or

f.

are still unclear

7.

Sometimes a pet dog is

g.

children have pet dogs

8.

the first word the

h.

conversations

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Having (1) ___________________ to reduce children's stress. A new study shows that petting a dog (2) ___________________ stressed kids. Researchers looked at 643 young children. They found that children (3) ___________________ are less stressed than children without one. Just twelve per cent of children with a dog (4) ___________________ stress, but this was 21 per cent for children with no dog. This will (5) ___________________. They know dogs (6) ___________________ helping children to develop.

There are many things (7) ___________________ unclear. We do not know if less stressed children have pet dogs, or if pet dogs make children (8) ___________________. There is a link between pet dogs and children's stress. Pet dogs (9) ___________________ conversations. This is often difficult for children. A pet dog can (10) ___________________. They tell their pet (11) ___________________ secrets and stories. Sometimes a pet dog is so important that its name (12) ___________________ the child speaks.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Havingapetdoghelpstoreducechildren'sstress.Anewstudyshowsthat
pettingadogreallyhelpsstressedkids.Researcherslookedat643young
children.Theyfoundthatchildrenwithapetdogarelessstressedthanchi
ldrenwithoutone.Justtwelvepercentofchildrenwithadoghadsignsofst
ress,butthiswas21percentforchildrenwithnodog.Thiswillnotsurprise
parents.Theyknowdogsaregreatforhelpingchildrentodevelop.There
aremanythingsthatarestillunclear.Wedonotknowiflessstressedchild
renhavepetdogs,orifpetdogsmakechildrenlessstressed.Thereisalink
betweenpetdogsandchildren'sstress.Petdogshelpchildrenstartconv
ersations.Thisisoftendifficultforchildren.Apetdogcancomfortchildre
n.Theytelltheirpetallhisorhersecretsandstories.Sometimesapetdogi
ssoimportantthatitsnameisthefirstwordthechildspeaks.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about pet dogs for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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