A Talking Dog! Really?

Martha, from Martha Speaks, is America’s chattiest dog and oh my, does she have a lot to say! This week the special literacy-based programming for the PBS KIDS Summer Reading Challenge will feature Martha Speaks in “Dog Daze Week.” The five episodes with a “Dog’s Life” theme include:

“Monkeyshines Martha/ Dog Daze” - July 23  *NEW Episode*

“Martha in the Hold/Get Along, Little Doggies!” - July 24

“Truman’s Mad/Dog for a Day” - July 25

“The Dog Did It/Martha Out West” - July 26

“Dogs in Space/Dogs from Space” - July 27

Martha Speaks airs Monday-Friday on WCVE PBS/WHTJ PBS at 2:30 p.m. It also airs weekdays on WCVW PBS at 10:00 a.m.  Additional broadcast listings can be found at ideastations.org/tv/schedules.

The PBS KIDS Summer Reading Challenge has been connecting kids with their favorite PBS characters, fun activities, and reading skills all summer long and this week with Martha is no exception. The underlying goal of Martha Speaks is to help increase children’s oral vocabulary and how better to get kids excited about learning new words than with a dog who just can’t stop talking! Throughout the week, Martha will teach kids words like “civilization,” “hypothesis,” “pioneer,” and more.

Martha’s antics also continue online at PBSKIDS.org/martha. This comprehensive website builds on the series’ curriculum to bolster the oral vocabulary of four to seven year olds. More Martha fun can  be found on the critically acclaimed iPhone app, “Martha's Dog Party,” which has been shown to raise a child’s vocabulary by as much as 31 percent.

To find out more about Martha Speaks, visit their Parent and Teacher website.