I en skola för alla finns olika behov och elever med olika förmågor. Trots att det finns två skolformer i Sverige för att möta allas behov, så behövs det ibland extrainsatser för att specialläraren ska nå fram. Det finns verksamheter där människorna som arbetar där, har djur som samarbetspartner och där djuren fungerar som ett pedagogiskt stöd i kommunikationen mellan djur och människa. Genom detta självständiga arbete avses att vetenskapligt undersöka vad det är som sker i kommunikationen människa – djur som kan berika livsvärlden för människor, framförallt människor som reagerar på kravfyllda situationer. I studien undersöks, med hjälp av ett försök till en fenomenologisk ansats och semistrukturerade intervjuer, hur arbetet med människor i behov av särskilt stöd upplevs enligt de som i olika verksamheter arbetar med djur som samarbetspartner. Studien avser att studera de upplevelser som de som arbetar i dessa verksamheter har. Dessa upplevelser undersöktes tillsammans med vad forskare bidragit med redan på detta område i forskarvärlden. Resultatet visar att både hästar och hundar kan fungera som stöd vid läs och skrivundervisning. Djuren minskar stress för människan genom beröring. Slutsatsen är att djur har positiv effekt som pedagogiskt stöd, särskilt för personer som den traditionella skolmiljön inte fungerat som lärmiljö för. I kommunikationen mellan människa och djur uppstår en osynlig, ordlös kommunikation som är kravlös och skapar trygghet. Andra effekter är stärkt självkänsla och att naturupplevelser tillsammans med djuren hjälper människan tillbaka till sin sanna, ursprungliga natur i ett digitaliserat, stressande samhälle. / In a school there is different needs and students with different abilities. Even if there is two school forms in Sweden to meet the needs of everybody, sometimes extra measures is needed for the special needs teacher to get across. There are facilities where people who work there, have animals as co-workers and where the animals act as a pedagogical support in the communication between animal and human. The purpose of this degree project is to scientifically examine what is happening in the communication people and animal that can enrich the lifeworld for the people, especially people who react on situations filled with demands. In the study, it is examined, with an attempt to a phenomenological approach and the help of semi-structured interviews, how the work with people in need of special support.appears according to the people working in various facilities with animals as co-workers. The purpose of the study is to highlight those effects that those who work in these facilities have experienced. These experiences were examined together with what researchers have contributed with already in this field in the world of research. The result shows that both horses and dogs can be of help with the literacy teaching. Animals lower the stress level for humans through touch. The conclusion is that animals have a positive effect as a pedagogical support, especially for people that the traditional school environment didn´t work out as a lerning environment for. In the communication between people and animal an invisible, non-verbal communication emerge, that is undemanding and brings security. Other effects is strengthened self-confidence and that nature experiences together with the animals helps the human back to her true, primordial nature in a digitalized, stressful society.Sökord/

The purpose of this diploma work is to introduce zootherapy and therapy dog and to determine the possibilities of employing therapy dogs in education of children in elementary and special schools. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with the description of zootherapy, its forms and methods. It also deals with preparation and exams for therapists. Lastly there is a section on therapy dogs, their personality and preparation for this field of work. You can also find some information on how to choose the best puppy using the puppy aptitude test. The practical part of this thesis deals with the employment of animal assisted therapy at normal and speial schools. The results had been achieved through interviews that I had made with therapists who use dogs at schools and also through obseration during those classes.