By Dr. Page Hersey, Assistant Professor and Program Chair of the Single Subject and Multiple Subject Programs at the Touro University California Graduate School of Education
No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks! We can all remember the freedom of the long days of summer vacation. Students and teachers need a break from the classroom routine, and kids need time to play and explore. However, spending more than two months out of school can cause students to lose the gains they have worked so hard for during the past school year. The effect, called summer slide, means that some students will start next school year with lower achievement levels than they had at the beginning of summer break.
While the research is mixed on which students lose the most learning over the summer months, there is clear evidence that students can lose the equivalent of one to two months of instruction. These learning losses are bigger for math than reading and increase as students get older. However, the good news is that there are many ways to curb the summer slide effect and help students return to school ahead of where they ended the school year. Below are five ways to keep students learning over the summer months, while still having fun:
- Spark Curiosity and Set Goals: Involving kids in their own learning is one of the best ways to ensure they are engaged. Help children think about topics they are curious about. What would they like to learn about or learn to do? Learn to swim backstroke? Master those times tables? Set two to three goals for learning and make a plan for how to achieve them.
- Summer Programs: Choose a summer program that blends academic learning with hands-on or recreational activities. Through quality programs, students will be learning math and science, developing their vocabulary and cooperation skills, and having fun at the same time.
- Read: Set up daily time for kids to read material of their choice. Reading just six books over the summer can keep a struggling reader from regressing! Whether they choose comic books, chapter books, or magazines, reading high-interest material helps students maintain the progress they’ve made in reading. Take advantage of your local library to find new books and enroll in summer reading programs to earn prizes. And don’t forget to talk with children about what they read in order to develop reading comprehension skills.
- Everyday Learning: Turn everyday tasks into learning opportunities. Challenge kids to add up the cost of items at the grocery store. Involve them in planning and packing for trips, cooking a new recipe, or creating a summer schedule. All of these everyday activities develop a range of critical thinking skills.
- Local Learning: Solano and Napa counties have tons of free and low-cost attractions that can become learning opportunities. Check out Mare Island. Try a new fruit or vegetable at the farmer’s market. Check the Local Happenings Events page for more ideas.
The brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised to grow stronger. The more you involve children, tap their curiosity, and give them choices about their learning, the more engaged they will be in preventing summer learning loss. A little planning and creativity can make summer a time for learning and enrichment and set kids up to return to school on the right foot.
More Local Happenings for kids and families!
