Preventing the "Summer Slide"

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If you don’t use it… you lose it -  is a phrase we’ve all heard before. If you're a baseball player perfecting your swing and you take the summer off without practicing, your batting average is bound to be affected. It’s the same with school. If you take the summer off, your academics will surely take a hit. As educators we refer to this as the “summer slide”.

Often children who do nothing over summer will slide backwards in their reading level or math facts, etc. In order to prevent your child from losing the gains they worked so hard to obtain the previous school year, we have compiled a list of activities to maintain, if not increase, your child’s reading level.

  1. Read Every Day

  2. Ask Questions

  3. Be Creative

You may be thinking this short list seems too good to be true! Let us explain.

Read Every Day

Reading every day is vital to a good reader. We know that some days you’re busy and you can’t get in that bedtime story. Just make a valiant effort to read every day. Maybe it’s a poem, a picture book or one chapter of your favorite childhood novel. Maybe it’s a recipe, a grocery list or song lyrics. Whatever it is, READ EVERY DAY!

Ask Questions

Asking questions about what your child is reading is twofold. Not only does it help with their comprehension and understanding of the text, but it also shows your child your engagement. Just showing excitement can help to motivate your child!

Be Creative

Creativity is key for engagement. Here are some fun ways to engage a reader:

  • Sign up for the reading program at your local library. They always have incentives to help motivate your child to read more.

  • Create your own reading program at home with goals specific for your child and incentives that matter to him or her.

  • Help your child create a project based off their favorite book or series.

  • Practice sight words.

  • Write stories or letters to friends and relatives.

  • Create a play where your child helps write the play.

The possibilities are endless. Think outside the book!

Research shows students who have a say in the material they read, who see their caregiver reading, and who have reading as a part of their greater community -will see less, if not any, summer slide. These three tips are sure to make your little reader say “Woo - hoo!!” this summer and NOT because they are going down a slide!