Summer is finally here! It’s time for students to kick back and relax before preparing for the next school year. For many students, summer break means unwinding and focusing on having fun! Unfortunately, taking time away from learning can have a significant negative impact on students and cause summer learning loss, also known as the summer slide.
What is summer slide?
“Summer slide” is the tendency for students, especially students from low-income families, to lose some of the knowledge and achievement gains they made the previous school year. Summer slide occurs due to a lack of exposure to educational activities during vacation; however, it doesn’t affect every student equally. Students from low-come families are more likely to experience summer slide due to limited resources and accessibility to summer enrichment programs.
Studies show that kids lose a significant amount of knowledge in reading and math over summer break, and a more recent study showed that children in 3rd to 5th grade, on average, lost about 20 percent of what they learned in reading and 27 percent of what they learned in math during summer break.
How to prevent learning loss during summer break
Summer break is a time for kids to have fun, but it’s also a chance for them to fall behind. While you’re busy planning fun family activities, don’t forget about the importance of keeping kids engaged in educational opportunities.
Preventing learning loss can seem overwhelming, but luckily, students can maintain reading comprehension and math skills with just a few minutes of learning during their day. There are several ways you can keep kids engaged in educational activities during the summer:
Let kids choose
One of the challenges of keeping kids engaged during the summer is getting them excited about learning. Kids won’t gain much from their summer reading if they’re not enjoying what they’re reading! A great way to get them excited about reading is by allowing them to pick what they want to read. Ask your child’s teacher or a librarian for recommendations if you’re unsure what reading level your child is on.
Set goals
Sit down with your child and set some summer learning goals together! Learning to identify, define, and set academic goals is a great skill for any student to develop. Depending on your child’s age and grade level, you may want to aim for reading a book a week or setting aside a certain amount of time each day for reading. Make sure you create realistic goals and use a reward system to keep your child motivated throughout the summer.
Make learning fun
After all, it is summer, so try to keep activities fun! Are you heading to the beach? Pack some books with you or try to have a seashell counting contest. Visiting historical sites or going on educational excursions to local museums, zoos, or aquariums are also great ways to stimulate the brain and promote learning. Games and puzzles are also a great way to combine education and play!
How tutoring can help prevent summer learning loss
Tutoring is another resource you can use to help your child stay engaged in learning during the summer. There are several benefits of tutoring, and 1-on-1 instruction can help keep your child fresh on skills and catch up on concepts they may have forgotten throughout the school year.
Tutoring helps fill in gaps
Tutoring can help your child identify areas of weakness and reinforce skills and concepts they may be struggling with. Tutors can also tailor sessions to your child’s learning style and build customized plans to ensure your child is caught up and ready for the next school year.
Tutoring provides enrichment opportunities and makes learning exciting
Another great benefit of working with a tutor is that they can incorporate your child’s interests and hobbies into sessions. Tutors can create custom worksheets or exercises that fit your child’s favorite sports, music, etc. Tutors can also incorporate fun challenges or games into the learning process and create a social environment that allows your child to gain confidence and improve their attitude towards learning.
Tutoring helps your child advance
The most important and obvious benefit of tutoring is that it’ll help your child get caught up and ahead of the game for the upcoming school year. Not only does tutoring help reduce school-related stress, but it also helps your child get ready for all the new challenges they’ll face in the new school year.
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