It’s summertime throughout the United States! That means children are outside, swimming in pools, going to summer camp, playing with friends, and going on vacations with loved ones. However, summer means something else for children of all ages: the summer slide.
What is the summer slide, or more appropriately, summer learning loss? When children return to classrooms after summer break, teachers find there is a significant loss of curriculum from the previous year. In regards to reading, children tend to lose confidence and drop reading levels. In addition, statistics show that this summer slide is found most prominently with low-socioeconomic students. Statistics from studies vary, but one study from the National Assessment of Educational Progress states that 58 percent of 4th graders eligible for free-lunch programs fell below basic reading levels compared to 27 percent of 4th graders of higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
The achievement gap between high-socioeconomic and low-socioeconomic students shows itself in the summer learning loss due to limited or no summer programs provided by schools, limited access to books, and parents who lack confidence in reading themselves and/or are English language learners.
How can we combat this summer slide for students of all backgrounds, but specifically those with limited resources?
Spread the word. Schools, literacy outreach organizations, public libraries, policymakers, and parents need to be proactive in educating the public on summer learning loss and promoting specific programs to curb the statistics.
Summer Reading Lists. Schools and public libraries should provide summer reading programs and lists for students to complete over the summer. These programs can engage students with additional creative activities like coloring sheets or scavenger hunts at a public library. Parents of all backgrounds, but specifically from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, appreciate solid and directional programming with suggestions and guides on how to promote literacy within their homes.
After school programming. Many public schools are being pressured to provide after-school programs for families during the summer. For families who have parents working full-time throughout the summer, after school programs can provide children with an opportunity to continue their education.
Libraries! Public and local libraries can partner with schools and set up workshops for parents and caregivers before summer begins, to educate on their summer programs and encourage library-card signups. Children who have limited book access at home can find a haven at the library, with a limitless supply of books to checkout.
Hobby reading. For many children, the summer is dedicated to fine-tuning hobbies whether it be sports, band camp, theater, gardening, cooking, space, etc. For busy families, a once a month visit to the library to check-out books that align with their child’s interests and hobbies can encourage reading enjoyment.
Transitional reading. If literacy and the summer learning loss is overwhelming, start small. Reading food labels at the grocery store, turning the subtitles on for movies, cooking together and reading a recipe, surfing the World Wide Web (with parental supervision of course), visiting the zoo or local museum and reading the informational brochures, or reading magazines and newspaper comics can all be ways parents and caregivers can continue reading habits and encourage new ones.
The best thing to remember as summer commences is that reading should be enjoyable for children. Summer is a long-awaited break for many children, and reading can be and should be a time for relaxation. However, it is important for education to continue and for parents, caregivers, and children to understand life-long learning means that there is always an opportunity for growth. Learning does not only happen in a classroom.
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