literacy
Summer Stride vs Summer Slide
by Taliah Abdullah
Greetings Beautiful Readers,
Growing up, how many of you participated in
summer reading programs at your local library? As
schools send children off on summer vacations,
public libraries are gearing up to get children and
families excited about reading. Some of us have
positive memories of summer reading. For others,
memories may be similar to that of my colleagues,
about summer being for fun and not for
reading. For some, fun and reading do not belong in the same sentence.
Whether children enjoy it or not, reading is essential. Reading is exercise for the
brain and without this exercise during the summer months, the consequences
impact everyone when school resumes and beyond.
Why Summer Learning is So Important
Research shows that without practice, children and teens lose reading skills
during the summer vacation because they do not read. It may not seem like
much, but losing a few months summer after summer adds up over the years,
and can have a huge and long-term impact on students’ performance. This
summer loss or slide can range anywhere from 2-3 months each summer,
creating a gap each summer. From grades one to nine, this loss can result in a
child lagging 2-3 years behind in reading proficiency.
Plants and flowers cannot thrive without attention for two to three months
(believe me, I know), and neither can our children. Can you imagine if children
did not read during their first months of returning to schools? Parents would not
tolerate it, yet it happens during June, July and August and it does not have to
be this way. As parents and other caring adults who cherish the children in our
life, we can ensure that children read and learn over the summer.
Tibay Trans4orm Magazine, Life a Full, Authentic Life | June 2014
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