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Why does summer reading matter so much?

Research has consistently shown that summer reading loss is one of the most significant causes of the achievement gap between poorer and wealthier students. On average, economically disadvantaged students lose more than two months of reading achievement over the summer months, compared with slight gains made by middle-class students.

By sixth grade, the cumulative effect of summer reading loss creates a gap of 18 months or more between struggling and proficient readers. Over time, this summer reading loss accounts for about two-thirds of the gap between economically disadvantaged students and their wealthier peers. Children who start off behind often stay behind — struggling in middle and high school and dropping out of high school at higher than average rates.

“Kids who don’t have educationally rich summers will be behind their peers by the time they reach the end of the fifth grade … Much like we would expect an athlete or a musician’s performance to suffer if they didn’t practice regularly, the same thing is true for young people when it comes to reading performance.”

Ron Fairchild, Founding CEO, National Summer Learning Association

Keep the learning faucet on!

By taking steps to keep your child’s mind active over the summer, you can help them stay ahead academically and avoid the summer slide. Here are some ideas to try:

• Read with your child every day, and make sure that your child has access to books at home.
• Visit the library often, and take advantage of any programs they offer. Libraries are now doing much more than story time — they also offer movie nights, reading contests, scavenger hunts, maker labs, and more.
• Give kids a chance to exercise different writing muscles — from poetry to persuasive writing. Browse these ideas from our sister project, Start with a Book: Writing Ideas for Kids (opens in a new window).
• Set aside some time each day for educational activities, such as puzzles and word or prediction games.
• Connect what kids are reading to hands-on activities — such as paper crafts, model-making, simple science experiments, cooking, map-making, or collection boxes.
• Encourage family reading time, where everyone gathers together to read independently (or for pre-readers, look at picture books silently). When your child sees you reading, it shows that you enjoy reading!
• Talk to your child about books. Ask about the books they are reading, and share your own thoughts and ideas about books. This can help to spark conversations about books and encourage your child to think critically about what they are reading.
• Consider starting a kid’s book club. Book clubs can strengthen the social-emotional aspect of reading — sharing favorite books and authors, or talking about characters that reflect your own life or help you understand someone else’s. The key is to keep the club as kid-centered as possible.
• Explore local places to visit that reinforce what your child is reading about. If it’s bugs and birds, take a trip to your local nature center. If it’s stars and planets, find out where the closest planetarium is and sit in on a show. If it’s music, look for a free outdoor summer concert series nearby.
• Make reading fun! Create a reading nook or tent, listen to audiobooks, or read while doing other activities such as drawing or playing games.

Source: www.readingrockets.org/literacy-home/summer-reading-and-learning