With the official start of summer we know that our kids and families are excited to put away the books and have some fun. However, we know that with interruption of the Spring Semester and what is traditionally known as “summer slide,” many of our students run the risk of returning to school in the fall far behind where they need to be to have a successful school year.
In addition, you have the cancellation of many summer programs that parents depend on for care as well as help their children to continue to explore the world and learn throughout the summer months. Many parents are tired and students feel the same way so completing workbooks and worksheets is not top of mind for many.
With that being said, one of the biggest things that you can do to ensure that your students are still learning, exploring and retaining some information through the summer months is to commit to summer reading. Regardless of the type of material that your child has an interest in, establishing a time for your child to read for 20-30 minutes a day goes a long way in ensuring their continued growth and academic development. You can ask them questions about what they read to ensure reading comprehension. You can have them read various types of materials from graphic novels to chapter books, and even early reader books that support positive messages and character development even if it is below their current grade level.
Reading is a great way to help your child reinforce old concepts, learn new words, explore new interests and ideas and stay aware of current events. Make sure to get your child books with characters and themes that your child can relate to and know that it’s okay to break the reading time into two 10-15 segments that can make the reading time more enjoyable for your child(ren).
So happy summer my friends and make sure to set the example by curling up with a good book of your own!