This post was submitted by Katie Cerqua, Youth & Family Services Manager for the Virginia Beach Public Library.
Summer is here – complete with hot, humid weather and of course, a long break from school. And with it comes “summer slide.” What may sound like an exciting new attraction at the oceanfront actually refers to the learning loss that children experience when they are out of school during summer break.
Students of all ages look forward to hanging out with friends and relaxing on the beach all summer. While a carefree summer may sound great, it comes at a price. Children who don’t read or engage in enriching activities during summer experience a loss of learning equal to about two months of class time.
A National Summer Learning Association study in 2009 showed that children who experience summer slide fall behind their peers in school – and the learning loss is compounded yearly. By high school, summer slide can mean the difference between a student heading to college or dropping out of school.
The good news is that reading books and regular participation in educational activities during the summer helps children beat the slide.
Here are some tips to keep your child on the path to success this summer:
- Establish a regular reading time.
- Set a realistic reading goal: 20 minutes a day is enough to beat summer slide.
- Visit the library as part of your weekly routine.
- Register the whole family for Virginia Beach Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge: it’s free, and there’s a challenge for children, teens and adults.
- Register your child for his own library card.
- Let your child choose his own books to read.
- Show a genuine interest in what your child is reading.
- Be a model reader: make sure your child sees you reading for pleasure, too!
- Read together: even reading the newspaper together is beneficial.
- Visit the library’s calendar to find free, educational (and fun) activities for your child, all summer long.
You don’t have to cancel trips to the beach to conquer summer slide. Just work in a few trips to the library, too.