Summer vacation can be a time of excitement and freedom for students, but it can also be a time of lost progress and learning regression. According to research, students who do not engage in educational activities during the summer can lose up to two months of progress in math and reading! This can have a significant impact on their academic performance in the upcoming school year. Therefore, it is important to make summer learning a priority and continue to practice and stay on top of learning during the summer months.
Why Summer Learning Matters
Summer learning provides students with the opportunity to reinforce what they have learned during the school year, practice new skills, and build a strong foundation for future learning. By continuing to engage in educational activities during the summer, students can prevent learning loss, improve their academic performance, and even get ahead of their peers. Summer learning also helps students stay motivated and prepared for the new school year, reducing the stress and anxiety that can come with transitioning back to school after a long break. It also allows students to build their confidence and establish a love of learning that moves away from the conforms of the classroom and regular, more stringent timelines that the rest of the year brings with due dates and busy class schedules.
Tips for Summer Learning
Read regularly: Reading is one of the most effective ways to continue learning during the summer. Encourage students to read a variety of books and materials, including fiction, non-fiction, and educational texts that pertain to their interests.
Practice math skills daily: Math skills tend to be the most affected by summer learning loss, so it's important to practice regularly. The key is to build in practice without it feeling like math class- this is especially important for younger students who may resist any type of "learning" during the summer months! Forgo worksheets that become meaningless to students and instead have students play math-related board games and card games. Even consider switching up the points system when playing various sports, as a sneaky way of having kids practice addition or multiplication facts.
Work with a tutor or attend summer learning camps: Tutors and learning camps can help motivate and encourage bigger gains in students. Likewise, working 1 on 1 with a tutor holds students accountable during an otherwise, less structured time of year. Similarly, attending learning camps and working with a tutor can help ensure students are dedicating time to practice concepts that they may have struggled with and gives them the opportunity to seek clarification and explore new related concepts.
Keep the learning fun and meaningful: Summer provides ample opportunities for learning to take more creative forms and capitalize on student's preferred interests such as sports and other outdoor activities.
Summer learning is essential for academic success and should not be overlooked. Through continuing to practice and stay on top of learning during the summer months, students can prevent learning loss, improve their academic performance, and even get ahead of their peers. Parents and educators can play a key role in supporting summer learning by providing resources, setting goals, and encouraging students to make learning a priority. Let's make summer learning a habit and set students up for success!
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