The Summer Slide
Summer reading regression, otherwise known as the ‘summer slide’, is described by Twinkl as, ‘The trend of students “sliding backward” in their reading abilities during the summer months.’ It is something that educators and parents show concern about year on year.
Summer Reading Regression
The summer holidays are in no doubt a time for children to relax and spend time with family and friends, but it is also a time where education is often pushed to one side. Like many things in life, reading is a skill that needs to be continuously practised in order to maintain the standard to which it once was, and short bursts of reading regularly is what is recommended to keep kids on track.
The summer reading regression occurs when children do very little reading or no reading at all over the summer holidays. Children who don’t read over the summer lose about 20% of the reading gains from the previous academic year and, according to scholastic, ‘it takes on average 4-6 weeks for students to catch up on lost progress’. Lower income families experience the ‘summer slide’ at a greater amount due to lack of resources which widens the literacy gap further.
Put the Brakes On
We need to put the brakes on the ‘summer slide’ and make sure children don’t slip backwards, no matter their background. Working together with families is crucial to ensure that they feel supported. Parents need to be made aware of the summer slide but also given solutions to help them prevent it. If we know families don’t have the relevant resources at home, we need to provide them with what is necessary in order for them to succeed.
As well as engaging the parents and educating them on the ‘summer slide’, we also need to make children excited about reading over the holidays. Considering the children are on their summer break, we need to think creatively to make reading engaging and fun.
Below are three tips to get children excited about reading over the summer:
Let children choose their own books. It is important that children feel they have ownership over the decision of the book they are reading and that they have the chance to choose one that they are interested in. If the book seems slightly too easy/hard, don’t worry! We just want children to enjoy what they are reading over the summer - any reading is better than no reading
Include some games. Children love games! By involving games in education, children forget that they are learning and are focused on getting to the next stage in the game. It is the perfect way to keep children engrossed in books.
Incorporate technology. These days, children appear to be more tech-savvy than adults and can’t get enough of using technology. Why not make screen time productive and get children reading on tablets?
The National Read Aloud Challenge
The National Read Aloud Challenge is the perfect way to encourage children to read over the summer. Not only is the challenge completely FREE and provides children access to hundreds of books, it also incorporates games and prizes to motivate the kids. All our books are available on tablets so children can spend their screen time on something educational.
Our aim is to reduce summer reading regression by making children love reading! We don’t want reading to be a chore, we want children to enjoy picking up books and experiencing the joy of being engrossed in a story.
Put the brakes on the summer slide and enrol your school in the challenge!
https://www.readaloudchallenge.co.uk
