I came across the term Summer Slide recently. Did not know what it meant initially but
soon found out. I thought I would share
my thoughts on this topic here.
Summer
Slide is the loss in academic skills and
knowledge during summer break. Children
actually slide backwards academically if they don’t study at all during
the break. What I found interesting is
that children don't just stop and pick up where they left off at the end
of term, they actually go backwards.
Consequently, parents often plan learning activities during the summer
holidays to prevent summer slide, Activities range from private tuition, online
learning, literacy/numeracy applications, etc.
In our haste to stop brain drain during these summer months, we often
overload our kids. They go from one class to another or one activity to
another. They might not be in school but the focus on academics and school
related learning continues in another setting or format. As a result, some
people argue that students come back to school tired. They have had a long
academic year and by the time they get to the end of term they are tired and
they need a break. They need to play, they need to engage in practical
activities that make sense of what they have learnt in school. They should not
be studying hours after hours.
Well, I personally don’t disagree with the
fact that kids study hard during the year and they need some time to unwind,
relax, and enjoy before the next school year starts. I’ve seen it with my two
boys. They go to school, go to extra curriculum activities, come back and do
homework … So, their days are packed!
However, these summer days can
be long and we as parents often struggle to fill them. I personally feel that in
addition to playing, drawing, painting, having play-dates and other fun
activities, kids can still read and write every day or every other day for a
few minutes. I think the key to keep in mind is balance. Overburdening the
kids with school related work will not give them time to enjoy their break from
school and they may very well go back to school tired and exhausted. However,
if they study for a while and then play and engage in fun activities it should
be beneficial all around.
Another thing I would like to point out is that the learning loss seems
to be higher among lower-income families compared to higher-income families.
The achievement gap is often explained by unequal access to summer learning
opportunities. What is most disturbing is the fact that summer learning loss is
cumulative which means that these
periods of differential learning rates contribute significantly to the
achievement gap over time.
So the question is how to help our kids and prevent summer slide
regardless of family income or social standing. I read quite a few articles;
tried to find out what the research is saying and drew on my own experiences.
Below are some of the strategies that families can use to avoid summer brain
drain:
- Reading: Research shows that reading just six books during summer may keep students from regressing. When you are choosing the books, make sure that they are just right for your child; not too hard and not too easy. You don’t have to buy books or download books on iPad for them. Pay a visit to local libraries. Libraries also run summer reading programs that can motivate kids to read.
- I take my kids to local library to borrow books. I read with them every day but it’s not necessarily a book. Some days we read newspaper, and other days we read magazines, flyers, sign boards, etc.
- Writing: Ask your kids to write a holiday journal. This gives them the opportunity to talk about things they have done and have a lovely project at the end of the break.
- I ask my kids to write every day on any topic of their interest. I must admit sometimes instead of every day it gets to every other day or three times a week. I check their writing for grammar, punctuation and spelling. I also ask them to write postcards and birthday cards. You don’t even have to buy expensive cards; they often make them themselves.
- Cooking: This is one of the best ways to promote language development, cooperation, following directions, sequencing and a host of other skills.
- I am not much of a cook but I do include my kids whenever possible. They love to read out instructions to me, measure ingredients, whisk things and see their creation once ready. I use this time to talk about good nutrition as it can lay the foundation for healthy eating later on.
- Playing board games: There’ll be days when you cannot go out because it’s raining or for some other reason. Board games are a great way to keep them engaged, happy and make them smarter. Not only will they practice basic reading and math skills, but they will also learn problem solving, strategy, and critical thinking skills. For example, monopoly lets them deal with money. They learn addition, subtraction and multiplication. Snakes and ladders help them learn counting. Scrabble helps them discover new words and learn how to spell them.
- I often play scrabble, monopoly, snakes and ladder and brainbox with my boys and my husband plays chess and checkers. This gives us the opportunity to bond as a family and keep their minds sharp.
- Learning from everyday activities: There are so many little things children can do without really sitting down and studying. Counting coins and bills, spelling words on sign boards, calculating the total cost of tickets to parks, cinema, etc. are all ways by which kids can learn something.
- I often ask my kids to spell words I see on sign boards while driving; buy stuff and get correct change; tell me whether the number is odd or even etc. I try to find learning opportunities in everyday things.
It is also important for children to learn non-school
related skills like riding a bike, swimming, roller-blading, ice skating, skate
boarding, soccer, taekwondo etc. It’s not just about academics; we need to
provide our kids with a well-rounded education.
I know it's not always easy to keep up with a routine during this season.
What we need to keep in mind is that we don't have to do
everything every day but now and then. The
suggestions provided above should fit into a busy schedule and make summer
break fun without sliding back academically. Summer is a great time to enjoy
time-off from school but it does not have to be time-off from learning.
Happy Summer!
Shabana Muhajir
Would you like to share your thoughts on this topic or share tips on
preventing the summer slide? Leave your ideas in the comments section.
Articles I Read
Children's notebook: The summer slide - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/daisy-bridgewater/10219585/Childrens-notebook-The-summer-slide.html
Summer Of Extra Tuition For Many Kids - http://news.sky.com/story/1124258/summer-of-extra-tuition-for-many-kids
Slowing the Summer Slide http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec11/vol69/num04/Slowing-the-Summer-Slide.aspx
Three Ways to Prevent Summer Slide - http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/developing-reading-skills/three-ways-to-prevent-summer-slide
Summer Learning Loss Study: Can 'Summer Slide' Be Prevented? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/21/summer-learning-loss-study_n_3391594.html
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