WILMINGTON, MA – Wilmington School Superintendent Mary DeLai published her weekly blog post on Saturday. It was actually written by the school district’s elementary literacy coach Holly Banusiewicz, discussing how students can avoid the “summer slide” by reading during the summer. Read the blog post HERE or below:
Did you know that children who do not read over the summer can lose up to three months of reading progress? Did you also know that this loss has a cumulative, long-term effect that negatively impacts student learning? Finally, did you know that once a struggling reader reaches middle school, summer reading loss can accumulate to a two-year gap in reading achievement? Fortunately, the solution to this serious and preventable problem is simple: Children must spend time reading every day throughout the summer.
Supporting Continued Literacy Growth Throughout the Summer
There are several easy ways families can help children maintain, and even boost, literacy skills over the summer:
Enroll your child in the Wilmington Memorial Library’s outstanding summer reading program. In 2010, a study carried out at Dominican University of California found that: Students who participated in the public library summer reading program scored higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year than those students who did not participate. Undoubtedly, taking part in a summer reading program can help maintain, and potentially boost, reading ability. For information about the Wilmington Memorial Library’s summer reading program, please visit HERE.
Allow children to self-select reading materials that interest them. It is well documented that children read longer and can tackle more challenging texts if they are highly motivated to read about a particular topic or genre. These reading materials can be fiction or non-fiction books, newspapers, magazines, comic books, or even blogs, as long as the student is inspired by the material.
Eliminate frustration by helping children to choose “just right” books. The erroneous belief that giving children difficult texts to read will ultimately increase their reading skills actually hinders reading development. When children read books that are too difficult, it makes reading feel like a chore and can turn kids off from reading altogether. Help your child chose a “just right” book by using the P.I.C.K strategy
- Purpose: Do I have a purpose for reading this book (i.e. for pleasure, to learn)?
- Interest: Am I interested in this topic/genre/author?
- Comprehend: Do I understand most of what I am reading and is the book age-appropriate?
- Know the Words: Can I read most of the words? If I get stuck on four or more words after reading a page or two, the book is too hard right now and I need to choose something different.
Show children that reading is important by making time for the entire family to read every day. Some families find that adding time for books to the evening bedtime routine works for children of all ages.
Ask your child questions about what s/he is reading. Talking to kids about books promotes critical thinking skills and helps to deepen their understanding of what they have read.
Read aloud to your elementary school child. This activity shows children that reading is valued, and it helps children to develop language skills, grow vocabulary, practice comprehending challenging texts that could not be read independently, and so much more!
Set an example and read for your own pleasure. When children see that adults are excited about reading they catch that enthusiasm and want to read, too!
Summer Send-Off
This summer, enjoy exploring the world with your children through books. You never know where you might end up: howling with wolves at Yellowstone National Park, going back in time to meet King Author, or even romping through a rain forest to learn more about the unusual and stunning glass frog. Share a love of reading with your children through these amazing book adventures.
We wish everyone a safe, enjoyable summer filled with many wonderful books.
Happy reading!
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