Greetings!

I posted this entry on my school podcast/blog as well.  As you know, I often write (well, it has been awhile….) about literacy.  It is drastically important o keep our students reading over he summer.  What are you doing to keep your students reading over the summer.  I would love to hear your ideas!

_________________________________________________________

It has been a long time since my last post and the summer is upon us.  We have one more week until school lets out for he summer.  While this is an exciting time for the students, it is important for learning to stay on the agenda during the summer.  In fact, research clearly indicates that many student lose ground academically during the summer.  This is from John Hopkins University:

Source: The Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Summer Learning The Problem

• All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of summer vacation (Cooper, 1996).
• On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Studies reveal that the greatest areas of summer loss for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, are in factual or procedural knowledge (Cooper, 1996).
• Low-income children and youth experience greater summer learning losses than their higher income peers. On average, middle-income students experience slight gains in reading performance over the summer months. Low-income students experience an average summer learning loss in reading achievement of over two months (Cooper, 1996).
• Summer learning loss contributes to the achievement gap in reading performance between lower and higher income children and youth. Research demonstrates that while student achievement for both middle- and lower-income students improves at similar rates during the school year, low-income students experience cumulative summer learning losses over the elementary school grades (Alexander & Entwisle, 1996).
• Large numbers of students who qualify for federally subsidized meals do not have the same level of access to nutritious meals during the summer as they do during the school year. Only one in five (21.1 per 100) of the 15.3 million children who receive free or reduced-price school lunches on a typical day during the regular school year participate in federal nutrition programs during the summer (Food Research and Action Center, 2002).
• Studies show that out-of-school time is a dangerous time for unsupervised children and teens. They are more likely to use alcohol, drugs, and tobacco; engage in criminal and other high-risk behaviors; receive poor grades; and drop out of school than those who have the opportunity to benefit from constructive activities supervised by responsible adults (Carnegie Council, 1994).

What can be done to prevent summer loss?  Check out the following website for more information:  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/15218#curb

The most important thing you can do is make reading a priority at your house.  We will mail the summer reading list home with your child’s last report card.  There are many ways you can encourage reading at home.  You can designate a family reading time that will allow your child to see you and others read.  You can read books, magazines etc…  Please take some time and visit the above linked website for a variety of easy to implement activities.  The best part is they are free of charge!