Students love summer. As soon as the last school bell rings, students grab their backpacks and race out the door, leaving all thoughts of school behind to not return to their learning until the start of the school year.
With all of this time spent away from school, it’s easy to backtrack and lose some progress, otherwise known as “summer learning loss.” Summer learning programs are a great way to stay on track and keep up as the new school semester starts.
What we understand about summer learning loss
Where does this leave us in terms of understanding summer learning loss? There are some differences between the findings of studies using these different data sources:
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011) research indicates student learning flattens during the summers after kindergarten and first grade, while research using NWEA’s interim assessment, MAP® Growth™ data shows more substantial losses in both math and reading.
The Summertime Learning Gap
Math skills are the first to go. The lack of practice and route problem solving contribute to this. The reading and language skills of higher-income children often continue to grow while the literacy skills of lower-income children tend to decline over the summer. These effects are cumulative and may affect students over the course of their education.
In either case, practice makes perfect, and the more engaged a young mind is, the less decline you’ll see over the summer.
Summer Learning Helps Students In Their Studies
With practice being an important catalyst for success, it’s clear that summer learning programs shouldn’t be a luxury or just an afterthought when there’s nothing else to do. Summer learning has a real impact on both academic and social-emotional development. It provides structure to children’s summer experiences, making it more likely that they’ll stay engaged, focused, and out of trouble. It also keeps their academic skills polished, and in some cases, makes it possible for them to get ahead.
One of the best things about summer learning is that students proceed at a slower pace, with less pressure, and focus on one subject at a time. This is ideal for reigniting a student’s love of learning and provides an effective avenue for them to master their skills. It gives them the freedom to learn at their own pace, while increasing their confidence and helping them feel more prepared at the beginning of the next school year.
Summer Learning Programs And Your Student
The Learning Lab has summer learning programs for all subjects and age groups. No matter the age of your student or their abilities, there’s a program to promote summer learning, reinforce a subject that may be lacking, and keep the education gap low over the course of the summer. The more time your student has to focus on school, the more likely they are to be successful, keep up, and outpace their peers. Keep in mind, this doesn’t have to be a chore for them either! A few hours a week can go a long way to promoting summertime learning and keeping your child on track!
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