Don't be a "Summer Slider"!
Over 100 years of research confirms the phenomenon referred to as ‘summer slide’ (White, 1906). This body of research has shown that during the summer children can lose the equivalent of two months of Maths and English achievement. (Cooper, Nye, Charlton, & Greathouse, 1996).
How can you prevent this ‘summer slide’ happening to your child?
A good starting point is the End of Year Report you received. In the report emailed this week you will have seen the Strategies for Improvement. This is important information that contains suggestions from your child’s teacher on ways you can help your child this Summer. These strategies were provided to help maintain your child’s current learning level or provide revision opportunities in preparation for the 2017 school year. There are many easy ways you can do this during the holidays.
Visit your local library. Spend time selecting books to borrow then set aside 15 – 30 minutes a day for your child to read these books. During the summer, we all have more time to read for enjoyment and really get into a great book series or discover a new author. No matter the age of your child take time to read books together. Not only will this help develop a range of reading skills but a short discussion after will improve comprehension skills. Sharing a book, particularly with older children, is a wonderful bonding experience as you wonder together what will happen to the characters and how the story will unfold.
Go on field trips. Visit places together. We are very lucky to live in a city with a first class museum. TMAG is filled with exciting displays and is free. Incorporate a Mathematics lesson by catching the bus. Use online timetables to work out departure, travel and arrival times. Have children pay the fare and check the change. Do a history walk of Hobart, wander around Salamanca, take a walk in the Botanical Gardens, drive out to Bellerive Bluff and visit the fort. This list of possibilities is endless. Not only will your child benefit from mutual discussions of the outing, but also from reading, drawing pictures and writing stories about what interested them about the trip.
Travel the world without leaving home. Spend time looking at an atlas. The atlas is a great source of maps, colour photos and explanations of resources found at particular locations. For those adventurous types maybe even plan meals from around the world. This will provide more opportunities to practise Mathematics skills - measuring, working out fractions and cooking times as well as recipe reading.
Family game nights. Have a weekly family games night. Games to consider include Scrabble, Boggle, Monopoly, card games or puzzles. Aside from the learning outcomes playing games together is just good fun.
Teach about money. Use any shopping opportunity to let children handle or plan purchases. Show them how to check change and count out amounts needed.
Mrs Jane Doyle & Ms Sue Cunningham - Coordinators of Teaching & Learning K-2 & 3-6
A Catholic School in the Salesian Tradition