S.A. Ghoddusi, MPH
Edited by: Faraz Ghoddusi, MD, MCiM
Summer vacation is here, bringing a unique challenge for parents, guardians, and caregivers who now take on the role of instructors while teachers enjoy a much-needed break to reset and plan for the upcoming school year. Unlike during the pandemic, when teachers could remotely guide students, those without access to educational camps or preparatory programs must now tackle the "summer slide" on their own.
The concept of the “summer slide” is the idea that students do not have continued learning throughout their summer break and lose some of the information they were taught during the school year[1]. This regression can place students in a loop of trying to catch up and being unable to ever completely do so.
Access to summer camps and academic-focused programs can be both expensive and time-consuming, both of which a lot of families find difficult to handle. Health equity research supports that at-risk students, most of whom come from low-income and racial/ethnic minority backgrounds[2], when given access to academic-focused Out of School Time Academic (OSTA) programs, showed improved student outcomes. Until all students have access to these summer break opportunities, it falls upon each family to provide continued learning.
However, there is no need to panic about your student’s academics. General statistics behind summer slide losses can be biased, due in large part to the data being extracted from testing results weeks after the new school year is underway[3]. This means that, while some information may not be retained if students aren’t encouraged to continue learning over the summer, a gap in learning might not be as wide as believed. There can still be a gap, however, so while full lesson planning is not necessary for students, year-round learning maintains and increases reading levels (particularly among 3rd-5th graders)[4]. Luckily, most communities have access to a free resource working hard to help families bridge this gap.
Your public library!
By partnering with the Collaborative Summer Library Program, the State of Oregon works to ensure all students have access to reading materials during their summer break[5]. While curriculum variety is important for well-rounded academic success, general reading comprehension is shown to improve not only student literacy but improved student performance in and math and science as well[6]. Scientific and mathematic-specific reading naturally improves related course successes, especially regarding contextual learning. Your local librarian can easily recommend these materials for your student’s engagement, helping your student avoid any sliding this summer.
Signing up for a public library card is quick and free. You can find your closest library here where you can click on your library’s website link and follow the instructions to register your student today!
Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, 2024 https://governorsfoundation.org/gelf-articles/what-is-summer-slide-and-how-can-we-help-prevent-it/
Knopf, John A.; Hahn, Robert A.; Proia, Krista K.; Truman, Benedict I.; Johnson, Robert L.; Muntaner, Carles; Fielding, Jonathan E.; Jones, Camara Phyllis; Fullilove, Mindy T.; Hunt, Pete C.; Qu, Shuli; Chattopadhyay, Sajal K.; Milstein, Bobby. 2015. Out-of_School-Time Academic Programs to Improve School Achievement: A Community Guide Health Equity Systematic Review. Journal of Health Management and Practice. Vol.21 (6), p.594-608.
Workman, Joseph; von Hippel, Paul T.; Merry, Joseph. 2023. Findings on Summer Learning Loss Often Fail to Replicate, Even in Recent Data. Sociological Science. Vol.10, p.251-285.
Scholastic, 2024. Summer Learning Programs and Resources
https://education.scholastic.com/education/solutions/summer-learning-programs.html#whySummer
Oregon.gov, 2024. Summer Reading: Why It Matters
https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries/pages/summer-reading.aspx
Akbasli, Sait; Sahin, Mehmet; Yaykiran, Zeliha. 2016. The Effect of Reading Comprehension on the Performance in Science and Mathematics. Journal of Education and Practice. Vol.7 No.16, p108-121.
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