PROMOTE A LEAP, NOT A LOSS: SUMMER, HOLIDAY AND WEEKEND READING
As educators we want to ensure that our students have daily time to read each day when they are with us at school. To keep this momentum, it is
important that we consider ways to set students up to read at home on weekends, holidays and of course over the summer. With summer fast approaching teachers may want to consider the following suggestions from Intervention Reinvention by Stephanie Harvey et al, on how to prevent the phenomenon known as “summer slide”. These strategies may be especially helpful when brainstorming ways to support our more vulnerable learners who according to research experience higher degrees (80%) of stalled learning over the summers break.
- Consider having students make a vacation reading plan. Have children plan ahead and get them talking about what they would like to read and prepare copies of books/ebooks, and teach them how to access books at the public library. Photocopy calendar pages and conference with students to support their interest and reading plan.
- Consider sending students home with books that were carefully book matched to their interests using books from your classroom library.
- Consider organizing book swaps before the school year ends. Put out a call for gently used books and book match with your students and set up a display letting families know books are available and that they are welcome to what interests them.
- Consider promoting book ownership through giveaway promotions. Studies have found that book ownership when paired with a summer reading programs has more impact when no strings are attached (Allington, McGill-Frazen 2010). Students build home libraries of high interest books and pride in book ownership.
- Consider keeping the school library open over the summer. Advertise it as a one-time special events or exclusive offer. It may be easier for students to access the school library rather than the public and even if students have been sent home with books, allowing access to the school library with allow them to refresh their stack. Perhaps a new interest has popped up over the summer, and accessing the library allows them to continue that interest.
Get together with colleagues and the school administration to discuss these ideas or brainstorm other out of the box ideas to support students over the summer. Plan for a leap and not a loss!
To learn more about Intervention Reinvention and other reading volume interventions strategies click here.