Summer Reading Loss

1
May Preschool Education Article

• Summer Reading Loss
• Although we would like to believe it does not
  happen, it does. Every summer there is a loss in
  reading skills. This is due mainly to the fact
  that outside of the classroom there is less focus
  on reading skills and the access to high quality
  reading materials also diminishes.
• Therefore, it is important that over the summer
  months, you focus some activity time that
  reinforces reading skills. Below are some
  examples of activities you can use to lessen
  reading regression
• Point out print in a childs environment (e.g.,
  cereal boxes, food labels, toys, restaurants,
  traffic signs, etc.)
• Sing songs, say short poems or nursery rhymes, or
  play rhyming word games
• Tell stories to your child
• Read short passages with your child until s/he
  can re-read them to you

• Encourage older siblings to read with younger
  children
• Go to the library together
• Have age appropriate books, magazines, and news
  article around the house
• Encourage your child to write messages such as
  grocery lists, to-do lists, etc.
• Dont worry about spelling the idea of just
  using words constantly is what counts
• When watching television have the captioning
  feature enabled so your child can view the words
  while hearing them
• Source Maryann Mraz and Timothy Rasinski,
  Summer Reading Loss. The Reading Teacher, Vol.
  60, No. 8, May 2007, pgs 784-789
• It is important that literacy is a constant in a
  childs developing life. Once school ends or
  changes to summer camp, you become the most
  important resource for keeping your childs
  reading interest focused until school begins
  again.