By Lynette M. Loomis
Summer learning loss, also known as “the summer slide,” means that students could potentially lose almost a third of what they learned during the school year in math and reading, according to Education Next, a respected educational online forum.
This learning loss presents an even greater challenge to children in impoverished areas with few enrichment programs readily available.
Without summer programs or parents/caregivers who have the time and ability to assist their children, little reinforcement and repetition of learned skills will occur. As students return to school in the fall, teachers must spend valuable time reviewing content in English language arts (reading and writing) and math. This “review” time prevents teachers from teaching new skills their students require for the next grade.
“It can take five to six weeks to review skills taught in the previous year rather than expose students to new information that will enable them to master new concepts,” said Elizabeth O’Brien, a speech pathologist with 46 years of experience.
Children with speech-language needs are more susceptible to this summer slide due to memory, vocabulary, processing skills and challenges with overall language ability. As students enter a new school year, they can feel discouraged and frustrated when they have not retained what they were previously taught. Often, this results in students who are not confident, discouraged and demonstrate school avoidance.
Although we are now considered “post-pandemic,” many students, particularly those with learning challenges, are still struggling to maintain skills. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) members report that many more students experience behavioral and emotional difficulties, delayed language and social communication and pragmatic challenges than before the pandemic. This reinforces the summer slide theory that being in school and functioning in a structured and routine manner enhances learning.
“It is undoubtedly important for teachers and students to have a break during the summertime,” O’Brien said. “The stress of learning new skills, engaging socially in many ways, following structured schedules and sometimes having less sleep warrants a break. However, embedded in the break should be fun activities that focus on retaining skills learned in school to prevent a significant “summer slide. In my experience, children who are allowed to use electronic devices, watch TV, play video games, etc., run a significant risk of entering school in the fall well behind their peers.”
She said that putting a time limit on those activities works well. She also supports parents creating a visual schedule with their kids to give them a voice in how they will “relax.”
ELA (English language arts) activities can be easily incorporated into fun games for kids. O’Brien said that one of her parents would “hide” sticky notes around the house using words related to a theme or letter. Their child would have to find them and match them to a board that had been created. To get a simple “reward,” their child would read the words to get their points.
Other activities to support ELA include “I Spy” using letters, helping to “read” enjoyable recipes, getting clues for scavenger hunts and “going on a picnic” and bringing items that begin with a particular letter or are part of a specific category.
Many resources are available online to help with ideas that will work with children, such as Good Housekeeping, PBS, Pinterest and the Everyday One website, readingrockets.org, which offers 10 weeks of fun, themed activities that make planning easy.
Math activities are also easily incorporated into the day. Counting how many pairs of socks are washed, counting out the correct number of forks to place on the table for dinner, making recipes and measuring ingredients are all simple ways to reinforce math while making it easy. Card games are a wonderful way to incorporate addition and subtraction while playing a game!
Children with learning challenges require a lot of support, but also need to have fun.
Language, articulation and learning are hard work for these students and activities must be engaging and consider their particular interests to be most successful. For example, O’Brien said that one of her students loved Spider-Man. They created a Spider-Man “doll” and worked on prepositions by placing the doll in all different places, “under” the table, “behind” the chair, “over” the window. This kept his interest but also reinforced a skill necessary for language and reading.
Several websites focus on activities for children with speech-language challenges, including ASHA.org, Mommyspeechtherapy.com and www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com.
Some general activities that are fun for kids and parents include:
1. Visit a museum: While there, go on a scavenger hunt to find specific items. Ask your child to recall three things they remember best.
2. Write a journal: Even if your child cannot write words, they can draw a picture each day, focusing on a particular theme, such as the prettiest flower or the weather.
3. Play language games: Games have various levels, e.g., Candyland and Matching games for young kids, Headbands for early elementary kids and Apples to Apples for middle school students.
4. Read, read, read: Visit libraries, find books your child is interested in and then set aside times to read the books with or to your child.
5. Discover a new hobby: This allows your child to learn new things while building on information they already know.