Summer is an important time for students to keep reading and improve their language skills. Numerous studies indicate that students who do not read or read infrequently during their summer vacation see their reading abilities stagnate or decline.
Suggestions to keep your child from becoming a “rusty reader” over the summer…
- Encourage your children to read books they enjoy for at least 30 minutes per day. Your child will likely be more engrossed in material they choose themselves than material that is chosen for them.
- Provide incentives for reluctant readers. For example, if your child enjoys the park, agree to take them if they do their “daily reading.”
- Make reading a social act. Establish a time during the day when all members of the family gather and read on their own, or take turns reading the same book aloud.
- Connect your reading to family outings. If you take your kids to an aquarium, consider reading a book about fish or the ocean with them later that day. The outing can help place the reading into a broader context.
Encourage your child to read and help them develop a great lifelong habit!