Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Every parent worries about the loss of learning over the summer commonly known as the “summer slide.” Supporting your child in reading does not require hours of daily work. I have three low-cost or no-cost tips for stopping the summer reading slide.
Have Lots of Conversations with Your Child
Oral language is the foundation of reading. Talking with your child about favorite topics or new interests is a great way to develop oral language. Season your conversations with figurative language such as idioms. These activities can also help prevent the summer reading slide.
Throughout the school year I read questions from the book Would You Rather Game Book for Kids by Jenny Moore to my intervention groups. My students love playing would you rather as it forces them to choose between two absurd choices. I extend each conversation by requiring them to defend their choices. Orally defending an arguement is great practice for future opinion writing!
A simple Google search for free questions for kids is also another option. Country Living offers a free list of 225 funny questions on its website.
You can learn more about the importance of oral language in my previous blog titled How to Help My Child Read Better.
Visit Your Local Public Library
Weekly trips to the public library provide access to free fiction and nonfiction books. Many libraries offer programs for summer reading that directly address the slide in skills, keeping kids engaged.
Many libraries offer summer reading programs to help combat the summer slide.
I recommend selecting books your child can read independently as well as selecting books you will read aloud to your child. Our vocabulary develops through reading books. The more books you read, the larger your vocabulary. Students who avoid reading generally have smaller vocabularies. Reading aloud to your child can help bridge the gap.
If you are traveling this summer be sure to take advantage of audiobooks. Websites like goodreads.com provide a curated list of books that are perfect for reading aloud to your child.
Download Free Printable Resources
If your child is an emergent reader, download free decodable texts from the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI). UFLI offers free reading games and flashcards for letters and irregular high-frequency words.
Reading games are a sure-fire way to combat the effects of summer reading slide.
For older children you can create a fun reading review game with homemade flashcards, paired with a tic-tac-toe game. The website Flocabulary provides free word lists from grades K-8.
I recommend that older children discuss the meanings of the words in addition to reading them. Doing so will help mitigate the summer slide in reading as well.
Short reading activites during the week allow children the time they need to enjoy summer vacation.
Choose the activity that works best for your family’s schedule this summer.
In closing, it is important to remember that the main focus of summer vacation is to relax and take a break from school.
Wishing you a fantastic and sun-soaked summer break!
Also Read:
How to Help My Child Read Better
15-Minute Reading Homework Routine for Kids
About the Therapist
Bridget Anderson, M.A., CALT, C-SLDS provides expert dyslexia therapy for elementary students in the Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, CA communities.
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