Slide 1- Combatting the Summer Slide
Slide 2- Over the summer, many students suffer from what we call "the summer slide." Over time, without practice they may regress in skills, have their skills plateau, or forget old information. This leads to a need for reteaching at the end of the next school year, putting new material to be learned behind.
Slide 3- There are different factors or causes to the summer slide. These may include but are not limited to lack of skill practice, little or no time spent reading and a lack of emphasis on learning activities. The brain is not being challenged enough.
Slide 4-If we give our children opportunities to practice their Reading, Math and Critical Thinking Skills, they will be much more prepared for the upcoming school year and will lose less knowledge or skills.
Slide 5- There are many ways that students can practice their Reading. They can start by taking time out to read everyday. This can be many things such as magazines, comic books, blogs, newpapers or books. They can also choose 6-10 on-level or slightly above-level books to read over the summer months. Children can read aloud and discuss books with parents, peers or book clubs. They can also take part in community library or school summer reading programs like those offered through our local library and Scholastic.
Slide 6- The summer also presents many opportunities to practice Math skills. Students can work with money at lemonade or bake stands, working for an allowance and saving their money, and keeping track of money for special events or souvenirs on vacation. Younger children can play store or shopping games. Students can answer questions given by parents to keep their skills fresh and practice flashcards to stay sharp in certain math facts. (i.e. We have 10 cookies. How many can we each have if we split them equally?) Different card or board games also can help students.
Slide 7- Students can also benefit from being able to practice their critical thinking skills. The summer time off affords them more opportunities to find different ways to come up with strategies and solve problems in their everyday lives. They also will have to learn to think about and analyze their actions as they interact with many different groups and friends through the summer. Even something as simple as a rainy day can give children time to practice critical thinking with puzzles, chess, checkers or different card or concentration games.
Slide 8- Though as educators and parents we often dread the idea of the Summer Slide, we can easily avoid it. By taking an active and positive approach to promoting different skill practice into the summer routine of our children, we can give them the tools that they need to come back to school on the right track in the fall.
2. What is the Summer Slide?
❏ Skills weaken or
plateau.
❏ Information is lost or
forgotten.
❏ Old information
needs to be
retaught.
3. What causes the summer slide?
❏ Lack of skill practice
❏ Little or no time spent reading
❏ Learning activities are not emphasized
❏ Brain takes a summer vacation
4. What can we do?
❏ Reading Practice
❏ Math Skills Practice
❏ Critical Thinking Practice
5. Reading Practice
❏ Read something
each day
❏ Read several books over
summer months
❏ Read aloud and discuss
books
❏ Participate in summer
reading programs
6. Math Practice
❏ Use real life
situations to practice
counting
❏ Ask questions
❏ Practice problem
solving
7. Critical Thinking Skills
❏ Promote problem solving
❏ Model and teach
empathy
❏ Play card and
concentration games
❏ Encourage analyzation
8. ❏ Summer Slide does not have to happen
❏ We can avoid it!
❏ Plenty of ways to practice skills over the
summer
Wrap Up
9. Resources
Photos
Slide 1-Fun at the Beach by Wade Silver
https://www.flickr.com/photos/psycho-pics/3778822447
Slide 2-A Little Help by Jenn Durfey
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dottiemae/5393326849
10. Resources
Slide 5-A Monkey Reads Curious George by Michael
Bentley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/donhomer/9479473871
Slide 6- Lemonade Stand 50 Cents Each by Steven
Depolo
http://tinyurl.com/pnf33wn
