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Impact of the Summer Slide
- 1. Improving Literacy Achievement 1 The New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and the Office of Literacy in collaboration with the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), are working with districts and families throughout the state to Improve Literacy Achievement (ILA) for all students, particularly those with disabilities. The START Project is a collaboration of the New Jersey Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (NJOSEP) and Statewide Parent Advocacy Network
- 2. Parents are the Key to Preventing the Summer Slide We Have the Power to Change This!
- 3. Parent Involvement in Summer Reading
- 4. How to develop a Love of Reading
- 5. Activity On a piece of paper write 2-3 things that interest your child.
- 6. Activity On a piece of paper write 2-3 things that interest your child. Then, look at the list and connect their interest to a book theme
- 8. Make it Come Alive
- 9. www.StartWithaBook.org -Find Your Child’s Interest -Find Books Related to Your Child’s Interest -Explore Hands-on Activities -Try Summer Writing -Explore websites, mobile apps, audio books
- 31. Families Make A Difference For more information contact us at: Dianne Malley: dmalley@spannj.org 856-397-5294 Michele Tyler:609-518-2281 mtyler@spannj.org www.spannj.org 973-642-SPAN
Editor's Notes
- This presentation is bought to you from the NJ Department of Education, The START Project, and the Lindenwold Public School District. As parents, we know how important we are to the success of our children. I am so glad so many of you are here today. Our aim today is to give you tools help you assist your child this summer with reading
- Today I will probably say the phrase “Summer Slide” a lot. The Summer Slide is what happens during the summer when students lose some of their achievement gain they made during the previous school year.. During the summer, most children triple the time they spend watching TV and playing video games. When school is in session, all children learn, even if not to the same levels; they all have access to teachers, books, and learning resources. But when school lets out for the summer, some children don’t have access to those resources. They don’t go on field trips to the museum or zoo; they don’t go to summer camp or the beach. They do not read, study or write nearly as often as they did during the school year. So the summer slide is the result of children not getting the same access to education during the summer. The Summer Slide effects children from pre-school all the way to high school, (pause) 66% of teachers need 3-4 weeks of re-teaching old skills at the beginning of the school year (pause) each year children can loose 2 to 3 months of reading and math skills, (pause) So, the amount of learning they lose over the summer can put them three years behind their peers at the end of fifth grade, and four years behind at the end of high school. But Parents have the Power to Change that!!!! And the way it is changed is Reading. Reading is needed to improve in all subjects. Reading helps children explore new places and create new ideas. Reading is the key to doing better in life.
- So during the summer, our involvement increases because our children are not in school. So what can we do to help our children read more? 5 min Activity: Have audience state Ways Parents Can Help their child read more this Summer. Use a large post-it to chart. Try to get 10 responses. Suggested answers if needed: Have books in the car, set up a comfy reading area for your child (special pillow, blanket, stuffed animal), decorate a door hanger like the one in the folder, Let your child tell, act or sing something about the book to you, let them see you read, read to them, let them read to you, go to the library, join reading club, Remind at the end that doing the things on the chart will lead to a more successful student
- So, to take it to the next level, we not only want our children to read more, we want them to Love reading. If you ask any child, summer is about FUN. So, when we ask our children to read over the summer, they sometimes say, (like a kid) “aww, we’re on vacation”. The key is to make it FUN. Make them love it. Just like when we might add veggies to potatoes or rice so our children like them. We need to pair learning with something they enjoy. So for children to develop a love of reading, we need to find out what they love and are interested in. One step in doing that is exposing them to: Post on a large post it (5-8): (New Experiences) visit parks, zoos, local plays, puppet shows, dress up as book character with friend, library book clubs In Camden county there is Paws farm, the aquarium……..local plays, library events. Even a trip to a relatives house of the store can be new if you talk about new things. For example: “Look at that garden! Would you like to plant veggies or flowers?” It is more meaningful to talk with our children while they are seeing what you are talking about. It makes it easier for them to relate to it. Another way to figure out their interest is to Observe what they play with: What TV or Video game do they like. Most TV shows or video games have books, comics, books on tape, online activities on the same character. Do they play pretend games, Ask your child or their sibling:
- Activity: ask parent to discuss with others at their table interest of their child 3-5 min: Discuss in a small group 2-3 things your child likes: food, mysteries, cartoons, anything. Not Books, just things that you child likes. I would like each person to write on a piece of paper 2-3 things that their child is interested in
- Then give each table a list of interest from the startwithabook.org website. Allow 5 min of discussion and have parents list 3- 5 themes that connects to their child’s interest. Debrief questions: Were you able to find a theme that would excite your child? I hope that activity was helpful in relating your child’s interest to literature themes. Because remember we want to make literature FUN
- Well, we have listed things are children are interested in but sometimes it is difficult to find books during the summer. Activity: Where can you get books On a large post-it, list ways to get free to cheap books. Some examples are below Book Swap: Have your child invite a friend over and bring 5 books to swap (with parents permission). One child’s book that they are bored with is an new adventure to another child Library: Sometimes the community libraries have free books, cheap book sales, book clubs. And of course if you have a library card, you have access to hundreds of books. Some school library have book swaps and if your school doesn’t, ask to help organize one. Book Store: Clearance section Yard Sale/Thrift Store: It can be fun to bring your child with you. Great way to spend a weekend morning or afternoon. Also, usually you can talk people down at a yard sale or suggest your own price. On-line: Refer to handout for FREE onine books Audio books: Studies show that reading to our children is best but audio books are a good second. The library has some and you can make your own. You can also help your child to make one as an activity Pick Different Genre’s: Show handout. Once you find your child’s favorite genre then you can ask your child’s teacher or librarian for more book in that genre. Give example: Remember reading cooking directions is a genre. So is fantasy and folktales. If you feel your child is reading too much fiction, that’s ok for now. You want to develop a LOVE for reading. There are ways to use those same interest to expand the type of books your child likes to read.
- So now we have talked to our kids about their interest and found a book for them to get more information. So to really help our children learn more about the subject and enjoy it at the same time, lets think of an activity to help. For example: If you child is interested in dinosaurs getting a book s the first step. Then making a dinosaur out of a mix-match sock and old fabric will really bring their interest to life Make it Come Alive Shout out answers instead of talking in small groups if time is an issue The activity will make the theme more real to the child when they can relate it to part of their life or something that they can experience. At your table discuss activites that relate to the things your child is interest in. Discuss as a table top activity Use the summer plans sheet for the to make notes If you become stuck finding an activity, most themes can be acted out, make sock puppets, make up a song, make a food that the character eats, make up a fairy tale or poem on the subject.
- We have found this wonderful website that gives you resources and activities to help Prevent the Summer Slide. You begin with your child’s interest, then finding a couple of books on the subject and then doing an activity. This website is a mobile app so you can get it on your phone or you can go to the library to get on line. But remember, you can do all of these activities without using the internet, like we did today.
- Here is the web page. In the middle there are choices of interest just like the ones on the table (See the arrows at the bottom sides of the page)
- At the bottom of the web page, there is a parent section (in yellow) The are also summer reading tips to download onto your phone in English and Spanish
- When you click on the summer reading tips to go, you can put in your mobile number to get texts and links
- So now we are at the main page again and for our activity, I clicked one of the interest. The example I am using is Bugs, Birds and animals
- Once you click on that the site shows you the steps to the activities so you can explore the themes with your child. How to explore this theme: 1- Choose books and book-related activities 2- Explore more hands-on activities 3- Try some summer writing 4- Dig deeper with these websites 5- Play and learn with interactive mobile apps
- So, step on is picking a book. You can purchase them or go to the library to get them (point to leftside)
- There is a long list of books for children (up to 11 years old, it they ask)
- Step 2 (point to the right side), there are parent tips in English and Spanish. When you click on one it takes you to a handout with more activities to choose from.
- I picked “Outdoor Exploration” It is all about exploring different insects, birds, worms, etc. Also tells about seeing what kinds of things you might see in the day, night, by water, etc
- Here it is in Spanish
- So, going back to step 2 there are also Activities and crafts for the theme that you pick. (point to the second #2 on the right bottom Remember, this is the Make it Come Alive part
- And if you scroll down, there are a lot more activities. (right hand side) Some have video instructions. See the video cameras (point them out)
- So the activity that I picked that we are going to do is making a Bee Hummer. The video would be in the middle on the left (point it out). Or, you can read the instructions (point at download activity instructions)
- So the instructions show you what you need. Most activities do not need a lot of items
- And here are the steps for making the bee hummer. So lets make a bee hummer. Make it with the group but have one completed and one for each step. After everyone finishes, move to the next slide
- So to have your child make predictions, look at the going further part. For example, if you use a smaller rubber band, how do you think it will sound? Let your child answer then try it. If the index card is folded, what could happen? You are not looking for the right answer, you just want your child to think about it and try it Have Fun
- So in step 3 there are summer writing activities. I clicked on animal homes
- When you click on animals homes, you are taken to another website that have writing activities for children from kindergarten to 12th grade. Reading Rockets is another great website where most things are in English and Spanish
- For step 4 there are a list of websites about the same Bug, insect and Animal theme. (point to the right handside)
- And step 5 gives you mobile apps on the same theme. Some are free and some cost money. You can tell by the dollar $ sign (point to the right handside)
- So this website provides all 5 steps of resources for each interest listed on the table. (hold up a copy of the theme page). You can either use the website or use the Summer Plan (hold up that handout) Either way, Reading and doing activities with parents are the best way for children to avoid the summer slide. Any Questions? Please do your evaluations and Thank you very much!!
- What Won't Work Parents have told us that the following tactics only strengthen a child's resistance to reading: Nagging. Avoid lecturing about the value of reading and hounding a child who is not reading. Your child will only resent it. Bribing. While there's nothing wrong with rewarding your child's reading efforts, you don't want your youngster to expect a prize after finishing every book. Whenever possible, offer another book or magazine (your child's choice) along with words of praise. You can give other meaningful rewards on occasion, but offer them less and less frequently. In time, your child will experience reading as its own reward. Judging your child's performance. Separate school performance from reading for pleasure. Helping your child enjoy reading is a worthwhile goal in itself. Criticizing your child's choices. Reading almost anything is better than reading nothing. Although you may feel your child is choosing books that are too easy or that treat subjects too lightly, hide your disappointment. Reading at any level is valuable practice, and successful reading helps build confidence as well as reading skills. If your differences are simply a matter of personal taste, respect your child's right to his or her own preferences. Setting unrealistic goals. Look for small signs of progress rather than dramatic changes in your child's reading habits. Don't expect a reluctant reader to finish a book overnight. Maybe over the next week, with your gentle encouragement. Making a big deal about reading. Don't turn reading into a campaign. Under pressure, children may read only to please their parents rather than themselves, or they may turn around and refuse to read altogether.
- 20 Ways to Encourage Reading We've told you why some kids don't like to read and what other parents believe will not succeed in changing their minds. Now for some ways to turn a young reader's reluctance into enthusiasm: 1. Scout for things your children might like to read. Use their interests and hobbies as starting points. 2. Leave all sorts of reading materials including books, magazines, and colorful catalogs in conspicuous places around your home. 3. Notice what attracts your children's attention, even if they only look at the pictures. Then build on that interest; read a short selection aloud, or simply bring home more information on the same subject. 4. Let your children see you reading for pleasure in your spare time. 5. Take your children to the library regularly. Explore the children's section together. Ask a librarian to suggest books and magazines your children might enjoy. 6. Present reading as an activity with a purpose—a way to gather useful information for, say, making paper airplanes, identifying a doll or stamp in your child's collection, or planning a family trip. 7. Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters. Older children enjoy showing off their skills to an admiring audience. 8. Play games that are reading-related. Check your closet for spelling games played with letter tiles or dice, or board games that require players to read spaces, cards, and directions. 9. Perhaps over dinner, while you're running errands, or in another informal setting, share your reactions to things you read, and encourage your children to do likewise. 10. Set aside a regular time for reading in your family, independent of schoolwork—the 20 minutes before lights out, just after dinner, or whatever fits into your household schedule. As little as 10 minutes of free reading a day can help improve your child's skills and habits. 11. Read aloud to your child, especially a child who is discouraged by his or her own poor reading skills. The pleasure of listening to you read, rather than struggling alone, may restore your child's initial enthusiasm for books and reading. 12. Encourage your child to read aloud to you an exciting passage in a book, an interesting tidbit in the newspaper, or a joke in a joke book. When children read aloud, don't feel they have to get every word right. Even good readers skip or mispronounce words now and then. 13. On gift-giving occasions, give books and magazines based on your child's current interests. 14. Set aside a special place for children to keep their own books. 15. Introduce the bookmark. Remind your youngster that you don't have to finish a book in one sitting; you can stop after a few pages, or a chapter, and pick up where you left off at another time. Don't try to persuade your child to finish a book he or she doesn't like. Recommend putting the book aside and trying another. 16. Treat your children to an evening of laughter and entertainment featuring books! Many children (parents, too) regard reading as a serious activity. A joke book, a story told in riddles, or a funny passage read aloud can reveal another side of reading. 17. Extend your child's positive reading experiences. For example, if your youngster enjoyed a book about dinosaurs, follow up with a visit to a natural history museum. 18. Offer other special incentives to encourage your child's reading. Allow your youngster to stay up an extra 15 minutes to finish a chapter; promise to take your child to see a movie after he or she has finished the book on which it was based; relieve your child of a regular chore to free up time for reading. 19. Limit your children's television viewing in an effort to make time for other activities, such as reading. But never use TV as a reward for reading, or a punishment for not reading. 20. Not all reading takes place between the covers of a book. What about menus, road signs, food labels, and sheet music? Take advantage of countless spur-of-the-moment opportunities for reading during the course of your family's busy day.
- Fantasy/Science Fiction From talking dogs to imaginary underground worlds, fantasy books contain elements that are not possible in real life. Cornelia Funke, J. K. Rowling and Lemony Snicket are all authors to consider within the fantasy genre. Historical Fiction Well written historical fiction helps past events come alive for children. With topics as wide ranging as pioneer life and ancient civilizations, books within this genre awaken the historian in any child. Biography Biographies have a way of inspiring kids. The best ones introduce famous presidents, inventors, educators and scientists in a way that helps kids identify with the person. David Adler has a series of biographies that are well loved by early elementary students. Informational Books What makes a volcano erupt? How tall is the tallest man? Where does the word pumpkin come from? Kids ask many questions, and reference books help them find the answers. When choosing reference books for your child, make sure they were recently written and seem to contain accurate information. Poetry Poetry just isn't as widely read as it should be. Several children's poets have collections that will make your child howl with laughter. Poetry is often shorter too, which makes the task of reading less overwhelming for new or reluctant readers. Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein are great authors to start with in this genre. Whatever you choose to read with your child, make it an enjoyable experience. Have fun visiting that magical place, getting to know that famous person, finding the answers to questions, and reading with the rhythm of poetry.