MANAGING SUMMER LEARNING LOSS

As strange as the words “summer learning loss” look put together, all parents and non-parents would find it a no-brainer as to what the term means. Over the course of summer holidays, children out of school with not much school work on the agenda to do, tend to fall into a pattern of loss of learning, a study proven correct. This leads to issues when they’re back at school in terms of knowledge and academic skill loss which many teachers find hard to overcome. Scientifically known as the “Cooper Analysis”, scientist who researched, recorded and authored his findings.

The easily occurring idea to tackle this problem that comes to mind is simple: encourage and teach kids at home but kids being kids do refuse the same pattern between school days and summer holidays. So for concerned parents, here are some ways to address the issue.

Reading writing activity

Pull a page from a colouring book that has some different parts to it. Every time your child reads for 30 minutes and tells you about what they read, have them colour in a piece of that page. When the page is complete, treat them to a reward, whether that’s an ice cream or a special bike ride.

Teach them basic economy

Show your kids how to budget, how much things cost, and how you make financial decisions. Have them do the math and then check it with a calculator. If they are still young and their knowledge is still limited to numbers, you can still play imaginative games with them to teach them how exchanges of money work for goods and services. Tip: put monopoly money to better use.

Plan better visits

As per the child’s interest, take them to art galleries or museums to enlighten them to things beyond their usual environments. Talk to them about what they see and observe, let them form their own opinions and who knows, maybe you’re the one who finds a different perspective.

Summer school

So this one was probably the first solution that comes to mind, but it is indeed effective. It keeps the kids in their zone of grasping knowledge and stick to their routine. In the process, they make new friends, become more social and learn a few new things.

Reading programs

If colouring and drawing is not your child’s interest, and they are allowed to have interests, then maybe encourage reading via enrolling them in reading clubs that are designed for children keeping their age groups in mind. With company, they might thrive and take a reading habit up for good.

Hire a tutor

If your child faces some difficulty in any specific subjects, then hire a private tutor to work on the problem subject over the summer free time. It’s going to be helpful at school plus a good way to utilise summer time productively.

Experiences that count

It’s more than just about numbers and alphabets. Take your kids for activities that are educational as well as important life skills to explore their hobbies. Yes, swimming classes but maybe also learn another instrument, another language, or take them camping, fishing or star-gazing. It’s about giving them exposure to different things and starting a discussing at home with them about different things. It also helps people broaden their frame of references and fuels personal growth.

Encourage researching skills

Have kids research a zoo animal before a visit and watch how their experience deepens when they see their researched choice up close. Or, if embarking on a vacation, have kids study one of the soon-to-be visited places or sites before leaving.

E-learning

The internet is full of learning apps and websites. Try a few to see which can best help your kids best.

What teachers think

Summer learning loss is very real, but it does not impact all children in the same ways. If a child struggles with socialisation, for example, they tend to show the greatest loss of learning in that area in the fall, once school is back in session. This is because the structures that were put into place to help that child succeed socially during the school year often disappear during those summer months. They are without the support they need to continue to grow and develop, and they’re often surrounded by the things that may have caused the issues to form in the first place. When it comes to socialisation struggles, this may come down to family dynamics, smaller friendship choices based on availability, and even a lack of people to interact with. That same loss can translate into academics, particularly for those who had academic struggles to begin with. Parents are often worn down from the school-year nightly battle and just don’t have it in them to continue. When those academic struggles hit and are not worked on for two months, two plus years of learning loss can and do happen.

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