By Kelsey Kendall
No, the summer slide is not the latest dance trend. It is the learning loss that happens when school is not in session, and children especially elementary school age — could be losing some of their academic progress. The way to beat it, one Old Dominion 91Ƶ expert says, is to make sure children are staying engaged and mentally stimulated.
With local students back in the classrooms, it is an important time for teachers to review some of what the students should have learned the previous year and see where they are at, said Jody Sommerfeldt, director of teacher apprentices and residencies.
It is also a time for kids to practice some of those skills which they may have forgotten or lost over the break.
The full extent of summer learning loss, or summer slide or summer setback, is difficult to pin down, . Sommerfeldt said it is possible for school-aged children to lose some of their reading and math skills over the summer if they do not practice them — she saw it during her years as a public school teacher prior to her current position at ODU.
There are many factors that can contribute to the amount of “learning loss” that a student can experience and the way it contributes to learning gaps later in their academic progress. According to a , the median summer loss equates to about one or two months of reading and one to three months of math. Few students seem to make any progress at all.
That is why Sommerfeldt says one of the most important things ODU’s student teachers — or teachers in general – can do is make sure they get to know their students at the beginning of the year and ask themselves “where are my kiddos?” after the summer break.
Those early weeks of instruction play a big part in making those determinations. During that time, students are showing what skills they have and where they might need a little more focus, Sommerfeldt said. Perhaps all they need is a refresher, and then they’re back on track with the curriculum. Perhaps, Sommerfeldt said, teachers find some students need a little more remediation to catch up to where they are supposed to be.
“Our goal is to move everyone along the continuum,” Sommerfeldt said. “So if you didn't experience summer slide, we're still moving you along in math skills and reading skills. If you did have summer slide, we're going to pick up where you left off, and we're going to find ways to hopefully get you back where you were quickly and keep advancing.”
Much of the work to mitigate the possible impacts of summer slide happens before the start of the fall semester, Sommerfeldt said. One of the most important things caregivers can do is take the time to read, play and engage with their children to keep their minds active. She suggests card games or board games, puzzles and creative activities.
“Learning is often best learned when disguised as something fun,” she said.
show making sure children have access to books that align with their interests, even graphic novels and comic books, helps develop reading skills if they are being read every day. Sommerfeldt described the brain as a muscle that needs to be exercised, and reading regularly is the workout it needs to keep in shape.