Policymakers and educators across the country have used two types of programs to address the summer slide. School-based programs are delivered by teachers, college students, or other trained tutors in school-based settings. More recently, there’s been a growth in home-based programs that are directed by parents and family members. Potentially effective programs can combine elements of both.
One such program is the nonprofit Kids Read Now. A study I led in 2018 found that when students and families took advantage of the full complement of nine books that Kids Read Now offers at no cost to families, students had a gain of 2.5 months of learning, more than eradicating the typical summer slide. For schools and districts looking to implement a supplemental summer reading program, here are some keys to success that my research identified.
Student choice in reading options
Students are most likely to be really interested in reading if they’re choosing material that’s exciting to them. If there’s a child who is really interested in sports, having the opportunity to select books that address that theme is going to encourage greater reading over the summer months.
Teachers can be helpful in the decision-making process, especially in terms of trying to suggest books that not only meet kids’ specific interests but also target their ability level so they will be relaxed readers and want to read more.
Family involvement and encouragement
Having parents encourage reading at home is important to sustaining kids’ engagement in learning and literacy. To make sure parents have a clear understanding of their role in a summer reading program, it helps to have an in-person kick-off event where they receive written guidelines and have a chance to ask questions.
Involved parents will monitor their kids’ reading activities over the summer months to keep them making progress and to confirm that they’re understanding what they read. Effective components to support this process include discovery sheet questions that parents can discuss with their children to improve their reading comprehension. Schools can support parents by checking in regularly. Calling, texting, or emailing every parent each week helps keep them involved in their student’s reading progress.
Celebrating short-term and long-term successes
Having parents work with their kids is a definite positive, but tangible rewards help, too. With Kids Read Now, for example, every time a student completes a book, their parents can request a new book. Students who complete the recommended nine books over the summer get a prize and a certificate of recognition once they return to school in the fall and schools are encouraged to have a fall celebration to acknowledge families’ participation.
These components, when implemented together and with fidelity, can not only eliminate summer reading losses in students but close the achievement gap between students from low-income backgrounds and their peers.
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