Newsletter – 09 December 2022

The summer holidays are a welcome chance for most people to recharge and relax with family and friends. It is also an opportunity for children and adults to immerse themselves in their hobbies, whether it is craft, swimming, gardening or something more unusual. However, I would also like to advocate the benefits of finding time for regular reading.

A host of research indicates that many children’s reading skills undergo a ‘summer slide’ over the main holiday break. The lack of ongoing practice can cause children to forget learning from the school year and regress in their reading. Anything from 1- 3 months of reading progress can be lost annually. This can add up to a significant cumulative impact, over many years. Aside from being an enjoyable leisure activity, developing a regular reading habit sets children up for ongoing academic and general life success and is a relaxing pastime that benefits overall mental health.

Some tips include:

– Visit the local library with your child to stock up on engaging reading material.

– Read the book before you watch the movie.

– Borrow books about your child’s interests, whether it be basketball, cars or ancient Egypt.

– Consider alternate forms of reading material, such as audio books, magazines, graphic novels and online reading sites such as Epic.

– Begin a family read aloud novel over the summer.

Above all, keep it fun and engaging! Always remember that the aim is to create happy children who become life-long readers.

To read more about the ‘Summer Reading Slide’, I recommend the following article by Oxford Learning:  https://www.oxfordlearning.com/preventing-summer-reading-loss/#:~:text=How%20To%20Get%20Kids%20To%20Read%20Over%20The,before%20you%20watch%20the%20movie%20…%20More%20items