It’s been well-documented (here is a good summary) that students go through a ‘summer slide’ if they are not academically engaged during the summer weeks off from school. This is particularly true of reading, though math literacy is also affected.
To combat this potential slide, we’ve developed a Summer Learning Programme. The goal is to give students the opportunity to avoid backsliding, while still allowing them the time to have a fun, relaxing summer.
The programme has two components. The first is our annual reading challenge and it is the only part of the programme that is mandatory. Students are encouraged to read a variety of texts from a variety of genres, both fiction and non-fiction. The purpose of the text may be to inform, to persuade or to entertain; the purpose of reading is to be for pleasure. Students are expected to read the equivalent of 30 minutes per day for 5 days a week. If they are reading at their level they should be reading approximately 24 pages (novel) per 30 minute session. This means that students should aim to read for 150 minutes or 120 pages per week. Over the summer, students should read at least 1,000 pages. The reading allocation should be divided evenly between English and Mother Tongue text if applicable.
The second component is a variety of optional subject tasks. Teachers will be providing activities that allow students the opportunity to consolidate the learning they’ve done this year.
For students who have known gaps in their learning, teachers are willing to design additional tasks to address those gaps. Students and parents should contact teachers on a case-by-case basis.
Next week students and parents will be receiving, via email, a Google Spreadsheet that details the Summer Learning Programme. Again, only the reading challenge is compulsory. We encourage students to complete the optional subject tasks, particularly in those areas where their reports highlight the need for extra work. As with exams, planning a work calendar is always a great first step.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Kearney or Ms. Marchmont.
[Image credit: thebrownbookshelf.com]