Lately there has been debate among reading researchers about the measurability and magnitude of summer learning loss (also known commonly as “the summer slide”).

So, just last year, the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) set out to navigate the ongoing conversation. Their goal? Clarify what conflicting research really tells us about impact of summer break on student achievement.

One thing is clear from their summary of the latest studies: regardless of precisely how much, every study cited shows that learning drops, or at least flattens, during the summer months. The evidence still points to summer as a critical period when parents and educators alike should consider effective ways to keep their students’ skills sharp.

We’re here to give you deeper insight into some of the research and help you decide how you’ll tackle the summer slide with your own child!

In today’s issue:

• Why the youngest students are most susceptible

• Classroom-wide impact of summer slide

• The compounding effect of summer learning loss

A Stronger Start with Summer Reading

It may sound silly to worry about summer learning loss if your child is only beginning to learn how to read. But, the youngest students are actually most at risk of losing key skills during summer, according to Scholastic. Scholastic quotes James Kim, Professor of Education at Harvard University, who explains that “things like decoding, letter knowledge, and word reading skills are very susceptible to decay without frequent practice.”

It is imperative to get your little one off to the strongest possible start with reading. This will lead to greater success down the road. A few minutes of reading practice each day this summer will do wonders for your child’s overall development by reinforcing core early reading skills, rather than letting them slide.

Secondhand Summer Slide?

A large study done by the American Educational Research Association showed that over half of late elementary students consistently lost a large chunk of the skills they had learned in the preceding school year - every single summer!

This explains the common complaint of teachers that “when a new school year begins” many students seem “to be starting from scratch.” If half of the students return to school missing critical skills taught in the last grade level, the entire class gets caught up in an extended review period that can last for weeks and weeks.

In other words, even kids who don’t experience summer learning loss can feel its effect in their classrooms.

A Gradually Widening Gap

According to research done by the Young Adult Library Services Association, by the time that they reach middle school, the students who have experienced repeated summer learning loss are 2 years behind their peers academically.

The compounding effect of summer slide is well established. Compared to students who take advantage of summers to maintain and even build new skills, the lowest performing students fall further behind. This “achievement gap” grows year after year.

As teenagers enter high school, if they have a lower reading speed, weaker vocabulary, and underdeveloped comprehension skills, then staying on top of challenging schoolwork is even harder. The best solution? Early prevention.

Expert Insights, Just for You

“Long story short, everybody’s impacted by the summer slide. Sometimes it’s secondhand, but it’s there.”

– John Boyd, Director of Instruction

Want to learn even more about the research behind the summer slide? Check out the recording of our recent webinar in the free Raising Skilled Readers parent community. Join us today!