Secrets from the Classroom: Avoiding Summer Learning Loss

In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as they packed up their bags for the final time, and began a much awaited summer vacation. For many this two-month academic hiatus is cause for celebration. However, it can also be a factor in a long standing, yet little publicized, childhood affliction: Summer Learning Loss (SLL).

In 1996, in a synthesis of 39 separate studies, researchers found that the average student, returning to school in September has lost the equivalent of 1.0 to 2.6 months of previous learning-in effect, erasing this amount of learning from their mind. According to the report, the biggest losses occur in the areas of spelling and computational math (multiplication, addition, etc.).

The good news for both parents and students is that this "academic atrophy" can be reduced and even eliminated. While traditional workbooks and review methods work well, why not look for natural opportunities in your day for your children to grow as learners. Here are a few for your consideration:

Kids in the Kitchen. Cooking touches on so many academic skills for kids. The kitchen provides a fun hands-on environment to learn about fractions, measurement, multiplication, division, nutrition, hygiene, and artistic presentation of food. As well, reading cookbooks not only develops literacy skills but can entice reluctant readers to dive in. Get kids involved in measuring and doubling recipes. Learning never tasted so good!

Shopping. Clothes? Food? Tools? It doesn't matter. Younger children can count or add the number of items in your cart, while older ones can keep a running total of the cost. In the store or using fliers at your house, have your kids estimate the differences in prices. Which brands are better deals? Use a calculator, or do "mental math". Shopping in any store also is also a great time to practice handling money skills such as counting change.

Family Trips. Going on a vacation? Have your kids read brochures or go online to learn about things to see or do (reading). Using pen and paper or even a spreadsheet, give them a budget and see if they can plan meals, activities and lodgings for one of the days (math & problem solving). Designate one of your children the trip mapmaker (art, math) or map reader (math). Still others could be in charge of creating a family journal or scrapbook (writing, art). The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Have a Family Games Night. Traditional board games give so many opportunities to reinforcing acedemic skills-reading cards, adding dice together, counting spaces, and using money. Games such as Scrabble, Spill & Spell, Scattergories, and Balderdash are not only fun but also strengthen reading skills.

Start with a Hobby. Use your child's current hobby or interest as a starting point. Sports abound with numbers and statistics. Track personal or family stats, or those of famous players. Pick up books or magazines from the library on a favourite topic. Consider a family field trip to a park or museum. He/she doesn't have a hobby? Pick a topic that interests both of you and learn something together.

Combating Summer Learning Loss doesn't have to be complicated or boring-all it takes is a focused effort to find the educational opportunities in what you are already doing. Not only will they be keeping their brains active, they will likely be having so much fun, they won't even know that they are learning!

Award-winning educator, author & parent coach, Rob Stringer is currently working on his first book, Parenting with Intention, and has launched a free monthly newsletter by the same name. Visit http://www.ParentingWithIntention.ca to subscribe, access resources, or learn more about PWI's parent coaching services.

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Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:05:17 GMT Evacuations Are Advised as Storm Nears the Southeast - New York Times ABC News Evacuations Are Advised as Storm Nears the Southeast New York Times - 45 minutes ago By ROBBIE BROWN ATLANTA - As Tropical Storm Hanna surged toward the Atlantic Coast on Thursday, the authorities declared states of emergency in Virginia and North Carolina and recommended evacuation from some coastal regions of South Carolina. Hanna May Reach Hurricane Force; Ike Looms Out at Sea (Update4) Bloomberg Southeast braces for Hanna as Ike strengthens The Associated Press WSAV-TV - Philadelphia Inquirer - Beaufort Gazette - International Herald Tribune all 1,943 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:19:19 GMT Syria details its stance on peace talks - Ha'aretz Daily Star - Lebanon Syria details its stance on peace talks Ha'aretz - 2 hours ago By Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid Syrian President Bashar Assad revealed details on the peace process with Israel yesterday, presenting Turkey with a document of principles, one of whose points discusses the desired extent of the withdrawal from the Golan ... Video: Sarkozy in Syria : the press is divided france24english Syria: Israeli Peace Talks Postponed New York Times Voice of America - Al-Ahram Weekly - Forward - Ha'aretz all 984 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:53:30 GMT McCain Will Vow an End to Partisanship in Convention Speech - Washington Post Boston Globe McCain Will Vow an End to Partisanship in Convention Speech Washington Post - 1 hour ago By Chris Cillizza ST. PAUL, MINN. - Sen. John McCain will take the stage at the Xcel Center here in less than three hours to formally accept his party's presidential nomination and deliver an address that will kick-start a frenetic two-month general ... McCain will take GOP to task for losing its way CNN McCain to Declare ‘Change Is Coming’ in Acceptance Speech FOXNews The Associated Press - Wall Street Journal - Financial Times - The Canadian Press all 726 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:06:30 GMT Deaths Heighten Arthritis Drugs Warning - WebMD WNCT Deaths Heighten Arthritis Drugs Warning WebMD - 2 hours ago By Miranda Hitti Sept. 4, 2008 -- The FDA today ordered stronger warnings about the risk of potentially deadly fungal infections, especially one called histoplasmosis, in people taking the drugs Cimzia, Enbrel, Humira, and Remicade, which are called ... FDA Demands Tougher Warnings on Immunosuppressive Drugs U.S. News & World Report FDA orders stronger warnings for 4 arthritis drugs The Associated Press Reuters - Bloomberg - USA Today - TheStreet.com all 466 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:30:49 GMT Abramoff Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Corruption - Washington Post ABC News Abramoff Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Corruption Washington Post - 2 hours ago By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson Jack Abramoff, the onetime powerhouse Republican lobbyist whose influence peddling led to one of the biggest public corruption investigations in recent history, was sentenced by a federal judge today to four ... US lobbyist is sentenced to 4 years in prison International Herald Tribune Abramoff sentenced to 4 years in prison Detroit Free Press New York Times - Los Angeles Times - The Associated Press - CNN all 676 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:47:01 GMT Autism and measles vaccine: no link found -- again - Los Angeles Times Autism and measles vaccine: no link found -- again Los Angeles Times - 6 hours ago Suspicion that autism is triggered by childhood vaccinations -- notably the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine -- lingers on, even though studies repeatedly fail to find such a link. Study Finds No Autism Link in Vaccine Washington Post Health Buzz: MMR Vaccine and Autism, and Other Health News U.S. News & World Report CNN - Reuters - WebMD - ABC News all 265 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:25:11 GMT Boeing workers frustrated, angry at strike delay - Reuters The Gazette (Montreal) Boeing workers frustrated, angry at strike delay Reuters - 1 hour ago By Laura Myers EVERETT, Washington (Reuters) - Less than a day after voting to strike, Boeing workers expressed frustration and anger on Thursday at the decision by union leaders to postpone a walkout and negotiate further with the company. Boeing, Machinists Return to Talks to Avert Strike (Update1) Bloomberg SPEEA Supports IAM 751 Efforts to Secure a New Contract from Boeing MarketWatch The Associated Press - Bizjournals.com - International Herald Tribune - Motley Fool all 1,304 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:30:58 GMT Add RSS Feeds To My Web Pages Increase Traffic

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