Avoid the Summer Slide!!!
Both teachers and students breathe a sigh of relief as spring warms into summer. School is over! Depending on the family schedule, a week or two of sleeping in and relaxing should be enough to overcome the stress from the ridiculous amount of testing students are exposed to at the end of the school year.
Now it is time to keep the brain in working order. Any opportunity that creates conversation is one step. Summer camps, family reunions, and the dinner table are settings for deep conversation with peers and family. By limiting or eliminating digital devices, conversation can go much further than, "How was your day?" Games like Boggle and Scrabble also keep those language skills sharp.
Next, students should read and write during the summer. Many folks enforce a reading regiment during the summer, but forget the writing part of literacy. Some students need the continual practice of physical writing. For all, the chance to express one self or clarify their own thinking in writing engages the brain. Plus, there are no requirements, rubrics, or grades: now is the time to have fun with writing. Journals from the dollar and their writing utensils of choice should be easily available. See below for some writing suggestions.
So what should students read? Whatever they want! The comics in the newspaper may be a start. They may want to reread all their Diary of a Wimpy Kids books - that's fine. Summer is about reading for pleasure. However, that doesn't mean that you can't subtly share your favorite article in the paper or your own favorites from childhood and those teenage years. Trips to the library, local used book store, mega-store help keep books at hand. Online book stores are improving all the time in price, quality, and shipping time. Libraries' digital checkouts make it even more simple and inexpensive- plus, there are no late fees! But some students really like to hold a book in their hand. Honor their preference.
During the school year, many of your students are required to write reading responses. Some students enjoy the response process, because it helps them think about the reading. But many find it drudgery. Offer yourself as their sounding board for their response. Normally, one open question will generate conversation about the book. If a student has no interest in talking about a book, they might need to change books. The book may be too difficult or too boring, so they will struggle to read interactively. Non-traditional responses might work for budding artists. See below for suggestions.
Audio books are an easy way to add some literacy to travel and commuting. Many students can't read in the car, but audio books can be added to digital devices and played for the whole family. Many YA novels appeal to adults, so the whole family should enjoy the great authors of the genre.
Responding to Reading Suggestions
Draw scenes or characters from the day's reading
Create a comic strip from a scene in the book
Record interesting new words, phrases, or slang with pictures
Draw pictures of figurative language - imagine a rendering of "raining cats and dogs."
Create a "Wanted" poster for a character from their reading
Writing Suggestions
Journal through their summer travels
Journal for social and emotional health - example: after a fight with a sibling, parent, or BFF
Send emails in somewhat Standard English to friends instead of texts
Write song lyrics, poetry, limericks
Write for younger children - silly rhymes or stories
Create an ABC book for all their summer adventures
Create a collage from magazines and add captions
Audio Book Suggestions
Frindle by Andrew Clement
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Any book by the student's favorite authors
Summer is all about choice for students. Encourage some reading and writing as those choices and help them avoid the summer slide. They will thank you in September!