Something is waiting for many children each summer, and their parents don’t even know it’s out there — the “summer slide.” Summer slide is what happens when young minds sit idle for three months.
As parents approach the summer break, many are thinking about vacation, how to keep children engaged, schedule changes and how to juggle it all. What they might not be focusing on is the educational ground their children could lose during the three-month break.
On average, students perform one month behind where they left off in the spring. Research found that after a summer break, loss of instructional time is approximately two months or 22 percent of the school year. In a 2012 survey of 500 teachers in summer reading programs, 66% said it takes them at least 3-4 weeks to reteach the previous year’s skills at the beginning of the school year. This eliminates valuable time that could have been spent on new information and skills.
According to Jennifer McCombs, co-author and senior policy researcher at RAND, “Instruction during the summer has the potential to stop summer learning losses and propel students toward higher achievement.” Experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills, while those who do not often slide backward. Further, they view summertime as an opportunity to bridge the achievement gap and the opportunity gap. Summer learning programs can provide students the opportunity to master material they did not learn in the previous school year. This prevents learning loss while propelling learning gains.
However, not all summer learning programs are equal. Until children are offered summer learning experiences, these reteaching estimates are likely to persist. This translates into millions of dollars in public education being wasted each year. Researchers find that students experience the most benefits when summer programs include individualized instruction, parental involvement, and small class sizes.
Overall, research states that summer learning programs have the potential to help children and youth avoid the summer slide and improve their academic and other outcomes. The Roig Academy prides itself in aligning all summer programs with current research and findings.
High-quality instructors, that focus on the individualized instruction, teach all of our Summer Programs. We offer two summer education programs: Fast ForWord and Camp Roig.
The Fast ForWord Program at The Roig Academy, includes the use of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Instructors help develop reading skills while using a multisensory approach to help connect language with letters and words. The strengthening of these skills results in a wide range of improved critical language and reading skills. Skills such as phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Student’s individual needs are met through the lessons in the 6-week program.
Bilingual Camp Roig, for Pre-K2 – 4, is a fun and educational summer experience! Our carefully planned curriculum includes opportunities for your child to explore bilingual numeracy and literacy concepts. All while engaging in fun and interactive activities! The learning environment at Camp Roig is interactive and encourages a child’s natural sense of exploration, inquiry, and investigation.
To learn more about The Roig Academy, please contact 305-235-1313.