A Recipe for a Summer Reading Program that Works

It’s finally here: the second half of the school year.

Your child’s teacher calls you in for a parent-teacher conference.

Knowing the topic could mean anything from the very good to the very bad, you manage a poker face as you approach the teacher.

He or she informs you that your child is underperforming and will need summer school to bolster reading skills.

Sound familiar?

It was a new experience for me and when I heard the oft-dreaded words “summer school” I quickly refused to believe summer school was the only option.

In fact, I learned of several options available for both parents and children that can close the reading gap.

Of course, the worst action to take is no action.

Studies show that a child can lose up to a full year of material over the summer holiday.

If your child has been receiving interventions at school, then that progress could be reversed over summer.

Let’s take a look at what reading options are available so that you can decide what summer reading program with work for your child.

Summer School

So what does summer school look like?

It starts with you, the parent, dropping your child off at the school for four or five days a week for a morning class session lasting up to three hours.

A certified teacher has a small group of students with similar skills and uses the programs the school has adopted to instruct them.

While this has proven to prevent summer reading loss, it has not always been proven to actually close the gap for a child that is still behind his or her peers.

Summer Library Program

Another option for is to enrolling your child in a local free summer library program.

It is pretty simple to enroll.

At the beginning of the summer you would go to the children’s area and asks to sign your child up.

You provide the child’s name, grade, and school.

The librarian hands you a booklet where your child can log in his/her reading that he or she has done.

When you arrive at the library during the summer, your child can redeem the points he or she has earned for prizes and coupons for area attractions.

During the summer, the library will put on fun programs for the kids so that they are motivated to come to the library.

During this time kids can pick out new books to read over the next week or two.

It is a relaxed program and is described by both parents and children as motivational.

Although the summer library programs do not offer one-on-one instruction, it can change a child’s perception of reading when the child gets to exercise independence in choosing reading material.

Therefore, it may not close the gap completely but can be great as an auxiliary, or additional, resource.

Help Your Child

You can also create a schedule for your child where you are the sole person helping your child.

Many parents like to do this because they feel that their child’s reading is their responsibility.

If this is something that interests you, I have created a book called 31 Days to Become a Better Reader: Increasing Your Child’s Reading Level available on Amazon.

In this book, I challenge you and your child to sit down together and read for 31 days straight.

Both you and your child get to read a book that you want and alternate reading for thirty minutes each day.

The book 31 Days is designed to give you some suggestions on what you can focus on when you are reading.

It is like having a Reading Specialist right there with you whispering pro-tips that help you help your child.

The problem with helping your own child can be that our own children are usually pretty resistant to working with us, especially if they are behind.

Your child may already be lacking confidence, may feel guilty about not meeting certain goals, or may feel backed into a corner.

In this circumstance, a third party can provide a service that benefits both you and your child.

Tutoring

Tutoring is an excellent option for children that are resistant to help for any number of reasons (shame, guilt, embarrassment, apathy, annoyance, boredom, and more).

A tutor typically provides an assessment that hones in on your child’s reading gaps and creates an individualized program.

Tutors can range in experience and have a variety of personalities and teaching styles, so you will want to do your research to find a tutor that has experience and achieves the results you desire.

Online Reading Tutoring

Thanks to the internet, your selection of tutors is nearly unlimited.

You can find the best the tutors in the world to work with your child.

I have been tutoring online since 2010 and have helped over one hundred students close reading gaps.

One little girl that I worked with ended first grade at the bottom of her class in reading.