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As the weather warms up and summer vacation starts, students are excited to sleep in, play video games with friends and visit the local swimming pool. Summer break is a much-needed time for both students and teachers to rest and recharge, but for many students it also brings a significant challenge: summer learning loss.听

What is 鈥楽ummer Learning Loss鈥�?

Sometimes referred to as the 鈥渟ummer slide,鈥� this phenomenon occurs when students forget key academic skills during their time away from the classroom. that on average, students lose one to two months of grade-level equivalency in math and reading comprehension over the summer, and these impacts are greater among low-income children.

But there are plenty of opportunities to help students recall, learn and grow – even outside of the four walls of a classroom. It鈥檚 important to continue to engage students in learning opportunities to keep their brain muscles in full effect while school is out. In fact, summer offers unique opportunities to explore creative, low-pressure educational experiences that can keep young minds active and curious.

Waterslides, Not 鈥楽ummer Slide鈥�

Here are some practical, classroom-tested tips that teachers can use – or share with families – d to keep students engaged academically all summer long. From simple strategies to digital tools and hands-on activities, there are many ways to make learning fun, accessible and sustainable throughout the summer months. Let鈥檚 dive into how to turn summer break into a season of opportunity.

So, how do we as educators encourage high quality summer learning?

Field Trips

Field trips are a great way to keep students learning. They can cost little to no money at places like the zoo, museums, arts and crafts workshops, concerts, festivals or even your local library. Many museums and libraries have excellent summer learning activities for

Consider what you want your student to notice when they鈥檙e there:

• What types of questions can they formulate?聽
• What conversations do you want to facilitate?聽
• What are common themes in this location?聽
• What can they learn in terms of logical inferences, data and perspectives?

Going on a field trip is, of course, fun, but it can also be a springboard for new perspectives and critical thinking. The more open-minded and inquisitive students become, the more willing they are to learn.

Clubs

Starting or joining a club is another effective way to encourage students to think critically and close summer learning gaps. As a middle school ELA teacher, I鈥檓 biased toward the writing arts, so I鈥檝e led a summer poetry club to help students develop a habit of reading and/or writing poetry on a consistent basis by training them to find poetry in any topic, emotion or event. This allowed them to have a shared appreciation for literature with new friends. 

Other options include clubs for books, movies, drama or improv, art, math, language learning and more. Starting or joining clubs can allow children to create a vision and mission, set objectives and meet them within a specific timeframe. Local libraries and community centers often host clubs like this, so start there if you鈥檇 like to find one.

Voluntary Summer Learning Programs

• Summer Camps
  • Camps are a great way to prevent the summer slide while making learning fun. Not all summer camps are a week-long sleepaway event that has to break the bank, either. Check your local county and municipal community centers for summer camp opportunities. Your local parks and recreation department or arts center probably has some great camp programs available too!
• Summer Enrichment Programs
  • Summer learning opportunities can help students retain what they鈥檝e learned and even gain new skills before the school year starts. If your school or district doesn鈥檛 host enrichment programs, check at your nearby community college or university for summer school programs and activities. Many offer STEM camps and hands-on activities as well as scholarships and funding resources for low-income families.
• Online Summer School
  • A tough sell to your young scholar, I know. But online summer school programs are often only one or two weeks, and they can be a great way to get a few math tests in and shore up those literacy skills. If your school or district doesn鈥檛 have online programs, platforms like Khan Academy provide .听
• Volunteer Opportunities
  • Even volunteering in your local community can be another engaging way to help students not just learn content, but also social skills, empathy and how to advocate for a cause. This can include working at nursing homes, delivering groceries to families in need and tutoring younger children. Students can learn their organization鈥檚 history, mission and vision. It may even provide interview practice as they apply for volunteer positions.
• Hobbies
  • Hobbies are a crucial part of being a well-rounded individual, for both children and adults! Summer is a great time to lean into them. If your students enjoy physical activity, encourage them to try sports such as basketball, swimming and bowling, which benefit both the body and the brain. Other hobbies can include crocheting, playing an instrument, gardening, reading and photography.听

The options are endless. Plus, once they become committed, they can turn their new passions into clubs. A single hobby can pave the way to new friends, different perspectives and even career considerations. It鈥檚 always great to try new things. 

National Summer Learning Initiatives

National summer learning initiatives play a crucial role in addressing the academic setbacks many students face during the summer months. Programs like National Summer Learning Week, led by the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) keep students engaged through high-quality learning opportunities outside of the traditional school year. 

Initiatives like these usually partner with schools, libraries, nonprofit organizations and local governments to offer a wide range of educational activities – from STEM camps and reading challenges to nutrition programs and enrichment trips. National efforts like these aim to close achievement gaps and ensure all students, regardless of background, have the chance to grow academically, socially and emotionally over the summer.

Keep In Touch

As an educator, supporting our students and closing the achievement gap through summer break can be as easy as a friendly, pre-scheduled email. Research has shown that consistent communication with tips and resources can positively impact student learning. 

One looked at a text message program piloted by four local school districts in Rhode Island designed to encourage parents to engage with students at risk for summer learning loss. The text message program, which included resources for summer reading programs and summer learning tips, was effective at improving the reading scores of third- and fourth-grade students.听

As educators, preventing this loss isn鈥檛 just beneficial, it鈥檚 essential. School might be out, but learning doesn鈥檛 have to stop. Your students鈥� summer can be both fun and educational. So, when the final bell rings at the end of the school year, don鈥檛 assume that their learning must come to a halt. An opportunity for a new lesson has just emerged!