Summer Reading

This post comes a little late since summer is coming to a close and school starts for my kids in just 3 weeks. BUT, I just learned this when I heard Jim Trelease speak and it is very shocking.

Like it or not, there is a HUGE achievement gap between rich, middle class, and poor kids. (Obviously, this isn't always every case and love of reading makes a huge difference in those instances, but statistically speaking it is true.) Mr. Trelease said that kindergarten teachers are miracle workers because although poor kids enter school a year behind academically, by the end of kindergarten they catch up. Sadly, though most of what they gain is lost over the summer.

WHY? Because they are not read to and/or required to read during the summer.

Eventually, by the time they reach fourth grade, the poor kids are two full grades behind in reading. And it is all due to reading loss over the summer.

You can see the startling chart on Mr. Trelease's website: http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/web-charts/summer-loss.pdf.

So READ, READ, READ to those kids for the next 3 weeks. If they can read themselves have them read to you! Because kids who read 20 min./day have been known to go up to 2 reading levels over the summer. If they seem like they've lost a little, that is fine... just start where they are now and work back up.

Summertime is not the time for a vacation from reading!