Children who don’t read over the course of two or three summers will fall behind their peers by a year in reading development.
The countdown to the last day of school has begun! While parents and children alike may be looking forward to more free time and a break from homework, one activity they shouldn’t take a vacation from is reading.
Decades of research has verified that academic loss over the summer is significant. Recent studies from the University of Tennessee (2010) and Dominican University (2010) clearly show the benefits of continuing to read over the summer:
o Children who do not read over the summer lose approximately two to three months of reading development, while their peers who do read advance their skills by a month. That puts the nonreaders behind by up to four months!
o Children who don’t read over the course of two or three summers will fall behind their peers by a year in reading development.
o Children learn best when allowed to select their own reading materials, so while school-assigned reading is great, summer reading chosen by the child may be even more successful.
Need help encouraging your kids and teens to read over the summer? The Capital Area District Library offers them a chance to read for prizes! The program is free and so easy-after school is out, just bring kids and teens to any of our 13 locations to get signed up. They’ll receive a reading log so they can record time spent reading whatever they choose-books, comics, magazines, newspapers, etc. Those who meet one or more time requirements will receive prizes like passes to the Ingham County Fair, silicone bracelets and coupons for free books. We also offer a pre-reader program for toddlers and preschoolers.
Finding something to read is never a problem-our staff can help you choose titles that suit every child’s interests and reading levels. You’ll find many reading recommendations on our website at cadl.org. Other good resources include Book Adventure (bookadventure.com) and Scholastic (scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/book-lists).
Although encouraging reading is the focus of our Summer Reading Program, we also offer hundreds of special events the whole family will enjoy. From magicians to storytellers, henna tattoos to cartooning workshops, we have something for everyone. Find a complete list of events at cadl.org/summer. Then dive right in for your best summer ever!
The Capital Area District Library Reference Department is located at 401 S. Capitol Avenue in Lansing, MI. Contact them at 517-367-6346 or by e-mail at reference@cadl.org.
This was printed in the June 19, 11 – July 2, 11 Edition
