A need to read: What parents can do to encourage summer reading

By Nancy Twigg
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Summer slide. Although it sounds like some kind of toy, educators use the phrase to describe the dangerous loss in skills that occurs during the months of summer vacation - particularly reading proficiency.

"Reading is a skill like anything else," says Fran Thomforde, elementary reading supervisor for Knox County Schools. "Students who continue to read continue to grow. If not, skills come to a standstill. Kids who are marginal readers lose even more ground and experience more significant loss."

How much loss? "Evidence suggests three months of learning is lost for the average student who doesn't read during the summer," says Richard Allington, professor of literacy at the University of Tennessee. "The loss can be as much as three to five months for struggling readers and students from low-income families who have little access to books."

The bad news is that summer slide is virtually inevitable unless steps are taken to prevent it. The good news is that your child doesn't have to read mountains of books to keep his or her skills sharp. Allington suggests younger readers (third grade and below) aim for 15 minutes of reading a day during the summer. Older students should read five or more books during summer vacation to keep from losing ground.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.