The Truth About Summer Slide
The buzz word you hear on repeat from the moment flowers bloom. It sounds so sweet and innocuous but refers to an epidemic in education. The term summer slide refers to what happens when our children exit the building on the final day of school and do not pick up a book for over two months. Some speak of it playfully while celebrating the warm weather and extra family time. Others mouth the words SSAT, ISEE or SHSAT as an icy-hot chill runs up their spine, and they realize summer is going to be crunch time. The wisest among us refer to it while climbing up a ladder, and falling down a plastic tube-again and again.
Summer vacation was originally created, “as a norm when 85% of Americans were involved in agriculture” (Cooper, 228). Children typically could attend school only about 5-6 months per year, because they needed to participate in their families farming economy. This presented a problem, as schools were operating 11-12 months out of the year. Now that less than 3% of American people are involved in the agricultural cycle with the same urgency, the following argument has risen: summer vacation was not created in response to how the brain learns; why has the structure of schooling not changed? Does additional school time mean additional achievement? Are there holistic benefits to time off which outweigh academic gains?
Summer Slide 101
This buzz word originated when a 1993 survey analyzed 39 studies spanning over 90 years. Conclusive results were minimal other than this: the way students spend their summer matters.
Over summer, students tend to lose a month of progress in math, specifically computation. They also decline in reading comprehension, with emphasis on spelling and vocabulary.
The research shows a loss of, “one month on a grade equivalent scale, or one-tenth of a standard deviation relative to spring test scores.” However, in many cases, students are back on track in a matter of weeks.
There is no research surveyed which relates to kids above 8th grade, or implications of summer break for 9-12th-grade students.
Reading widely has shown an increase in persistence during test taking, vocabulary grammar and reading comprehension skills. Simply enforcing independent reading time can do much more than that overpriced course you’ve been eyeing.
Over the summer, math computation tends to decline. Make sure your child is engaging with the content, whether it's with a workbook, educational technology, or a 1-1 tutor.
If you or someone at home can supervise work production, a small amount of time with an education consultant can go a long way in setting summer routines that are differentiated for your child’s unique needs.