Keep your students in the reading habit during the summer break so they don’t fall behind when classes resume.

It is wise as a teacher of a struggling reader to try to stop "summer slide", the backsliding that may occur when students are out of school. The volume of reading accomplished has a direct and positive impact on reading fluency, vocabulary development and establishing the reading habit. As kids' competence and confidence grows, so will their interest in reading for pleasure.

Plan a 2012 Summer Reading Program in your school to help your students improve their reading during the summer and beyond. Find in this page all the resources and articles which provide information about summer reading, age appropriate booklists, activities to encourage kids to read, and much more...

Join our 2012 Summer Reading Buzz Campaign and avoid the summer slide!

1. 4 Books to Summer Success
   Research shows that reading just four to six books during the summer may keep a struggling reader from regressing. Encourage students to choose the books they want to read to keep it fun! But be sure that they are just right, not too hard and not too easy.
   
   
2. Read Something Every Day
   Give students’ access to books by guiding them to age appropriate book lists, libraries, and ask them to take advantage of every opportunity to read. In the morning, encourage newspaper reading, even if it is just the comics. During the day, they can read schedules, TV guides, magazines, internet research, etc. By the end of the day ask them to read from a book they choose with you!
   
   
3. Get Parents Involve to Keep Reading
   Reading aloud benefits all children and teens, especially those who struggle. Ask parents to read books with their child, so they will be building listening comprehension skills with grade-level and above books. This will increase students’ knowledge and expand their experience with text, so they will do better when they read on their own. Kids who observe their parents reading become readers themselves!

Encourage kids to read four or more books this summer! The volume of reading accomplished has a direct and positive impact on reading fluency, vocabulary development and establishing the reading habit. As kids' competence and confidence grows, so will their interest in reading for pleasure.