This post is sponsored by The Roig Academy.
Preparing for the Summer Slide
The Roig Academy understands that something is waiting for many children each summer, and their parents don’t even know it’s out there — the “summer slide.” Summer slide is what happens when young minds sit idle for three months.
As parents approach the summer break, many are thinking about vacation, how to keep children engaged, schedule changes and how to juggle it all. What they might not be focusing on is the educational ground their children could lose during the three-month break.
On average, students perform one month behind where they left off in the spring. Research found that after a summer break, loss of instructional time is approximately two months. This is 22 percent of the school year. In a 2012 survey of 500 teachers in summer reading programs, 66% said it takes them at least 3-4 weeks to reteach the previous year’s skills at the beginning of the school year. This eliminates valuable time that can be for new information and skills.
The Solution to the Summer Slide
According to Jennifer McCombs, co-author and senior policy researcher at RAND, “Instruction during the summer has the potential to stop summer learning losses and propel students toward higher achievement.” Experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills. Those who do not often slide backward. Further, they view summertime as an opportunity to bridge the achievement gap and the opportunity gap. Summer learning programs can provide students the opportunity to master material they did not learn in the previous school year. This prevents learning loss while propelling learning gains.
However, not all summer learning programs are equal. Until children receive summer learning experiences, these reteaching estimates are likely to persist. This translates into millions of dollars in public education being wasted each year. Researchers find that students experience the most benefits when summer programs include individualized instruction, parental involvement, and small class sizes.
Overall, research states that summer learning programs have the potential to help children and youth avoid the summer slide. These programs can also improve academic and other outcomes. The Roig Academy prides itself in aligning all summer programs with current research and findings.
High-quality instructors, that focus on the individualized instruction, teach all of the Summer Programs at The Roig Academy. They offer two summer education programs: Fast ForWord and Camp Roig.
Summer Education Programs at The Roig Academy
The Fast ForWord Program at The Roig Academy, includes the use of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Instructors help develop reading skills while using a multisensory approach to help connect language with letters and words. The strengthening of these skills results in a wide range of improved critical language and reading skills. Skills such as phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The Roig Academy will meet each student’s individual needs through the lessons in the 6-week program.
Bilingual Camp Roig, for Pre-K2 – 4, is a fun and educational summer experience! Their carefully planned curriculum includes opportunities for children to explore bilingual numeracy and literacy concepts while engaging in fun and interactive activities! The learning environment at Camp Roig is interactive and encourages a child’s natural sense of exploration, inquiry, and investigation.
Learn more about summer education programs at The Roig Academy in our 2019 Summer Camp Guide or by visiting their website.
