HI! This is a great blog. I would like to use your infographic , “the summer slide” . Is there a way to do so?

We love audio books. We listen to them on our commute to school. My boys are more cranky when we have to get out of the car when listening to an audiobook than when I tell them to get off screens at home!

Thanks so much for all the tips advice!

Our library has a summer reading program where they fill in bingo cards to win a free book.

My parents didn’t enroll us in enrichment programs or summer school or anything else when we were kids. We were pretty much left to our own devices but we weren’t allowed to watch much TV and we were encouraged to utilize the public library. I imagine the huge stacks of books I read every summer prevented a lot of summer slide.

What ideas do you have for kids 9_-high school.

My experience has been that my children (ages 10 and 12) slide MUCH MORE in math than reading … probably because they love to read and do a lot of it in the summer. I struggle with keeping their math skills/knowledge up unless we are doing full-on math pages or lessons. We all need a break from the routine of school, but I hate the regression in math. Sigh…

These are great ideas to be thinking of as we head toward summer! Despite my best intentions, it seems we always experience some amount of summer slide. I have found that taking the first 2-3 weeks of the new school year to reread all the stories from the previous level is an easy way to make sure we are back on track!

Where can I get the posters?

I have 5 little ones at home. Two are All About Reading “graduates.” Over the summer I let my children earn a book light- basically an LED lamp with a 60 minute timer on the base that goes on their nightstand when they officially graduate into beginning chapter books. Summer is a great time for them to earn this after completing level 2 of All About Reading. They are usually motivated to continue to read to me each day because they really want that book light! The best part is after they earn their light, they fall asleep reading every night by it, and with a 60 minute timer, I don’t have to worry about them sleeping with a light on.

We actually have a better time with “school” during the summer. We end up reading out loud a whole lot more because I end up feeling like there is more space in the day to do things. The kids engage their imaginations and play much better as well after all the reading aloud. They make up songs and play the characters in the stories.

I love the poster. You have so many great ideas in this post. As a library worker, I had the chance to talk to our primary students about the summer slide and what they and their parents can do to not let this happen. Thank you

I just started using All About Spelling for my 9 year old son. He has struggled with reading and spelling so much, but since starting All about Spelling, he has made huge progress! I am excited to continue with the program!

We’re almost done with AAR2! Can’t wait to start AAR3.

We’re here, in southwest Germany. My 10-year old daughter is in the 4th grade in German public school, and must attend through the summer until her last day of school on July 27. Then, she starts fifth grade in Gymnasium (G9) on September 13. She has both passports, USA and Germany. No, she doesn’t read.

We’ve used All About Spelling before, and gotten through Levels 1, 2, and into Level 3. But this was year(s) ago, and she’s forgotten a lot.

She went to school as an exchange student in 4th grade in Minneapolis for a week in May, 2016.

She lives on her iPad, 24/7, watching videos from the USA, so she speaks great American English. But, try to get her to READ? Ha. If I’m lucky, she’ll deign to let me read to her.

We do the Sunlight Curriculum (very slowly, on top of her German public school). We’ve been on Core D (3rd grade) in that for about 1-1/2 years now, and thanks to a curriculum change in 4/2016, haven’t even finished Week #1 of this!! Long ago, we used Funnix 1 and 2 to teach her to read in English. Functionally, this was a success, but unfortunately, she has no motivation to read. Very few German kids seem to read for pleasure, and the society here seems happy enough with non-reading kids. Larger cities do have libraries, and there are a few bookstores, but any really good kids’ book has been translated from English.

My comment? That All About Spelling is really THE way to learn to spell US English! I have never seen a program like this, it is unique. It is worth all time and money that you could spend on it. We hope to get going with this again in the near future.

The progress my struggling-to-read third grader made with reading this past school year boosted her confidence and mine, thanks to All About Reading. To continue blooming as a reader, we’re going to continue on with Level 4 over the summer. We enjoy spending the one-on-one time together, and we hope this gives her a jump start for the upcoming year. Consistency has been key, so this is our way to say ‘NO!” to summer slide!

Love the graphic with ideas on how to keep learning going in a fun way over the summer!

Good ideas. My 1st grader is really getting into reading and so far doesn’t need to much encouragement. We’re going to try doing school all year with numerous small breaks throughout. I hope this eliminates that summer slide.

We love AAR/AAS! So thankful for all the support AALP gives parents through articles, posts, and awesome customer service ( phone and email). Being a homeschool mom is the hardest thing I have ever loved doing. It’s nice to have support and encouragement along the journey!

Encouraging reading thru a bookstore reading program and trying to remember to have fun spelling bees in the car while we travel.