Benefits of a Summer Reading Program

Although the summer months bring a time to relax, have fun, and enjoy the freedom of no school schedules, your child may benefit greatly from enrolling in a summer reading program. According to John Hopkins University, all students experience learning losses during the summer when they do not take part in any educational activities. This should prompt most families to enroll their children in an effective and ongoing summer program. As a result, most public libraries, and even some schools, offer a variety of great summer reading programs and opportunities for students.

Most public libraries offer an incentive-based summer reading program for all students and reading levels. With opportunities to earn gift certificates, earn valuable educational experience, and even prizes, children can take part in enrichment and learning even during their 'lazy' time during the summer. Summer reading programs will boost your child's comprehension levels, and help them become more successful in the ensuing year. Studies show that many children involved in a summer reading program gain significant vocabulary, socializing, and even self-disciplined learning skills during this time. Children are more apt to learn during this period, as the pressure of full-time school and other events is no longer apparent.

Summer reading programs offered by schools that sponsor them are another avenue for many families. Here, children can gain hands-on experience with teachers, guest speakers, presentations, and other school-sponsored events; some may even led to retroactive credits or open doors for accelerated learning classes in later years. The key benefit of school-sponsored summer reading programs is found in the experience, and continuing to work with teachers and peers for support, strengthening all skills in the process. The School Library Journal reports that "about 33% of summer reading participants were more likely to read above grade level, compared to about 18% of nonparticipants." This clearly is a comparable difference in reading ability for children of most grades and age groups.

Enthusiasm for reading is a very positive skill for children to have; the earlier they can establish this, the stronger they can perform and excel in school over the long term. Reading and comprehension are necessary skills for a variety of courses, and careers; strong developments in this area will enable your child to be open to a variety of reading styles and literature, increase their reading rate, and help them become disciplined on their road to self-learning. Because many summer reading programs encourage a variety of subjects, authors, and writing styles, students are more apt to develop their own writing abilities without even trying! An active, fluent reader is a great asset to any class, and many teachers encourage strong reading skills as early as possible. Reading above a grade level is a prime opportunity to get ahead in school in the long-term.

Make use of your public library's offerings for summer reading programs; these are usually free, and they encourage active engagement and peer support for learning. The benefits are huge; word recognition, reading rate, comprehension, and being able to excel in English when they return to classes in the Fall are just a handful of opportunities to tap into. Learning occurs best when it is combined with enthusiasm, a comfortable setting, and an openness to trying new things; public library summer reading programs offer these in a variety of settings, and today's incentives include prizes, opportunities for school credits, social activities, and even free books for your happy reader!