Each year as students return to school in the fall, many begin with achievement levels lower than those they had at the beginning of their summer break. This phenomenon, known as summer learning loss, summer setback, or summer slide, is quite common, and both teachers and parents often express concern about the possible negative effects of summer vacation on students’ learning. In the current COVID-19 environment this problem can be intensified by the fact that many students may be missing subjects that they normally study in the classroom setting.
Students Learn Best with Continuous Instruction
One concern is that children’s learning is negatively impacted when teaching is interrupted. Influences like long summer vacations and the pandemic break up the normal pattern of instruction, lead to a poor recall, and require a major review of material when students return to the classroom. Recent research that examined the effects of summer vacation on standardized achievement test scores showed that summer learning loss was equal to at least one month of instruction as measured by grade-level equivalents on standardized test scores. On average, when students returned to school in the fall, their test scores were at least one month lower than they were at the start of their summer break. The analysis also found differences in the effect of summer vacation on different skill areas. Summer loss was more severe for math facts and spelling than for other skill areas.
Summer Tutoring at Lafayette Academy Can Help Students Stay on Track
At Lafayette Academy, our tutoring staff is well versed in all the subjects students may need help with the current situation of not being able to study in regular classrooms. We have an extensive curriculum library that includes materials on ways to explain topics that typically confuse students or that they may be weak in due to gaps created by the pandemic.
So, if you want to stay on track with your studies and get help with topics you missed, sign up for summer tutoring either online or in our centers (once they can be opened). Connect with us today at Lafayette Academy.