Ready for SCHOOL?
Back to School! Are they ready?
School holidays over summer break is a great time for children to take a well-deserved break and
have loads of fun. But do you know, children with that extended break can result in lose knowledge
and academic skills? More often than not, when school reopens you will notice a demotivated child
for school, lower confidence in numeracy, and playing catch up to some of the materials thought last
year.
But don’t worry. Your child isn’t the only one. Often referred to as summer learning loss, or summer
slide, is due to the extended break in children learning pattern that leads to them forgetting.
Teachers often find themselves spending weeks re-teaching materials students have already learnt
prior to summer break.
How can we help?
The idea is to allow children have meaningful breaks to prevent fatigue but to also encourage
constant enrichment of knowledge and learning. Parents and surrounding environment play a big
role in achieving this outcome.
So with this in mind, here are two ways to help your children learn and have fun at the same time:
- Start a family reading club, or join a neighbourhood one instead!
Studies have shown that students tend to lose most knowledge in their literacy skills over the
summer break. Starting or joining a pre-existing book club will help curb this problem! Not only
do you help your children retain and improve an essential skill, but when given the right book to
read, they’ll have nothing but fun. Make sure to explore different genres of books, from fantasy
to sci-fi, anything that might tickle their fancy. Always keep your child guessing, and never let
them lose interest or get bored by the activity. - Signing them up for holiday activities and workshops.
Sending your child on summer holiday activities or workshops such as soccer, science, coding,
reading and creative writing often lower the risk of summer learning loss by keeping their mind
occupied, body moving and imaginations stimulated. They get to explore a new environment,
and connect with people they would otherwise not have met, helping them further develop
their confidence and social skills. This also offer them a chance to make new, possibly lifelong
friends all while learning new and invaluable experience in the process.
Remember, all children are susceptible to summer learning loss regardless of age, albeit some more
than others. Lack of practice and learning activities breaks their learning rhythm. As parents, let’s
discover activities that generate the curiosity and fun in our little ones!
Join our School Readiness Program to give them an extra boost before school start.
By Ai Wei | Jia CGLearning @ we help children’s to build their learning confident