Summer Reading: Key to Progress

A host of voices have weighed in recently on the seemingly systemic problems associated with education. In the midst of pressing economic challenges, there are the statistics that point to a generational decline in literacy, a significant drop in science and mathematics Ph.D.’s in American universities and a significant indication of long-term social and economic distress linked to a dropout rate of U.S. high school students approaching 33%. Among minority populations that number can soar near 50%. When we factor in the realities of many children poorly supported in the summer months in regard to nutrition and active learning engagements, we see factors that exacerbate these problems.
One of the most interesting rays of hope in the midst of these realities lies in those communities and among those whose attention has been focused upon reading. For many children the availability of books has opened new vistas of learning and growth. It has been shown that when students, even those in economically disadvantaged circumstances, can have access to a steady supply of quality reading resources: whether at church, public libraries, through book mobiles, in community learning centers, or in any number of venues that allow for exposure to interesting reading materials, they have shown excellent progress. Even the poorest of readers, when exposed to others reading to them, and pre-schoolers who have parents or family or community members reading to them, show positive outcomes from regular “story time” and “reading events.”
My challenge to our church community this summer is to serve as facilitators to the children and youth in your reach to diligently help them to have good reading opportunities this summer. There is nothing like a good book on a rainy summer afternoon to inspire the imagination and mental capacities of a young mind. If you need good suggestions for summer reading, check out the public library. When traveling, visit bookstores on a regular basis…they are such fun! Help your children to develop verbal skills as you invite them to talk to you about the books they are reading. Read them yourself and model good reading patterns. Unplug the television and “flood” your children with reading opportunities. If your child is struggling with reading…make sure they have age and skill appropriate materials…invite them to read out loud to you, and then help them with “hard” words. Keep a good dictionary handy and put a big poster board on the back of their bedroom door and let them keep a list of the books they read during the summer. Challenge them to see how many books they can read before school starts in the fall. Encourage them to include the number of pages read with each book.
Don’t forget to introduce some “classics” to older children, and don’t be surprised to find some young readers able to tackle some thick books. Every aspect of learning is tied to reading. Encourage it, help those who for whatever reasons are struggling readers and realize that often the real difference for many is having someone who helps. Start a child on an adventure in reading, and you may be engaging them for a lifetime of learning and growing.