Summer reading programs enhance learning for kids.
If you're a teacher or a parent of school-aged children, summer for your child can quickly become an endless stream of television, sleeping in, and video games. A high level of literacy and reading comprehension is one of the best skills a child can develop in our information-rich world. There are several ideas for summer reading programs that help motivate kids to read without seeing it as homework.
Read for "Cash" and Prizes
Some schools have had much success by offering special prizes for students who read over the summer. They offer play money that can only be spent in a "store" set up by the school, with prizes of varying value. In order to entice as many students as possible to participate, both rewards and the "cost" to the student must be made clear in terms of their vacation time.
Allow students to see the prizes they're trying to earn before they go away for summer vacation. Send printouts with pictures of prizes and their "cost" to students to keep as a daily reminder at home, so they know what they're working toward. Make clear the requirements for earning prizes. You can pick certain blocks of time for when the students must read, or make it "per book." Per book assignments should be clear as to the length and reading level of the book.
Read for a Cause
Older children who may not be as motivated by prizes may be more motivated by helping others. A book-a-thon is a great way that kids can read over the summer while staying up to speed with their reading comprehension levels. To organize a book-a-thon, schools should pick a cause that will mean something to the students, which can be something local or one that supports and helps kids in the students' age group.
Students will then need to collect "sponsors" among their family and neighbors who will donate a certain amount of money for each book they read during the summer months. Having charity-based summer reading programs help children to develop a stronger sense of empathy toward the needs of others around them. Prizes may be awarded to students who raise the most money for the charity or read the most books.
Independent Summer Reading Program
If you're a parent, and the school your child attends doesn't offer a formal summer reading program, then you can set up your own by using a modified version of standard reading program ideas that fit your own personal circumstances. You may be able to organize a program that involves your child's friends, such as a book club where your child and their friends discuss the books they've read and what they like about them. Book discussions among peers help a child start to interpret what she reads, instead of just absorbing it.
Tags: your child, kids read, over summer, read over, read over summer, reading comprehension