While on summer break, students often lose touch with what they learned during the school year. However, summer programs have been instituted throughout California to prevent the academic slide, particularly among students from lower-income and English-as-a-second-language families, reported the Los Angeles Times.
These continued education programs are designed to keep students up-to-date on reading and math skills. According to educational researchers, some students may fall behind two to three months in the summer. The news source claimed this was worse among students from less affluent backgrounds.
"There is a real disparity in summer learning opportunities for children in disadvantaged communities," said Steven
Wirt of the Partnership for Children and Youth center in Oakland.
To prevent the academic slide, program counselors may use educational technology to teach critical math and reading skills. Accordingly, devices such as an e-reader, a Leap Frog reading program and a classroom projector have all been proven effective in teaching students these core concepts.
Wirt claimed the academic slide experienced during the summer months may have repercussions for the future.
"We want to be sure these kids are not subjected to this devastating summer learning loss," he said. "It becomes exponentially detrimental as students move through their academic careers and later on in life."
