Page 10 | ©The Children’s Reading Foundation with permission from Lynn Fielding
©The Children’s Reading Foundation with permission from Lynn Fielding | Page 11
Perception: Summer gain/loss made the list. We have never
heard of summer gain.
FACT:
In a recent high intervention reading
study of 5,357 students in first, second and
third grades, 25 percent of students made
summer reading gain, 22 percent made no
change, and 53 percent lost reading growth.
Students most likely to lose growth are those
who made accelerated growth during the
school year (most likely those in the most
intensive catch-up programs). The most
promising answer to the wide variations in
summer loss, especially among students
who are furthest behind, is finding ways to
engage parents with their children to increase
time-on-task for reading during the summer
months.
Perception: The data makes sense. Reading seems to be at the
root of major academic improvement, but catching kids up takes
money. Where can we get more money?
FACT:
More money would be nice but that isn’t realistic. Boards, superintendents,
principals and teachers have to cut and reallocate. You have to cut less important
activities and curriculum to divert existing funding and instructional time to your primary
academic skill.
Students with(in)
# of
Students
Average
School Gain
(RIT)
Average
Summer Gain
(RIT)
Overall
Gain
(RIT)
Summer Gain
1,368
12.1
7.8
19.9
Summer Loss
2,829
21.0
-10.9
10.1
No Gain/Loss
4
1,160
7.8
0.1
7.9
4
1.159 students who gain/loss was zero or ± 2 RIT points, which is the standard error of the test.
...Continued from page 7
In Conclusion...
What You Can Do To Help Students Succeed
PREVENTING READING, MATH
& SCIENCE FAILURE
IF YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF PREVENTING READING, MATH AND
SCIENCE FAILURE IN YOUR SCHOOL, DISTRICT OR STATE, WHERE
DOES THE DATA SUGGEST YOU SHOULD START? READING!
From birth to age 5 a
child learns at a speed
unmatched the rest of
their life, and the skills
they learn at an early age
develop the strong brain
connections that help
them thrive and succeed
in school.
Schools aren’t alone.
An effective model of
how school districts can
partner with existing
community entities to encourage parents to read 20 minutes each day with their child is
available at:
www.ReadingFoundation.org
.
In addition to the local Reading Foundation chapters, school districts should also consider
focusing on early learning from birth to age five, and redirecting preschool and Head
Start programs toward the basic academic skills children should achieve before entering
kindergarten. This can be accomplished through the READY! for Kindergarten™ program. It
provides training and tools for parents and caregivers, equipping them to help babies and young
children develop strong brain connections that help them succeed in school. To learn more
about appropriate age-level learning targets for children at each age from birth to five, and more
info on starting a READY! program, visit the READY! website at:
www.ReadyForKindergarten.org
.
®