Tips to Prevent the Slide in Children with Learning Challenges
The final school bell has rung and summer has begun. It’s time to look forward to lazy days of sleeping late, afternoons at the pool, barbecues and camp friends.
Ye, research has shown that summer break often leads to summer slide, with kids losing up to two months of grade level math and reading skills during this period.
For parents with children with learning difficulties and developmental challenges, that slide can be more pronounced.
Although summer homework is one way to prevent that slide, making learning fun during the summer months can keep children on track.
We asked two of The Associated’s experts for tips. Here is what Martha Goodman, disability resources coordinator at Macks Jewish Connection Network, and Faye Friedman, director of educational services at Jewish Education Services, shared. Faye and Martha support children with learning differences throughout the year. This include in Jewish day schools, and through advocacy and help with securing IEPs and 509 plans for public and private school students.
1. Make learning fun by tailoring it to your child’s interests.
Take this opportunity to create learning opportunities that relate to what your child already enjoys. For example, says Faye, if you take a trip or on an outing, have your child keep a diary to practice reading and writing skills. If your child is interested in the ocean and marine life, check out books from the library, then visit the National Aquarium.
If your child is interested in space, read books on space, then visit Washington D.C. and the Air and Space Museum. If they like to cook, read recipes together and prepare a meal—a great way to learn reading and math skills.
2. Use AI to create skills-based worksheets to build upon your child’s interests.
“AI can be a powerful resource,” says Martha. “It allows you to design learning activities around a child’s specific interests.”
For instance, if your child enjoys sports, motorcycles or another favorite topic, you can use AI to generate customized reading passages tailored to their interests and reading level. You can also specify the length and complexity. From there, ask AI to create multiple choice or open-ended comprehension questions to reinforce understanding and build skills.
You can even use AI to create puzzles and games to reinforce learning, as well as math word problems, geared to a child’s grade level.
3. Seek additional help
It’s important, explains Faye, to make sure the summer homework experience is enjoyable, builds confidence and never feels punitive. Engage your children in the process. There is some benefit, she adds, to engage a summer tutor to take parents out of the equation and prevent stress and conflict.
4. For children with executive function challenges, make a summer plan that is easy to follow.
Create a clear, age-appropriate schedule or checklist to guide your child through daily routines. Breaking tasks into small, manageable steps makes expectations easy to follow and less overwhelming. This could include items like packing lists (swimsuit, towel, water bottle, etc. Visual charts or checklists help children stay on track, build confidence through small wins, and develop a sense of accomplishment. Over time, these routines will hopefully become habits, helping your child gain independence and take ownership of the day.
5. Use the summer to explore testing through Baltimore City and County public schools.
If the year didn’t go as well as expected, this is the perfect opportunity to initiate the testing process, which takes about 90 days, says Martha. That way, you’ll have a solid plan to address learning challenges from the beginning of the new school year. Contact Child Find for more information.
Sign up for our disability newsletter to learn more about what’s happening in our community.
Subscribe to our newsletter
The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.
Join Our Mailing List
Add Impact to Your Inbox
Sign up for our newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter
The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.
Join Our Mailing List
Please Wait while we loading your video.