Students can keep learning during summer vacation

Parents concerned that their children will forget everything they learned in school over the course of the summer months away from school may have every reason to worry, according to a study by Duke University.

The report states that long summer vacations "break the rhythm of instruction, lead to forgetting and require a significant amount of review when students return to school in the fall."

According to that study, students' overall achievement test scores drop by about one month, on average, over summer vacation. Skills in mathematics and spelling usually take the biggest hits, with math skills suffering almost a 2.6 month loss in achievement.

There are steps that parents can take to help their children learn and even get ahead over the summer months. These tips can help turn the break from structured learning into an opportunity for students to sharpen their skills.

•Take frequent trips to the library and register children with a library card. University of Florida's Richard Allington notes that the best predictor of summer reading loss is a lack of books at home and limited access to library books, so keep a selection of high interest, level appropriate books around the house. Schedule a consistent reading time daily for children.

•Attend thematic programs at the library. Libraries often host a variety of summer programs for children that celebrate reading.

•Talk to your child's teachers and ask them what the students will be learning next year at school. That way family trips can tie in with next year's curriculum to create a hands-on experience. For example, if the class will be studying a unit on the civil war, plan a visit to Gettysburg.

•Check out audio books from the library for children to listen to in the car.

•Consider summer tutoring. Tutoring services can help children catch up of get ahead with one-on-one tutoring in the home. Take advantage of the summer months to remediate or accelerate children in areas like reading comprehension, mathematics, writing of SAT/ACT prep.

•Research has revealed a direct connection between learning to play a musical instrument and an increased aptitude in mathematics. Consider introducing children to music lessons over the summer.