4 Ways Families Can Support Struggling Readers This Summer

As the school year concludes, parents of children who struggle with reading may be concerned about maintaining their progress. This learning loss, often termed the "summer slide," occurs when academic skills are not consistently practiced during the summer months. However, experts suggest that consistent, small reading habits can help children sustain their confidence and continue developing crucial literacy skills throughout the summer.

Kerri Larkin, senior education advisor at Lexia, a brand focused on science of reading-based literacy solutions, emphasizes that "consistent practice and encouragement help children build lasting reading skills." Many school districts now adopt the "science of reading" approach, which is backed by extensive research on how the brain learns to read. This approach suggests that nearly every child can become a proficient reader with explicit, evidence-based instruction and continuous support from both school and home.

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Consistent practice and encouragement help children build lasting reading skills.

Supporting a struggling reader does not necessitate specialized training or costly tutoring. Simple, practical strategies can be easily integrated into everyday summer routines. One effective method is to build reading into daily summer activities, dedicating just 15 to 20 minutes each day. This consistent practice helps children maintain vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. For younger children, reading aloud together, taking turns reading pages, and practicing sounding out words are beneficial. Older children might be more engaged by reading materials related to their interests, such as sports articles, graphic novels, magazines, or nonfiction topics.

Creating positive reading experiences is paramount. When reading is enjoyable and low-pressure, children are more inclined to continue practicing. For unfamiliar words, parents can encourage children to slow down and sound them out rather than immediately providing the answer. Larkin notes, "When children are encouraged to work through words instead of guessing, they become more confident and independent readers." It is important to remember that reading difficulties are not an indicator of intelligence; many children simply require more repetition, practice, and targeted support to develop into confident readers.

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When children are encouraged to work through words instead of guessing, they become more confident and independent readers.