Enriching Education: Summer Reading

School is out for the summer, and that means more time for students to dive into books of all genres and sizes. Summer reading lists are an essential part of many schools to keep students engaged and learning over the break. Although many schools provide their own lists, book stores such as Barnes and Nobles also create summer reading lists for voracious readers who need additional reading material.

Leading homework help platform, Brainly, recently conducted a survey of over 1,000 middle and high school students to better understand their outlook on summer reading:

>> 64.7% of students received a summer reading list from their school this year

>> 21% of students are planning to read only 1 book from the list, while 18.4% are planning to read 5 or more books

>> 47% of students have not read from a summer reading list in the past

>> 60.3% of students enjoy the books options provided on their summer reading lists

>> Over 49% of students are not allowed to check-out books from their school library over the summer

>> 47% of students are also planning to read books not from their schools summer reading list

>> 46.7% of students enjoy reading fiction over non-fiction books

Overall, many students enjoy reading over the summer whether their school requires it or not.


I had a chance to learn more in this interview with Patrick Quinn from Brainly.

Why is it important for students to read books during the summer?There are a ton of good reasons that kids should read through the summer. From keeping imagination and creative functions active through the down months, to simply having a quiet way to pass some of the free time. Most importantly though, it keeps them engaged in learning, even when they don't realize it. This will be an advantage once school starts again where the avalanche of information isn't a shock to the system.

 
How can teachers and schools encourage summer reading without it seeming like a chore or more homework?Since every kid is different it's hard for a teacher to impart a message like that on an entire classroom without individually finding that connection for each child. But broadly speaking, having a summer reading program with rewards, or just introducing books that tie into common hobbies is a great way to motivate them without it seeming like a burden.

How can parents and caregivers make summer reading part of kids' activities?Active involvement is key here. Read to them at first and let them take over, reading to you. If your child is older, read the same book and form a book club. They'll love that they have someone to talk to about what they've read and also it'll keep them motivated to read, so they don't come to a discussion unprepared.