BEVERLY SACE of Books and Brains Literacy Services describes the “brain drain” that can occur in kids during their long absence from school over the summer. Here she tells us how to improve reading skills in your child, what you can do to help with their reading and comprehension and the importance of reading books for kids.
Around the ages of three to six, children are learning to read to prepare them for a successful school life and beyond. However, did you know that there is a degree of learning loss during the summer and your child may even end up a month to three months behind where they were at the end of the previous school year?
Join a summer reading and comprehension programme
What’s one of the best ways to support your children in their reading development during the summer? Keep practicing. Studies have shown that summer learning can mitigate learning loss, and even lead to achievement gains in children who also need to catch up.
Take note, however, that gains can be made only if the programmes are of high quality, delivered by highly trained teachers with individualised instruction and small class sizes. There should be parental involvement, too, and children should attend the sessions regularly.
At Books and Brains, our summer programmes are planned with the goal of ensuring children can thrive in their school work and not be disadvantaged because of a lack of spelling, reading and comprehension skills. Hong Kong schools surprisingly show a wide range of progression through the reading stages, and to address this, we adopt a developmental rather than school based approach, while at the same time taking into consideration every child’s situation at home and at school.
The science behind reading books for kids
Our “secret sauce” is really our approach and teaching expertise based on the Science of Reading, which is the multi-disciplined research across psychology, neuroscience and education, underlying reading, spelling and writing development in children.
How to improve reading skills in your child? We are well resourced with thousands of reading books for kids, including decodable books that readers-in training practice on. Our well-rounded reading development programme incorporates the following features:
- a focus on blending and spelling rather than just learning the letter sounds and other “fun” but ineffective activities;
- highlighting the importance of letter formation and handwriting in supporting spelling and writing skills;
- the use of decodable books – books that children can read independently;
- active feedback and collaboration between home, school (if so desired) and the centre; and,
- ethical, cost-effective individualised learning plans – we maximise your children’s time so they can learn as fast as they can and as slowly as they must; we will not hold them back unnecessarily.
Assessment and the first meeting with parents and child is complimentary, even if you’re only looking at joining our small-group classes. Every child is unique yet predictable in their literacy journeys and we treat each child and family as such. On-on-one instruction is also available.
About Beverly Sace
Beverly is a highly trained literacy specialist who also works as an early literacy consultant and curriculum specialist for international schools in Hong Kong and across Asia. This summer, Beverly will be delivering morning reading and spelling programmes to children aged three to 10 years, from 2 July until 16 August at Books and Brains’ reading clinic in Central. In addition, teacher, parent, teen and helper education programmes are scheduled for the week starting 19 August.
Unit 701, Lap Fai Building, 6-8 Pottinger Street, Central
WhatsApp 9817 5167 | bev@booksandbrains.org | booksandbrains.org
