Key takeaways:

• The summer slide can result in reading losses of 20% and math losses of 27%
• The COVID slide could see learning losses of up to 70% in reading and 50% in math
• There are resources that can help your child avoid learning losses, including educational apps and workbooks
• Your child could also benefit from enrolling in the FLEX Summer Program
• Students who struggle with dyslexia or other processing disorders can benefit from the S.M.A.R.T. Summer Literacy Program 

We’re now over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students across South Florida (and the nation) have contended with virtual learning as schools remain closed due to safety reasons. When they head back to in-person class in the fall, many will face an uphill battle as the focus shifts to catching up because of learning losses.

This article will talk about the consequences of the COVID slide, combined with the upcoming summer break. It also discusses resources that can help your children get ahead of these learning losses, including finding a dyslexia tutor (or reading tutor) in South Florida.

The summer slide vs. COVID slide

Summer is traditionally a time of freedom from school. Unfortunately, it is well known that students suffer learning losses during that long break from the classroom. One study found that students in grades 3-5 lose around 20% of school gains in reading and 27% of gains in math. That adds up to a loss of about 2 weeks to 2 months worth of academic growth.

Summer break usually lasts anywhere from 8-12 weeks, depending on the school district. In some districts, schools have been closed since spring 2020…over a year ago. 12+ months of remote learning has almost certainly resulted in tremendous learning losses for students. 

How bad could the losses be?

A study by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) may give us some clues. The study estimates that some students could lose up to 70% of reading progress and up to 50% of math progress. The compounded effects of school closures and the upcoming summer break could make those losses even worse. 

Is there any way to head off these COVID and summer losses? There are resources and tools that can help. Here are some ideas to help your child maintain academic momentum, including specially designed summer programs.

1. Educational apps

There are several educational apps that you can download to help your child continue to learn during the summer months (or any time of year). These apps keep kids engaged and make learning fun, rather than a chore that takes them away from other activities they enjoy. Most apps are flexible enough that you can choose programs based on grade or learning level. 

2. Study workbooks

Go “old school” and buy printed workbooks and study guides that will help your children practice the concepts they learned this year. There are workbooks for almost every subject, from reading and math to science and other STEM subjects.

Choose guides that will revisit lessons or concepts or work on areas/subjects where your child struggles. For instance, if your child needs extra help with long division, there are plenty of study guides to help.

3. FLEX Summer Program at The Learning Lab

The Learning Lab’s FLEX Summer Program offers a “flexible” schedule that still accounts for the summer slide. It can help students who need extra support to prevent learning losses due to COVID school closures and summer break. If your child needs practice in subjects like math, reading, or writing, we can help with that.

The program can be tailored to your child’s individual needs and summer schedule so it does take into account vacations or other activities such as camp. 

FLEX Summer hours are available to be scheduled from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Monday-Friday.

4. Dyslexia tutor (or Reading Tutor) in South Florida

Students with learning differences such as dyslexia can benefit from The Learning Lab’s SMART Summer program. This 6-week intensive literacy program is designed to help students who are a year or more behind in reading and/or writing.

We use S.M.A.R.T. Goals and F.I.T.T. Principle to ensure that your child becomes more efficient in reading and writing. 

• S.M.A.R.T.= Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Sensitive
• F.I.T.T. = Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type

SMART Summer is for students who are:

• At risk or have been diagnosed with dyslexia
• Diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
• Diagnosed with a Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)/Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
• Struggling with phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading/writing fluency
• Struggling with reading comprehension, working memory, and critical thinking
• Struggling with grammar, sentence structure, and essay writing

We use quality, evidence-based reading programs, including Barton Reading and Spelling System®, Foundation in Sounds^TM, Fast ForWord®, and Multi-Sensory Writing Instruction.

Find Summer Learning Support for Your Child

If your child needs extra help, The Learning Lab is here. We offer in-person tutoring and virtual learning tools to help children avoid learning loss or catch up if they’ve fallen behind. From our SMART Summer Reading and FLEX Summer Programs to our eLearning Lab, you can find the educational resources your child needs right here in South Florida. 

Contact us today to find a dyslexia tutor (or reading tutor) in Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Davie, or Cooper City.