The Importance of Summer Studying

Summer is  approaching and so is the quandry: should your student attend classes over the summer, or should they take the well-deserved break to rejuvenate? The best plan is to have a little of both, and the following breaks down the points to consider as the summer plans get penciled in.

The Summer Lag: Generally speaking, most students take the summer off of school. And with this time off comes a decline in skills. For a student struggling to catch up, this decline in skills could be more significant than their peers. For this reason, it is of extra importance for a student who is working on closing a gap in skills to utilize the summer to not only maintain any progress they've made, but to maximize the opportunity for further development. Summer is a unique time when they can focus on their own skill development without the added pressure of the regular classroom work, homework, after-school activities, etc.

Time Commitments: It can be tempting to just do a little bit of work over the summer and feel that it is sufficient- after all, it's summer. However, a little bit of work probably isn't enough. Remember, if a student is behind, they not only have to close the gap, but need to maintain this skill set and develop it further. This is never something that happens quickly or easily. Summer classes will have the most impact if they are frequent and intensive. For example, a schedule could have 3-4 weeks of intensive work, followed by a one week break. A more intensive schedule of remediation with short breaks will likely yield more progress than a once a week schedule with no breaks.

Breaks and Other Interests: It is extra work for a student to participate in tutoring and summer classes and this should be recognized and commended for the perseverance required. In addition, students who have other outlets and areas where they shine tend to be more resilient. Resilience is an important quality for success for those dealing with learning differences. So, with the added free time that summer offers, it is strongly encouraged that students be given the opportunity to participate in areas of personal interest, natural talent, and things that give them a sense of joy and accomplishment. And if these areas haven't been discovered yet, summer can be a time for exploring these options. 

Study Skills, Keyboarding, Assistive Software: The freedom of a regular course load over summer provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop the periphery skills that support success in school. Keyboarding is an excellent option for student's with handwriting difficulties. It's best to learn how to keyboard without having to use these emerging skills for an assignment with a due date.  Learning to keyboard correctly can be facilitated with programs such as Mavis Beacon, UltraKey www.bytesoflearning.com, or other but should include frequent feedback from an adult in regards to student's posture, finger position, accuracy, etc.  It can be difficult to monitor this on your own, especially when it is new.
Inspiration software is highly recommended for supporting written expression. A free trial is available:   www.inspiration.com  This software is very useful, but does require practice to become familiar enough to make it an efficient tool. 
Study skills programs such as Mangrum Strichart provide a structure for learning information from text, reviewing for a test, memorizing, and identifying key concepts. Summer is an ideal time to learn the habits and structure so that it can be mastered before it is needed for a specific class.

Programs at Wise Owl Learning

The teachers at Wise Owl are experienced in working with students who learn differently. We use methodologies and materials recommended by the most current research and constantly reflect on individual student progress to determine the best course of action.  See below for links to many of the programs we use for more information. 

Our reading programs are based on Orton-Gillingham and Slingerland, emphasizing  multisensory instruction that follows a logical scope and sequence that sets the student up for success.  Lindamood Bell programs and others are also used as supplemental materials when needed.

Math instruction utilizes a variety of programs to help students master math facts, conceptualize math processes, follow an organized work format, and apply systematic strategies for following complex, multi-step math procedures. Many of our math programs are based on Making Math Real by David Berg, and Touch Math. 

Handwriting instruction is offered following the Slingerland Multisensory Approach.

Organization, Study Skills, and Time Management strategies are incorporated as needed.  Intensive, short term study skills courses for small groups are offered periodically throughout the year.  Individual lessons covering this material are always available. Study Skills classes are an excellent way for students entering college to prepare for the increased independence demanded by college courses, and helps students develop the habits to plan and maximize the time spent studying outside of class.

Links for more information:
 www.slingerland.org
www.ortonacademy.org/approach.php 
www.lindamoodbell.co.uk/research-articles
www.makingmathreal.org/index.php