In response to the ‘Summer Slide’, a phenomenon experienced during the long summer school break, Education Business Group (EBG) has revealed key considerations for parents to help minimise the potentially negative impact this could have on children’s development. As the 2021-2022 academic year culminates and students gear up for summer vacation, the Executive representative committee of the non-profit Dubai Private K-12 Operators Group identifies the key elements of ‘Summer Slide’ and the solutions to avoid it.
According to a recent study in 2020 on the loss of learning during summer the ‘Summer Slide’ – students experience an inevitable decline in academic skills and are susceptible to lose up to 40% of the gains they have made over the school year. Education Business Group sees the long summer break as an opportunity for young minds, providing a ‘classroom’ of a different kind for kids to spend quality time with family and loved ones, explore and unleash creativity in museums and libraries, travel, and have fun while experiencing the real world.
Commenting on the phenomenon, Kalthoom Ali, Chairperson of Education Business Group, said: “Summer Slide is a phenomenon that parents, schools and teachers alike try to avoid, especially post-pandemic. As students spent more time outside the classroom with distance learning, it is now more important than ever for schools to remain connected with students, so as to not lose the continued efforts made throughout the school year. Similarly, parents can foster a culture of constant learning and curiosity to keep the momentum going.”
While summer is a time for adventure, there are several ways to beat the Summer Slide that parents and children can initiate to keep the brain ignited:
Reading is key
There are countless summer library reading programmes, designed with themes and incentives to get young learners on board. Parents are also invited to try summer reading and bucket lists to keep literacy fun for kids, while still encouraging them to read what they like. It’s important to cultivate a passion for reading that starts at home; parents are thus advised to maintain a large book collection or a library. Asking children to write a daily journal of all the things they learned at the end of each day is also a way of connecting with children. Parents can also incorporate more challenging subjects such as mathematics into daily activities, including baking, gardening and sports, helping children to keep their minds refreshed and learning as they go.
Virtual Victories
Learning can take place virtually with numerous summer camps, coding classes, educational mobile or tablet applications, and online programmes that are great learning tools for all topics across all school levels. Volunteering is an effective way to enhance children’s social skills and increase awareness of their society. For older kids, working a summer job means learning the kind of interpersonal and interactive skills that can be of practical importance moving forward. A melting pot of businesses across various sectors, Dubai is home to a plethora of summer job or ‘job shadowing’ opportunities for kids, to help them discover the fields they like and develop their professional and interpersonal skills.
“Today, Education Business Group serves 53% of the Dubai private school student cohort and together with our member schools, we are continuously working with the community to share ideas and practices to further build the future generation and provide opportunities to grow and thrive,” concluded Kathoom.
Schools should also consider making a recommended list to encourage students to continue reading throughout the break, and create a book club so students can share their narratives on what they have read. In today’s digital world, schools have increasingly enabled the use of educational technology platforms that promote self-paced learning as well as loaned school-owned devices, enabling students to always have access to learning, helping them stay connected during the break.
About Education Business Group:
Education Business Group, the Dubai Private K-12 Operators Group, is a non-profit organization that was formed on 22 November 2020 under the umbrella of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). Education Business Group is represented by 26 school operators, which are currently serving 53% of the Dubai private school student cohort, and aims to put forward innovative strategies and work collaboratively with stakeholders to further develop Dubai’s private school sector.
