After posting our previous blog entitled ‘Help Prevent Summer Learning Loss”, we had parents asking us to give them examples of products that would be useful for them.  So, we decided to post another blog with some examples of what could be used to help build or maintain some of the skills and learning that took place during the school year.  We divided these into various skill sets.

Reading

Early literacy and comprehension – Any book from a bookstore or library is always helpful to encourage reading at any level.  For the student either building early literacy skills, struggling with reading, is in a special education program, or is an English Language Learner (ELL), an interactive reading book can provide something a little more interesting than your average book.  Our interactive reading books are great for building literacy skills and for comprehension.  With velcro, children attach and remove pictures from the reading book making it simple, fun and interactive.  Parents can test comprehension with WH questions and the child can either reply orally, or use the pictures to respond (particularly helpful for children with communication challenges).

Another resource for early literacy is ‘Learning to Read Words with Blends’.  This simple yet effective game puzzle has been a favourite in my house for a while.  I used it for my son who was having difficulty reading and pronouncing words with various consonant blends (“spr” was particularly difficult!).  All the puzzle pieces fit together to make pictures of objects with consonant blends.  They all show the word too which reinforces spelling and reading.

Sight Words – Our book entitled The Best Sight Word Book Ever! allows parents to test their child’s knowledge of the sight words that they learned during the school year, and introduce new ones that they didn’t know.  The book offers a wide variety of activities, puzzles and suggestions on how to reinforce sight words.  It states that it’s appropriate for students from K to grade 3; however, I think it’s more for grades 1 to 2.  It’s also good for students with special education needs and ELLs.

Printing – A great resource for printing skills is our ‘Textured Touch and Trace Cards’.  With so many high expectations in school, students are being expected to print letters and numbers before they can barely hold a pencil!  This is a great tool for printing and building fine motor skills.  Each card shows how the letters are formed using arrows and coloured dots, and the beaded texture helps guide the student’s letter formation.  The cards wipe clean so you can use a pencil or wipe on/wipe off marker.  My daughter’s printing has improved over the summer since I’ve been using these cards.  She likes to take them and decide what letters she wants to work on today by shuffling all the cards.  The coloured dots have been particularly useful in showing her where each stroke starts and where it ends.

Math

Math concepts - Mastering Mathematics is a good resource for a child who needs a review of basic math concepts often taught in kindergarten.  What’s unique about this workbooks is that it does not require any writing.  The child uses the laminated cards to answer the math problem.  The focus is on the math, and not on the frustration of writing and reading.

Our set of Basic Counter Math is for the slightly older child and also does not require reading.  The first binder focuses on addition and subtraction and the other focuses on multiplication and division (sold separately).  Although these resources are normally aimed for the non-reader, I think they are great for anyone looking to review math material that was covered in the classroom earlier in the school year, or who’s looking to reinforce math concepts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).       

Telling time – Telling time on a traditional clock is part of the Grade 1 curriculum in Ontario.  With so many digital watches and clocks, it’s no wonder some kids forget it altogether!  111 Cut-Up Clocks & Cards for Learning to Tell Time is a great resource for reviewing how to tell time.  It contains a large cut-out clock with movable arrows, and time identification cards with both traditional and digital time clocks.  Inside the front cover are a multitude of suggestions and activities for how to use the cards and what games to play. 

These are only a sampling of the many products that can help with Summer Learning Loss.  Please visit our website for a complete catalogue of resources.  Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions on how other resources can help minimize Summer Learning Loss.

Sophie Dedman

Director