Getting the Most out of Summer Learning: Books and Encouragement Make All the Difference

When children are invited to pick out their own books to keep from a wide variety of titles, they are more likely to read over the summer months. Reading a number of engaging, age and reading-level appropriate books over the summer can make a big difference in a child’s ability to expand what he or she has learned over the school year, particularly when that child is encouraged by a parent or teacher.

Bozeman-area nonprofit Hopa Mountain is teaming with organizations around the state to host a series of Summer Reading Programs in an effort to support families and children as they read their way to greater success in school come fall. Working in partnership with Hopa Mountain’s StoryMakers Team at Kristi’s Kiddie Korner in Whitehall, children can choose books from an appealing, high quality selection of titles.

In a 2008 study, James Kim of the Harvard Graduate School of Education found that summer reading programs work best when parents get involved. What can parents do to encourage their children’s summer reading? No matter the age of their children, reading aloud together, and simply asking questions about the material are all good strategies for getting the most out of summer reading.

One of the most important things a parent can do—over the summer and all year long—is a good reading model by showing their children that they too read and enjoy books and stories. Whether it’s reading the paper, a magazine, or diving into a great book, parents have the power to demonstrate how enjoyable and important reading really is.

Hopa Mountain invests in citizen leaders who are improving education, ecological health, and economic development in their home towns. To learn more about Hopa Mountain and its StoryMakers program, please visit http://www.hopamountain.org or call 406-586-2455.