Welcome to another online addition of the Arizona Promising Practices forum. For those new to this service, each issue, which will now be sent to you on a regular basis, will focus on:

(1) Recommended National Educational Websites; and (2) One promising practice article in condensed form. We welcome your recommendations for improvement to this forum or suggestions on future topics (these will be wide ranging so if nothing in this update interests you, hold on for future editions!) The Arizona Promising Practices Forum and website, www.azpromisingpractices.com is a FREE resource of the Arizona Department of Education.

Mary Urich, ACPE Director murich@ade.az.gov 

In this issue we have been asked to provide teachers and parents with tips to help maintain reading skills over the Summer Vacation. Brought to you by Reading is Fundamental, this issue contains practical tips and activities that can be shared among teachers and parents in helping children return in the Fall ready to learn new content and skills. 

National Website of Importance – If your Summer plans include an employment search, check out the National Job Fair finder for employment opportunities in Arizona and the Southwest. Check it out at http://www.kansasteachingjobs.com/fairs.htm

Promising Practice Research and Teaching Tips

1. Plan summertime reading assignments as a culminating literacy activity for the year.

• Without summer reading, most children's reading skills deteriorate somewhat.
• Research show that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are most in need of summertime reading to maintain reading skills.
• Children who read over the summer do better in school than children who don't.

2. Involve students in picking titles for summertime reading.

• Inform students of the skills and knowledge they will need in coming year.
• Ask for suggestions.
• Use student criticism of past summer reading lists as a model.

3. Involve librarians in making summer reading assignments.

• Ask the school librarian for input.
• Consult with public librarians on local summer reading programs.
• Use the internet at the library to run computer searches of reading lists being used by other schools.

4. Involve families in making summer reading assignments.

• At parent conferences and at PTA/PTO meetings, solicit parental input on how rigorous a summer reading program parents feel is appropriate.
• Solicit parents for suggestions of genres and titles their children might enjoy.
• Work with parents to set up a recordkeeping journal for children's summer reading.

5. Avoid making reading assignments a chore.

• A summer reading program should not seem like an extension of school.
• Many families feel that it is their child's right to have time to play during the summer months.
• Reading programs that are pleasurable are more effective in motivating children to read.

6. Alert students to summertime reading activities that can be fun.

• Encourage children to read books related to fun activities such as a favorite sport or camping.
• Advertise library and community activities that will be taking place.
• Familiarize children with websites such as RIF's Reading Planet which host enjoyable reading activities.

7. Help students transition book clubs to the summer months.

• Work with students on how to continue meetings over the summer.
• Urge children to join book clubs sponsored by public libraries and many local newspapers for the summer months.
• Facilitate setting up family book clubs that might convene over the summer and during school holidays.

8. Encourage children to keep summer journals.

• Encourage children to record their thoughts and activities.
• Suggest to children that they add illustrations.
• Let children know that these journals don't have to include information about books they've read, unless they want them to.

9. Have children develop their reading goals for the summer.

• Share with children your personal literacy goals for your own summer reading.
• Ask children what personal goals they have for summertime reading.
• Work with each child to develop a realistic summer reading plan.

10. Use incentives to foster motivation for summer reading.

• Set benchmarks for reading that include a reward, such as receiving a free book.
• Make the reading program noncompetitive--let children compete against themselves.
• Work to make reading its own reward.

www.rif.org