Summer Book Programs
Summer Book Programs
Summer book programs are promising because students can participate from home. Book programs can
slow down and decrease summer learning loss, and for some students, summer book programs can even
result in substantial academic growth. Results depend on the specificity and implementation of the
program. Simply providing students with access to books does not result in accelerated academic gains in
summer reading programs (Blazer, 2011).
Research shows that students who do not read in the summer can lose two to three months of reading
development, whereas students who do read tend to gain a month of reading proficiency during the
same amount of time (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 2003). Reading just five books over the summer can
prevent summer learning loss (Heyns, 1978). Students who participate in multi-year programs show the
greatest academic growth (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 2013).
Summer book programs promote students’ reading during the days they are not in school. Books are
provided to students to read at home and, in many cases, parents are provided with enrichment activities
that they can use with their children. In a study by Allington et al. (2010), elementary students selfselected twelve books each spring for a voluntary summer reading program over three consecutive years.
Students who received books in this study “reported more often engaging in voluntary summer reading
and had significantly higher reading achievement than the control group….[T]he reading gains of students
from the most economically disadvantaged families in the study were found to be larger, perhaps
because these students have the most restricted access to books” (p. 422).
In a 2008 summer book program study, 400 students in grades 3-5 displayed significant differences based
on their intervention groups (Blazer, 2011). These intervention groups included: (1) no books, (2) books
only, (3) books with fluency scaffolding, and (4) books with fluency and comprehension scaffolding. Not
only did the study result in significant differences in the “no books” and the “books with fluency and
comprehension scaffolding” groups, it also showed that simply having books was not sufficient for
student growth. Black, Hispanic, and low-income students in the books with both oral fluency and
comprehension scaffolding showed average gains of four months of academic growth over the course of
three months (Blazer, 2011). Instead of experiencing the classic three-month learning loss over the
summer with four months of growth, the overall summer reading growth represents a seven-month gain
for these students as they started the school year in the fall.
Not only should the summer book selection be at the student’s independent reading level, it is important
to honor student choice to enhance student motivation and achievement. Research suggests the
following strategies will help schools develop successful summer reading programs (Allington & McGillFranzen, 2013; Blazer, 2011, pgs. 8-9):
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Review oral reading and comprehension strategies at the end of the school year with
students individually
Review oral reading and comprehension strategies at the end of the school year with
both students and parents together
Teach parents how to scaffold oral and comprehension activities at home.
Summer Book Programs (excerpt from 2015 ELA Menu)
http://www.k12.wa.us/SSEO/ELAMenuBestPractices.aspx
Summer Book Programs
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Review book selection activities to ensure books are “just right” for the reader: at the
independent level
Send at least eight books that match the students reading level home for the summer
Open the school library on designated days
Establish a bookmobile program
Send families packets, postcards and books at regular intervals
Send summer letters with scaffolding skills and reminders
Summer book programs need to be both easily accessible and free for students and parents; these
programs have the greatest gains when started early (K-1). Digital devices can enhance summer reading
programs as multiple websites provide free magazines and grammar games that can enhance summer
reading activities. Digital devices can also promote communication with students and families over the
summer. For older students, digital devices are more practical based on their daily access to laptops, cell
phones, and tablets, but digital devices are becoming more and more accessible to younger students as
well (Fink, 2012).
Many students prefer to read using a digital device and “teachers can take advantage of these digital
devices to enhance students’ reading and writing abilities” (Fink, 2012). With the added motivation,
teachers can guide students to use their digital devices with academic intent to explore their interest and
develop their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills with a variety of apps and websites. However, it
is important for teachers and parents to provide on-going guidance and support while students are
utilizing digital devices to ensure students are benefitting from the intended use and not merely spending
time on activities that do not provide educational opportunities.
Population Considerations
 Benefits all struggling students K-12
 Students identified for free and reduced lunch
 English language learners
 All K-4 students
Implementation Success Factors
 Provide multi-year programs designed and intentioned to accelerate reading growth
 Help students select books
 Seek grant funding to provide books for low-income, at-risk students
 Engage families as partners
 Use reading logs
 Provide families with meaningful strategies and resources that can be carried over and
implemented in their home, which ensures continuity of summer reading programs
throughout the year, after the intervention has concluded (Blazer, 2011; Timmons, 2008)
 Collaborate with community libraries
 Provide external motivators to help with engagement.
 Read out loud to primary students who are not independent readers
Summer Book Programs (excerpt from 2015 ELA Menu)
http://www.k12.wa.us/SSEO/ELAMenuBestPractices.aspx
Summer Book Programs
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Allow students to self-select books to increase reading motivation
Provide guidance to students as they select books to ensure books are not too difficult.
Encouraged students to read a wide selection of genres
Provide access and availability to books during the summer
Create a schedule to open the school library during summer months
References
Allington et al. (2010). Addressing summer reading setback among economically disadvantaged
elementary students. Reading Psychology, 31, p. 411-427.
Allington, R., & McGill-Franzen, A. (2003). The impact of summer setback on the reading achievement
gap. Phi Delta Kappan, 85(1), 68-75.
Allington, R., & McGill-Franzen, A. (2013). Summer Reading: Closing the Reading Gap. New York:NY.
Teachers College Press.
Blazer, C. (2011). Summer learning loss: why its effect is strongest among low-income students and how it
can be combated. Research Services: Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Retrieved from:
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536514.pdf
Fink, J.L.W. (2012). Summer reading goes high tech. Scholastic Instructor, summer, 33-37.
Heyns, B. (1978). Summer learning and the effects of schooling. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Timmons, V. (2008). Challenges in researching family literacy programs. Canadian Psychology, 49(2), 96–
102.
Summer Book Programs (excerpt from 2015 ELA Menu)
http://www.k12.wa.us/SSEO/ELAMenuBestPractices.aspx