Meritas Family of Schools Unveils Helpful Tips to Prevent Seasonal Learning Loss, Announces Summer Seminar

NORTHBROOK, ILL.--(Korea Newswire)--According to studies conducted over the past two decades, students lose an average of a month's worth of instruction over the course of each vacation, with the most significant deficits occurring in the areas of math and spelling. According to a recent report issued by the RAND Corporation, summer enrichment activities have the potential to reverse this summer slide.

To jump-start each child's summer learning experience, Meritas team members have unveiled a few of their favorite summer learning activities.

TIPS FOR OLDER STUDENTS

Make a Movie

No, seriously! Write a screenplay, grab your video camera or iPad, and make a movie. Virtually every film director began making movies at a young age. Invite your neighborhood to view the final production on “opening night.”

Become a Beethoven

Learn to play a musical instrument. If you already play one, find a piece of music that really challenges you, something you'd love to be able to play brilliantly, and go for it. Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved without strenuous effort.

Meet Someone from a Different Culture

Whether you have the opportunity to travel abroad or simply connect with someone online, meeting someone from a different culture can be a mind-blowing experience! Talk to your new friend about how he or she spends free time. Ask him or her to share some favorite recipes with you, and try them out with your family.

Challenge Yourself Abroad

Participate in an intellectual study abroad program, such as the Meritas Seminar at Oxford University. This year's seminar, titled “Meeting the Challenges of Democracy,” will grant students the opportunity to travel abroad while learning the principles and problems of democracy at one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. For more information, visit www.meritas.net/seminar.

TIPS FOR PARENTS OF YOUNGER LEARNERS

Make a Photo Album

Using a digital camera, make a photo album and share stories with your child about the photos. Labeling the photos (online or in a scrapbook) builds vocabulary, literacy and social-emotional skills.

Explore Your Backyard

Make a science connection to the plants and insects in your backyard or community garden. These experiences use the language of measurement and inspire children to graph the growth patterns of the insects and plants.

Mix in Some Math

Numbers are everywhere! Make a habit of pointing them out, and practice some spontaneous math wherever you go. See if he or she can figure out how many days there are in a month, or compete to see who can guess the grocery bill to the nearest whole number.

Read Out Loud . . . Together

Choose a children's literature classic and read it aloud together. Parents often stop reading aloud to children too early. By reading aloud, we model fluency and voice, and we improve listening comprehension.

Website: http://www.meritas.net

This is a news release distributed by Korea Newswire on behalf of this company.