A Summer Reading Enrichment Experience: One District\u27s Effort to Prevent Summer Reading Loss

The purpose of this study was to gain insights into effective literacy practices and key factors that promote reading achievement for elementary age students during summer break. More specifically, the study examined the effectiveness of a summer reading enrichment experience offered to children from low-income families in an effort to prevent summer reading loss. The students involved in this study were considered to have average reading skills. The particular focus of this study led to the formation of the following question to guide this research: To what extent is a student\u27s reading achievement impacted by extended literacy instruction or enrichment? In this mixed methods study, quantitative methods were used to determine if there was a gain in reading achievement for participating students through the analysis of archived reading achievement scores of the group of students who participated in the Summer Reading Enrichment Experience and their control group counterparts. This study also researched the nature of the effective instructional practices utilized by the Summer Reading Enrichment Experience teachers via qualitative methods involving the analysis of teacher interview responses and archived classroom and program artifacts. The setting for the study was in a rural public school district located in the Midwest. The findings revealed that the Summer Reading Enrichment Experience had an impact on the reading achievement gains made by the participating students although not to a level of statistical significance. The qualitative analysis provided a richer picture of this learning opportunity aimed at preventing students from losing critical literacy skills during the summer months. Students gained ready access to a wide variety of books and technology and participated in a variety of literacy and enrichment activities during this unique summer experience