Denver, CO (PRWEB) May 23, 2014
Two educational publishing companies are producing summertime study resources to help Colorado K-8 students retain what they learned during the preceding school year. Benchmark Education and Newmark Learning have made a priority of preventing summer learning loss, a significant problem that can cause some students to slide months behind their classmates in academic performance. The companies have responded to this threat by promoting Parent Involvement Kits that help moms, dads and teachers help Colorado kids.
Benchmark Education’s representative, Scott Callender, wishes to make parents and educators aware of the genuine issues associated with summer learning loss, saying, “It’s most definitely a legitimate and widely observed phenomenon.” Callender points to studies dating back to the 1970s indicating that students’ math and literacy levels tend to decline between the end of the spring semester and the beginning of the fall semester. The decline in the skills of lower-income students was particularly alarming, he adds, with this group sometimes falling two to three months behind the more affluent students over the summer break.
Callender explains that the disparity reflects extra challenges faced by lower-income households in providing books and study opportunities over the summer months, away from the structured environment of the classroom and school library. A lack of English-language books in homes where English is not spoken natively, lack of easy access to community libraries, and lack of funds for private tutors or learning camps may all play a role in summer learning loss. Callender also cites a University of Tennessee study, also reported in TIME Magazine, which found that reading books over the summer break helped these students retain their literacy skills. “Clearly, regular skills practice outside of the classroom can help many kids avoid the ‘summer slide,’” he says.
Benchmark Education and Newmark Learning have each attempted to mend this gap in summer learning resources by offering products designed for parents and children to enjoy together. Benchmark’s line of such products, viewable on the company’s “Parents” page, promote parent-child practice through the use of kits containing Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science materials. The kits are available in both English and Spanish. Newmark Learning offers a similar range of Parent Involvement Kits on subjects including Science, Fiction reading, Math and Social Studies. Edcuational institutions can shop online by searching for kits according to subject, native language and grade level at either company website.
“It is our hope that concerned Coloradans will take advantage of these resources for their kids,” says Callender, adding: “Schools across Colorado are almost out for the summer – which means that schools, principals, teachers and parents need to get a hold of these resources quickly, so that their kids can stay academically strong all year round.”
Benchmark Education was founded to help teachers and educators struggling to provide their classrooms of diverse learners with the materials they need to master their educational skills. Newmark Learning provides educational materials and resources for school teachers, parents, and home schoolers offering tools and strategies that are easy to use, reflect Common Core and state curriculum standards, and are based on research-proven instructional strategies. For additional information, please visit http://ift.tt/1kTmYne and http://ift.tt/1r7Zpwi.
