Reading helps take up the slack in summer slump.

Byline: BIRTH TO THREE By Mary Ginnane and Judy Harold For The Register-Guard

Do you dread your kids' summer slump?

We're not talking about that point in time when kids lose their enthusiasm, sigh and announce that `there's nothing to do." The summer slump is an educational term referring to the loss of learning that often takes place between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next.

Also known as summer learning loss, or summer setback, this phenomenon has been officially researched since 1906. Findings consistently point to lower scores on tests at the end of the summer than at the beginning, confirming that reading is among the skills vulnerable to summer learning loss. Reading and understanding blossom with practice, and any gap in that practice can negatively affect a child's ability.

An obvious solution is supported by the research: Keep kids reading during the summer! In fact, reading just four or five books during summer can make a real difference in student achievement.

Researcher Jimmy Kim found that regardless of race, socioeconomic level or previous achievement, children who read more books fared better on reading-comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who had read one or no books over the summer. Other studies, summarized on the Web sites of the New York and Colorado state libraries, have shown:

Children lose school-year reading gains over the summer if they don't read (especially disadvantaged kids).

Children in a summer library program read better than those in a summer camp program, and are more likely to read at their grade level or above than their nonparticipating peers.

Children in a summer program that includes library visits and `free reading' made more reading test gains than those in a traditional language arts summer program.

To prevent summer slump, many Oregon public libraries sponsor free, convenient, enjoyable summer reading programs for elementary school-aged kids and teens, as well as read-to-me programs for preschoolers. Most programs include reading motivation games, reading goals, workshops, performances and rewards for participation, all with the aim of linking reading, libraries and fun in kids' minds.

This summer, children are welcome to join in activities at Eugene Public Library and Springfield Public Library featuring the theme `Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds.' To find out more about local summer reading programs, call your library, or check its calendar or Web site. For the Eugene Public Library information, call 682-8316 or visit www.ci .eugene.or.us/library. For the Springfield Public Library, call 726-3779 or visit www.ci .springfield.or.us/library.

Once your kids have signed up for summer reading, there is more parents and caregivers can do to maintain or advance learning levels through the summer. Here are some sources for terrific, practical tips, including ways to incorporate reading and related activities during family vacations:

Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project that looks at how children learn to read, why so many struggle and how caring adults can help. Find a gold mine of ideas for preventing summer slump at www.readingrockets.org, including a week-by-week calendar of `Summer Reading Adventures for You and Your Kids.'

Easy, everyday summer home learning `recipes' for young people K-12, divided by grade levels, are available on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site, www.ed.gov/pubs/Recipes/index.html. (Despite the name, only a few of these clever activities involve food or the kitchen.)

For great summer learning advice regarding children with learning disabilities, visit www.schwablearning.org. Schwab Learning is a private, nonprofit foundation that funds programs in learning disabilities and human services.

Of course, ask staff at your public library for assistance in locating books your kids will like, or for additional online or print materials about fun, creative summer learning. Fight back against summer slump: Keep kids reading for summer learning!

Mary Ginnane is youth services manager at the Eugene Public Library and Judy Harold is youth services manager at the Springfield Public Library. The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writers. Birth To Three is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families through parent support and education. For more information about Birth To Three, call 484-4401.