As a teacher, I am fully aware of the summer reading decline that affects so many students. In his article "Bridging the Summer Reading Gap," Richard Allington states, "Regardless of other activities, the best predictor of summer loss or summer gain is whether or not a child reads during the summer." Here's one way I encourage my students to keep reading through the summer.

Before students make plans for summer reading, it is important that they first reflect thoughtfully on the reading they have done in your classroom. My students use their Reader’s Notebook to look back on a year’s worth of reading. They love to see the progress they have made, and they use their reading reflections to make specific plans for summer reading.