Keeping in Touch with Technology, Reading, and Writing During the Summer
by Lesley M. Morrow Ph.D.

Take time to share with students and parents ideas about things to do that will be discussed and checked on when students return to school in the fall. Here are a variety of activities that will be fun for students to do over the summer and will help them maintain their level of skill development. Invite parents to school before the summer vacation begins to let them know about your plans and how they can help.

1. Summer Book Clubs: Form class summer book clubs with students who live close to each other. Assign summer reading. Have the groups meet during the summer to discuss the books they read. Assign roles, such as organizer, recorder, artist, and so on, during the book club meetings. Encourage students to have e-mail discussions about the books.

   If possible, arrange for students to turn in the results of their meetings to you or to their new teachers in the fall.

2. Interactive Writing: We know that literacy activities need to be done with social interaction some of the time. Forming summer interactive partner writing can help accomplish this goal. Assign partners the job of writing about their most memorable summer activities, such as a backyard picnic or a family trip. The partners should meet four times during the summer to do their writing. Each one tells the other what he or she is going to write about and exchanges suggestions, such as, "when you write about your new pet, describe how he looks, the sounds he makes, what he eats, and so on." When the writing is complete, students should read their pieces to each other for more constructive comments. Bring the materials to school in the fall to share.
3. Correspond with your Class: As their teacher, you should keep in touch with your class during the summer. In your letters, tell your students about what you are doing and what you are reading and writing. Plan to meet with your class twice during the summer. The meeting can be held in a park or at someone's home. The purpose of the meetings is to share what you have all been reading, what you have been writing, and what you have been doing. At the first meeting, discuss when the next one will take place and what the agenda will be. Organize car pools if necessary.
4. Create a Class Summer Web Site: If you don't have a class Web site, be sure to create one for the summer. The Web site is for keeping in touch with reading and writing activities that students are doing during their summer vacation. Make a schedule for summer reporting to be done by partners and groups on different dates. Have students visit the Web site every week. Post things on the site yourself, too. Not only will this activity keep the reading and writing going, but it will also help the students learn to use technology.

Lesley M. Morrow Ph.D. is the Professor of Early Childhood & Literacy Education at Rutgers University and President of the International Reading Association.