Borrow a few simple techniques from the education experts to help prevent summer slide the loss of academic ground during summer break and promote your child’s future academic success.

1. Give your child access to reading materials and allow him or her to choose them however “non-educational” their choices are. Bookstores and libraries are packed with books about the lives of pop icons, fashion, animals, and sports.

2. Read with your child and prompt him to practice reading comprehension strategies by asking him to visualize characters, make predictions about the plot, and summarize events as you read.

3.  Make the most of summer movie blockbusters like Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Para-Norman, and Brave. See the movie, then read the book with your child and discuss their similarities and differences.

4. Talk about everyday activities to build your child’s background knowledge. After watching a favorite TV show, invite your child to discuss  it. Then share your thoughts with him. Your bank of knowledge and experience add to his.

5.  If your child is tutored during the school year, consider having your child continue working with him or her throughout the summer.  If your child doesn’t have a tutor, the summer is a great time for him to start working with one. Independent tutoring companies, like Tutors on Wheels, customize summer study programs that address academic weaknesses based on final report cards.