As the days begin to lengthen and the odd burst of sunlight pushes through the ever-unpredictable UK weather, many of us will start to think about the upcoming summer months. In between vacations and warmer weather, for many it will also mean time off school for their children which raises questions of how the summer can be best used.
The concept of summer learning loss is increasingly seen as a matter of concern and many parents will look towards different solutions to combat this. Most research into summer learning loss has been conducted in the United States, where summer breaks may last upwards of 10 weeks. Academic studies found that the average US child was losing almost 2 months of math knowledge during their summer and this can then take up to 6 weeks of re-learning when students return to school in the fall.
Tuition is one of the most obvious methods of combatting this and it is clear to see on a global scale that private tuition is becoming the go to solution. The global private tuition market is now worth well over $102 billion according to Forbes.
With a growing industry, how can students benefit from making the most of their summer and ensure that they still have fun whilst preventing any loss of knowledge?
One of the most popular options for summer learning is online tuition. This is clearly linked to the fact that global populations are become more and more mobile and for parents wanting to jet away from the dreary skies of Britain for part of the summer this can be the ideal solution.
Children can access their tutors from anywhere in the world and the regular contact with a tutor to focus on specific subject work has been proven to be beneficial in the long-term development of a students understanding.
Recent research in the United States by Cherie Mazer, a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Technology, Innovation and Education Program, has shown the tangible benefits that online tuition can offer.
Her findings show that students who accessed courses either wholly online or to support ongoing learning made marked progress with their studies. Importantly she found that for students, the access to one-to-one human tutors along with the convenience and efficiency were all important factors leading to the growth of online tuition.
The value of face to face tuition cannot be overstated either. London is awash with highly qualified and experienced tutors who can help empower student attainment through only a few sessions across the course of a summer. Responding to disappointing report cards with offers of additional support is often the best way to ensure future success for children in the following academic year. Tuition is a flexible option and particularly during the summer months’ tutors will have more time to support children during the working day when they are awake and energised as opposed to facing the post school day blues during the term time.
So, as you look forward to the summer and think about planning holidays and activities for the whole family, ensure that education is part of that plan and think about the different options that are available.
