Read and Grow @ Your Library This Summer |
Three excellent reasons to join a summer reading club
Reading clubs have become a popular pastime for many Canadian children (and their parents), who will be visiting their local library regularly while school is out this summer. And there are plenty of reasons - beyond having a great time with friends while improving skills - to join a summer reading club.A recent literature review prepared by Goss Gilroy Inc. for Library and Archives Canada (LAC) provides compelling insights into just how beneficial summer reading clubs can be for children. Three key benefits cited in the report include:
Better Reading Performance
The evidence is clear: summer reading clubs are effective in combating the loss of reading skills that kids can experience while spending book-free summer vacations. At the same time, summer reading can also help advance current skill, so that children returning to school in September can actually end up being better readers than when they left. The LAC report notes that the majority of reading club participants, librarians, and parents surveyed believe summer reading programs result in improved reading performance.Greater Reading Volume
According to the LAC report, evidence suggests library summer reading programs contribute to increased levels of reading interest among participants. As such, if your child is reading more as a result of joining a summer reading program, there’s a good chance they will actually want to continue reading when school resumes. This is good news for both students and parents.Improved Reading and Learning Confidence
It makes sense that a child with good reading skills will have higher confidence to continue with reading activities, both at school and at home. Participation in reading clubs can not only improve reading confidence, it can have a profound impact on a child's social confidence as a result of interaction with others during reading club activities.
"Summer reading clubs are a tremendous way to keep kids interested in reading and to help them improve their skills and confidence. The positive impact they have on students is carried over to the new school year," says Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Financial Group and TD’s Literacy and Education Champion, of the popular TD Summer Reading Club, which is expected to attract close to 400,000 young readers to local libraries across Canada this summer.
For more information on summer reading programs and the TD Summer Reading Club, visit www.td-club-td.ca. Watch for information on this exciting reading program at your local library.
