Two-thirds of teachers polled in a recent survey said they spend at least a month reteaching students old material when they return from summer vacation.
The survey by the National Summer Learning Association asked 500 teachers how much time they typically spend teaching students skills they should have learned and retained from the previous grade. Nearly one-fourth said they devote at least five to six weeks at the beginning of the new school year going over the material, while two-thirds claimed at least three to four weeks of reteaching.
Existing research shows summer learning gaps disproportionately affect low-income students.
Teacher Brie Wattier leads an 8th grade social studies class at the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School for a classroom discussion on the credibility of social media posts and AI-generated imagery on Nov. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of Dylan Singleton/University of Maryland
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