Summer dropoff : an investigation into the impact of the school summer holidays on the reading acquisition of primary school children in New Zealand

Abstract

Extensive overseas research has established the existence of an educational phenomenon known as the summer dropoff. School children, particularly in disadvantaged areas lose their reading abilities over the summer holidays. Additional research has discovered that a means through which this can be avoided is for children to read as many books as possible over the holidays. This study investigates the summer dropoff in New Zealand. The reading results from a high, middle and low decile school in New Zealand have been analysed in order to determine how New Zealand children are affected by the summer holidays. New Zealand results are far less extreme than overseas however there is a disturbing difference in results between the low decile school when compared with the high and middle decile schools. It is important that New Zealand parents, educators and librarians are made aware of this phenomenon in order to work together to ensure all New Zealand children succeed educationally.