UAE teachers give A+ to summer homework
dubai — Students’ dream of a homework-free summer vacation will be just that — a dream! UAEbased teachers believe that homework during the summer break can ease students’ transition back to school at the end of the vacation.
Kirsty Loach, a Grade-4 teacher at GEMS Wellington Academy in Al Khail, said students who don’t practise reading skills during the holidays obtain lower scores in reading tests when they return in autumn.
Farrah Clarke, a Grade-3 teacher, said children who do not do any educational activities over the summer need a “lot of reinforcement”
The first few weeks after a summer break is usually spent revising basic concepts to ensure that learning new topics becomes easier Farrah Clarke, a Grade-3 teacher
once they return to school. She said the first few weeks after a summer break is usually spent revising basic concepts to ensure that learning new topics becomes easier.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
Summer holidays for children usually means no homework and more play time. They are not restricted by the four walls of a classroom, a desk and school bells all the day long, instead, they’re either on holiday with their family, out and about with friends or on their gadgets.
However, with holidays coming up soon, some UAE teachers believe handing out homework to students over the summer can help them in the long run, especially when they return to school in fall.
Kirsty Loach, a Year-4 teacher at GEMS Wellington Academy in Al Khail, said she will be assigning summer homework to her students.
“This summer we are giving children homework for over the summer holidays. These range practical and written tasks that aim to consolidate the children’s learning for the year group they have just completed in order to prepare them for the following year group,” she said.
“I can absolutely see a difference between the students that have and have not read over the summer. Reading tests have shown that children who do not continue to practise reading skills over the long summer period obtain lower scores when they return in the autumn.”
Matthew Evans, a Year-3 teacher, believes regular educational activities are recommended for students as it helps them develop in English and Maths.
“Yes, I set summer homework of reading and some math activities, however it is not a lot of activities. Regular reading is essential for the children to develop their levels of English and to be able to understand more complicated texts. There is a difference in the students that conduct regular reading and math practice — especially mental math’s. The amount of work doesn’t need to be long, just regular activities over the holidays,” Evans said.
Farrah Clarke, a Year-3 teacher, said children who do not do any educational activities over the summer need a lot of reinforcement once they return to school, as compared to students who do study during the summer. She said the first few weeks after a summer break is usually spent revising basic concepts to ensure that learning new topics becomes easier.
Laura Bowne, a Year-1 teacher, believes in taking a fun approach to learning during the summer.
“In Key Stage 1, we give out summer ‘learning menus’ which involve fun projects to reflect and recap what they have learnt throughout the year. The menu is split in to each area of the curriculum with added ‘learner profile’ challenges which include risk taking and team working. They are then differentiated by level of challenge, which encourages the children to choose their own. Challenges include writing travel diaries to their next class teacher, keeping weather chart and observational drawings,” Bowne said.
Duglas Joseph, a faculty of social science at Gems Our Own English School, Fujairah, said that when parents plan for a summer vacation, they need to in mind the educational value of the journey.
“Why not explore a new country where children can have the direct experience of the cultural, climatic and geographical aspects. Having to read about local customs in the text book never really means much until they actually be part of that culture and live it,” he said. sarwat@khaleejtimes.com