As exam results begin to trickle in, students are stressed; many feel burnt out from whistle-stop learning, and mental health is at an all-time low.

It makes sense, then, that we should treat the time after SATs results as a period where we prioritise mental wellbeing and allow learners to step away from the books for a while, relax, and enjoy activities that they don’t have time for over the exam period. Fostering mindfulness and better mental wellbeing over the summer break should be a priority, and learners from reception class to postgraduates need time to decompress.

But, as ever, there’s a flipside. Spending what is essentially a two-month period without reading can lead to a downturn in reading skills when the new term begins, especially for younger learners. It’s also missing out on a vital opportunity to foster a good relationship with reading for pleasure, and getting to grips with reading aids and new ways of reading before the new term begins. In a time when learning has already been compromised, does a summer off the clock measure up in terms of what we know we’ll need for September – and do we even have to separate fostering better mental health and reading over summer anyway?

KS2 SATs

Certainly here in the UK, evidence is mounting up that Covid-19 school closures had a profound effect on learning. We’re seeing a dip in a lot of areas: last month, KS2 SATs results were released to schools and there’s a marked drop in the number of learners achieving expected grades or above in writing (9%) and mathematics (8%). This year’s results haven’t been greatly adapted either, so what we’re looking at is relatively raw data, without many adjustments made for the effects of pandemic learning – this results in a significant downturn in skill acquisition in these areas.

We have seen a 1% uptick in learners achieving their expected grades in reading – but even this is a smaller growth than we’ve seen in years previously, and still far off the levels we’d need to see for the government to achieve its target of 90% of students achieving expected standards in literacy by 2030.

KS2 are some of our youngest examined learners in the UK, and ministers expect the trend in results to be amplified throughout achievement at GCSE, A-Level, vocational and Higher Education levels, too. It’s set to be a difficult year for results despite the incredible efforts made by educators since they returned to the classroom. Many learners will be feeling the strain and the disappointment. This is a problem, especially when it comes to reading – as it’s the cornerstone of how we experience and interact with education across almost all subject areas.

Mental Health

Learning has had to adapt to the new needs of the student body post-Covid. And in many cases, this will have meant covering more information in less time, and more time spent in class in general – as well as bigger homework and revision regimens too. Learners have been dealing with anxiety issues, burnout, stress and school aversion already. Many are still only just finding their feet when it comes to spending an extended amount of time back in the classroom.

As results roll in, many learners will be disheartened or disappointed. There will be those who have put in huge amounts of effort and still received grades that they feel are lower than what they’d want or be expecting. Self-esteem will be low for many, and likely to ebb lower as summer turns into autumn and the holidays come to a close. Unchecked, it can create a climate of trepidation around the new term, where anxiety levels soar as we edge ever closer to September.

Reading and Mental Wellbeing

Reading for pleasure has many mental health benefits for young readers: it can help them feel less anxious, make them feel more engaged with the communities that surround them, and it can improve imaginative play assist them in developing the ability to express themselves. Also reaffirming these skills with readers – especially younger ones – over the holiday period may go some way to helping them remember that their exam results aren’t a final measure of their skill and that they are capable learners whose results have been affected by forces beyond their control.

So, although it may seem odd at first, one of the most easily accessible ways to combat reading anxiety that’s linked up with the new term in September may be to deconstruct the idea of reading before they hit the playground again. Educators might mention it in summer e-blasts or add a reference to it in parent communications; parents might take time out to read with children a few times a week (or daily!) and stoke new interest with library or bookstore trips. A successful summer of reading means that come September, the world of words may not feel so scary, and learners have proven to themselves beyond SATs results just how capable they are.

Dyslexia and Literacy Differences

So, the benefits of reading over summer are huge and we should invest time in promoting reading at home – that’s assuming that we have a group of readers who have strong skills and are confident in their ability from the get-go. Yet, that’s rarely ever the case. Those with dyslexia and literacy differences may be eyeing the new term with even more anxiety than their peers, and already have deep-seated reading anxiety. Making sure that they feel supported post-SATs is a huge part of getting ready for the new term and approaching it as an area of exploration and possibility as opposed to stress and uncomfortable situations. But to do that, we have to help them combat that reading anxiety – this goes beyond making sure that they have reading materials available and a supportive reading environment over the summer.

We can adjust reading over summer to transform it for young readers both in class and in their personal lives. We can introduce High/Low books; we can let interest lead the way in terms of materials, we can explore where reading feels best to readers and create reading environments that are soothing and comfortable. And we can also investigate assistive tech solutions.

The summer period is as good a time as any other to introduce assistive tech into a reading regimen – some learners will prefer it as it allows them to get to grips with the new tech before having to do it in a public space like a classroom, surrounded by their peers.

There are many different kinds (you may want to find out more about the ideal reading support toolbox here)aranging from low-tech solutions like reading windows and transparent index tabs to high-tech solutions like our portable text-to-speech scanners.

C-Pen Reader 2

C-Pen Reader 2 is a handheld text-to-speech Wi-Fi-free device that can be used independently by the learner to support reading and develop their literacy skills. It provides access to texts of all levels and gives rapid dictionary definitions, giving readers a huge advantage in maintaining independence and confidence. It’s also discreet and portable, meaning that it can be used practically anywhere – from out and about to when they return to class for the new term.

Starting to build these relationships with assistive tech over the vacation period can mean that despite a set of exam results that may not have measured up to what they were expecting, September can represent an opportunity. Not only does Reader 2 support readers with reading differences, it also actively helps them build and hone their reading skills as they use it, creating a firm foundation for learning still to come.

To find out more about the benefits of combining High/Low reading materials with Reader 2.