BRYAN, Texas — A local tutor is giving parents tips to improve their child's reading retention during summer breaks.
Anthonette Ruffino, Sylvan Learning Center Tutor, feels students and young readers are getting behind because of reading retention.
Ruffino explained that early learners like 2nd and 3rd graders can become stagnant. She said parents can play a big role in children's education by serving as role models and doing activities throughout the day to keep their child's minds stimulated.
"If kids see their parents reading they are likely to do the same," said Ruffino.
Ruffino told KAGS, that students become more engaged by doing interactive activities like learning while doing the limbo.
"The other thing parents can do is plan a trip, together have kids write in a journal, all of those things are really good things that they could do, and sometimes kids won't even realize they're learning. Reading skills and math skills and all of those things, and that's what we want the kids to understand is that it's not just in school that you learn to read," said Ruffino
Ruffino explained the saying "if you don't use it, you'll lose it" can be applied to kids reading habits and is encouraging parents and students to practice reading over the summer break to help build retention.
"We try to instill in the kids that you just have to try, you have to preserve," Ruffino said.
For 20 years, Ruffino has been tutoring students of all ages. She explained how the pandemic changed the center's retention rate over the summer and created learning interruptions.
"Those early learners were the ones that had the biggest problem with being on the computer and manipulating the computer, so their learning loss was greater," Ruffino said.
Sylvan's said her main goal is to get kids engaged by motivating them through activities and teaching them that these skills will follow them everywhere.