With the school year over, your bilingual students have plenty of ways to keep studying. Becoming proficient in bilingual reading and math is an early goal for all bilingual students; this summer, that has never been easier.
From games to challenges, make this season full of bilingual summer learning. Here are eight math and reading tips to help your child succeed this summer.
Math
Bilingual math skills are easy to include in many everyday activities.
Complete Home Projects
Math skills are invaluable for several important aspects of life. What better way to show that than incorporating math into common home projects?
These activities are easily made bilingual, which is great for kids of all ages. As per the topic, these bilingual summer learning projects focus on themes of home improvement.
Kids learn to calculate area, read tape measures, and count project supplies. Encourage your kids to count in Spanish when taking measurements.
Bake Delicious Treats
Math is an essential ingredient in baking. Precision measurements and good math skills often make the difference in a recipe—including abuela’s flan!
In both languages, teach your children the units of measurement. Be sure to explain how many tablespoons per cup, how many ounces per gallon, and so on.
Consider allowing your kids to form their own recipes based on family favorites. Gently help them with the math to avoid inedible treats.
Create a Sports Competition with Friends
Aside from endless summer fun, sports are full of math. Sports are a great way to get your kids to think about math in both languages.
Even from simple addition to advanced statistics, your children have fun outside and learn math. Organize a sports competition for your kids to ensure math is at the front of their minds.
The competition will need timekeepers, statistic trackers, and distance measurers. Each of these bilingual summer learning activities rely on basic mathematical principles.
Plus, a competition keeps your kids active!
Work a Summer Job
If they are old enough, your kids might work a summer job. Bilingual employees are often in demand in many roles. Most importantly, a job will require the use of real-world math skills.
These skills might include:
- Money counting
- Addition, subtraction, and fractions
- Speedy mental math
For younger kids, tailor the jobs to their age. A lemonade stand is a good way to teach the same math skills.
Otherwise, simple chores create opportunities for language lessons and a range of math. The reward of payment at the end is not a wrong incentive, either.
Use Online Math Game Websites
These days, video games are essential aspects of most children’s lives. The abundance of educational games significantly benefits parents and kids alike.
Most sites and games also provide multiple language options, so your kids can work on their language skills simultaneously. Games help incentivize continued language and math learning, even out of the class.
On days with poor weather, games provide comfortable and educational entertainment. Sites like Coolmathgames and Funbrain offer several exercises. Other sites have printable pages for your kids to use on the go.
Reading
Solid bilingual summer learning reading skills provide your child an advantage for life. Therefore, it is never too early to incorporate extra reading lessons into their schedules with reading such an important life skill.
Play Games with Flashcards
Suitable for any age, printable Spanish flashcards are excellent ways to teach vocabulary and grammar in both languages. They are also great in many fun card games.
For example, create matching or sorting games by printing multiple copies of each flashcard. Or have your kids create their own flashcards using Spanish and English reading and writing skills.
Host a Family Book Club
Encouraging reading over the summer is essential. One way to include the entire family in reading is a Family Book Club.
Not only does this encourage your kids to read, but it also brings the family closer as you spend time discussing what each person is reading. Incorporating Spanish books and stories helps your kids read Spanish every day.
If they are already skilled in the language, read more advanced books. Or, you can even hold the story discussions in Spanish, no matter the language of the book!
Join a Summer Reading Program
Along with a Family Book Club, summer reading challenges are another excellent reading incentive. They encourage your kids to read throughout the summer.
Your kids might even meet new friends in public reading programs. Look for bilingual programs to ensure your kids hone their language skills.
If you do not find bilingual options, you might consider hosting one. Use the above skills and suggestions to create a neighborhood summer reading program.
In Summary
Keep your kids engaged with bilingual studies this summer with lively and easy math and reading activities. These activities, from projects around the house to summer reading clubs, are as fun as they are educational.
Guest Author:
Rachel is an Outreach Associate with North Star Inbound. An honor graduate of New York University, she contributes home improvement, landscaping and renovation pieces. When not writing, she enjoys gardening with her mom and spending time in the Florida sunshine.
BMascarenowriter | Math4Bilinguals 