(ARA) - There's no question that kids lose some of
what they've learned in school over the summer months. How can parents keep
their children's minds sharp during summer vacation and prepare them for the
start of the next grade in the fall? Thanks to the flexibility of live
instruction over the Internet, families can now fit at-home tutoring into
schedules packed with swimming, softball, summer camp and family trips.
According to a study conducted by Harris Cooper, a psychology professor at the
University of Missouri, the average child engaged in structured summer
learning (i.e., summer school) outperformed 55 to 60 percent of comparable
children who did not dedicate time to learning over the summer, demonstrating
the importance of brushing up on skills, particularly in reading and math,
over the summer break.
eSylvan, which recently launched nationwide, is the first and only
Internet-based tutoring service to offer personalized reading and math
tutoring for students in 3rd through 9th grade provided by state-certified
teachers. eSylvan teachers and students use Web technology that allows
continuous two-way audio dialogue.
"Summertime is a great time for students to prepare for the next grade level,"
said Pat Hoge, director of education and curriculum development for eSylvan.
"Until now, the challenge has been finding a qualified instructor who can fit
into the family's busy schedule, which often includes summer camp, the
neighborhood playground and pool, and other outdoor activities. With eSylvan,
parents can schedule in-home tutoring when it's convenient for the family, so
children can learn without missing any summer fun."
"Unlike other Internet tutoring
products that are formulaic or pre-recorded, each eSylvan program begins
with a comprehensive online skills assessment to pinpoint a child's
skill gaps. Using these results, eSylvan is able to create a program
that is targeted to each child's individual needs, and includes a
variety of "prescribed" lessons that help the child meet his specific
learning objectives.
eSylvan's unique technology enables a student and teacher to have "real
conversations in real time," as if they are on the telephone, using a
hands-free headset connected to an ordinary PC. The student and teacher
talk with one another as they write questions and answers on the same
workspace displayed on both the student's and teacher's computer screens
using a digital pencil and digital writing pad (similar to a mouse pad).
For further information about eSylvan, parents and teachers can visit
www.esylvan.com, or
call (800) eSylvan.
Courtesy of ARA Content
SIDEBAR:
How to Choose a Summer Tutor for Your Child
Summer is a great time for your child to brush up on critical reading
and math skills. eSylvan, an Internet-based home tutoring service,
offers parents the following considerations to keep in mind when
selecting appropriate instruction for their child:
1. Personalization. Be sure your child's skill gaps are identified to
ensure that his or her specific learning needs are addressed over the
summer.
2. Flexibility. Because your schedule may not be the same from week to
week, make sure your scheduling needs can be accommodated in order to
sustain the learning momentum.
3. State-Certified Teachers. Teachers with classroom experience are more
likely to be familiar with the differing requirements and curricula of
various school systems.
4. Progress Updates. An ongoing dialogue about your child's academic
progress is important, so be sure that you receive regular performance
updates.
5. Guarantee. Your child's academic improvement over the summer should
be guaranteed. For example, eSylvan guarantees that a child will improve
at least one full grade-level equivalent after 36 hours of instruction,
or it will provide 12 additional hours of instruction for free.
For further information about eSylvan, parents and teachers can visit
www.esylvan.com, or
call (800) eSylvan.
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