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Assignments during holidays will enrich skills, say teachers

With holidays coming up soon, some UAE teachers believe handing out homework to students over the summer can help them in the long run

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 practice 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 maths. 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.

Douglas 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 textbook never really means much to a student, until they actually have the opportunity to be part of that culture and live it," he said.

Children keen to expand skills during summer break

You would expect students to be disappointed when they are assigned summer homework, however, some are eager to carry on educational activities even on their holidays.

Miriam Rachel Mathew, a student of Elite English School in Dubai, said she hopes to join a foreign language course during her summer break.

She will also be preparing for her school's term exams that take place when the school starts.

"My mother engages me and my brother by reading out from a classic novel (last year we did Huckleberry Finn), conducting general knowledge quiz during lunchtime, and in general, expanding our awareness about things around us," she said.

"We spend an hour reading the Khaleej Times newspaper and she asks questions based on the news. She also gives us simple chores like putting the laundry for wash or folding our clothes once dry. Then, there is the vacation homework and science project given by my school. I also prepare for the term exams that begins when school reopens. I also find time to play games like chess and make creative things like bookmarks and cards."

Samay Dadlani, a student in GEMS Wellington, said he plays mental and physical games and does DIY (Do it Yourself) science experiments to carry on his learning during summer time.

He will also be improving his writing skills and try to make reading an everyday activity for him. "The holidays are a good time to do homework, revision and projects and there are always education quizzes," Dadlani said.

Dhanvi Sayani, a student at Gems Our Own English High School in Dubai, said: "I believe that each and every second is important and thus should not be wasted because once it's gone it never comes back. This is the main reason why I believe in spending my vacations wisely and thus keep them educational.

"I enrich myself in various activities that help me learn something new, like learning a sport, an instrument or an art that would also imbibe good qualities in me. I also never lose touch with studies that were done in school because there is a tendency to forget what was taught, lose practice and we also have tons of exams waiting for us after the school starts. I also take up short-term online courses for different subjects to gain extra knowledge. Time doesn't wait for you to start planning your summer vacations wisely."

Source: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai/assignments-during-holidays-will-enrich-skills-say-teachers