What can be done during the school year to reduce summer learning loss?: The effects of instructional practices on summer learning

Many researchers have recognized that summer vacation is the major source of learning loss for students and it creates an achievement gap between students of higher socioeconomic status (SES) and those of lower SES. To find possible solutions, researchers have focused on interventions outside regular school hours (e.g., summer school, parental activities). However, this dissertation focuses on prevention and proposes strategies that can be undertaken during the regular school year. The strategies that I propose "inoculate" students from experiencing knowledge loss during the summer. This dissertation examines the possible effect of a range of instructional practices on third to fourth grade students' reading achievement during summer vacation as well as the regular school year. I consider two broad categories of instructional practices based on the role of leaners and instructors: teacher-centered instruction and student-centered instruction. To examine the research questions, I use piecewise linear growth models. The Study of Instructional Improvement (SII) data, in particular teacher log data, provides a unique opportunity to use better measures of teaching practices. This study provides valid information to policy makers and practitioners on which instructional practices are more helpful to reduce summer learning loss for disadvantaged students and thereby the student achievement gap. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence that teacher-centered instruction during the school year decreases the summer learning rates of disadvantaged students in reading. This study provides insights into the long-term and cumulative effects of instructional practices, thus reshaping how policy makers and school leaders should approach teacher accountability and student achievement.