Why Summer Reading?

Illustration by John S. Dykes

Reading has always been a tool of growth for young people and, over the summer, kids are encouraged to read as much as possible to advance their learning when they’re not in school. But it seems like summer reading helps some kids more than others. A new study from scientists at MIT has found that kids who come from poorer families can benefit more from summer reading. One of the researchers is quoted as saying “Summer is when socioeconomic status takes its biggest toll. [Poor] kids typically have less academic content in their summer activities compared to [rich kids], and that results in a slump in their skills,”

The researchers claim that this difference between rich and poor kids is related to a larger issue: personalized care. The newest trend in medicine is appreciating that everyone’s situation is different and healthcare choices for each person should reflect that. In the future, we will likely be seeing even more studies that help each person receive the best care they can for their own personalized needs.