An education expert warns of holiday learning loss, says it doesn’t have to feel like homework

Education strategist Dwayne Matthews on how to help the students in our lives avoid the ‘learning slide’ and losing things they’ve learned over the holidays.

As students settle into the holiday break, many families welcome the pause from packed schedules.

But an education expert warns that extended time away from the classroom can come with a downside: learning loss.

Often referred to as the “learning slide” or “brain drain,” research from a study published in the American Education Research Journal shows that the average student loses up to 40 per cent of their learning gains during intervening summers over a five-year period.

Education strategist Dwayne Matthews told CTV’s Your Morning Friday that the good news is that preventing it doesn’t require worksheets or formal homework – just intentional, everyday habits.

“For younger kids, one of the simplest things families can do is just read together,” Matthews said. In his own home, that means setting aside 20 to 30 minutes each evening for quiet reading often with soft jazz music playing in the background.

“Modelling that behaviour is super important,” he explained. Matthews said kids need to see reading as not something they’re being told to do but something everyone values.

Matthews said creating a cozy, shared routine helps reinforce literacy skills while also making learning feel calm and enjoyable, rather than forced.

Another effective strategy, he said, is encouraging children to teach what they know. Known as the Richard Feynman technique, the method involves explaining a concept step by step.

Matthews shared an example of his daughter teaching him how to draw cartoons – walking him through each stage of the process.

Matthews said kids teaching reinforces their own understanding. “We spend a lot of time talking at kids, and to have them say ‘I have something that’s really important that you need to learn’ is a great way to boost self-efficacy.”

For older children and teens, Matthews acknowledged that screen time can become a challenge over the holidays. One approach his family uses is a phone-free zone rule during gatherings, encouraging teens to engage with board games, conversations and problem-solving activities instead.

“Slowly but surely, (they) go through that uncomfortable feeling of maybe speaking to someone else. This has been a radical and very welcomed activity in our house,” he said. “(The) big piece is being able to have those social connections.”

Matthews also encourages teens to keep learning alive by spending about one hour a day learning something new – not necessarily school-related.

“My son was very much right now into cooking so he’s spending time learning how to cook different meals. I’m very much into quantum computing,” Matthews gave as examples.

He stressed that adults should model this behaviour, whether it’s learning a new skill or exploring a personal interest.

“Imagine five years, 10 years, 15 years, if you continue to do this, how much you would learn,” he added.