Reading is an important skill, but too often, we teachers only invite students to read; we do not teach them how to read. As a result, some students do not build reading comprehension skills they need. SUMMER is a CL technique designed by educational researchers to mimic some of the reading techniques skilled readers employ. SUMMER is an acronym for a peer interaction procedure consisting of six steps, one step for each letter in the word SUMMER. Research suggests that students read more effectively after utilizing SUMMER with a partner, or even by themselves. 

Students perform SUMMER in pairs using a text divided into sections. Sometimes, teachers can help decide where to divide the text into sections, or students can decide for themselves. Using the subheadings in a text as dividing points may also be helpful. The first and the last steps are done only once, while the middle four steps are repeated for each section of the text. Here are the six steps.

Step 1: Set the Mood – Students form pairs that are mixed according to reading proficiency levels. Before they begin reading, the pair members set the mood by having some light chit-chat to set a friendly atmosphere and perform a quick review of the six steps used in SUMMER.

Step 2: Understand by Reading Silently – The partners each silently read the first section of the text. If anything is not clear, they can ask each other. If both members have difficulty understanding the same part of the text, they can ask another student, their teachers, or consult reference material (e.g., a dictionary).

Step 3: Mention the Main Ideas – This is when the cooperation really begins. One pair member does the first M, by mentioning the main ideas in the section that they just read. In other words, they summarize the ideas in the section. The student doing the first M provides the summary without looking at the text, reinforcing the idea that they are summarizing the section, not reading it aloud. The partner does look at the text.

Step 4: Monitor the Summary – Their partner’s task is to do the second M, monitor the summary. Are important ideas left out? Are there inaccuracies in the summary? Are not-so-important ideas included in the summary? The roles of the two Ms -mentioning the main ideas and monitoring the summary - rotate with each section.

Step 5: Elaborate – This is the most enjoyable step in SUMMER, except maybe for setting the mood. Here, the pair take turns elaborating on the main ideas in the section. Elaborating is easier because the two Ms increased students’ understanding of the section’s main ideas, and students only need to elaborate on those main ideas in the section.

Elaborations on the main ideas in the section can be of many types, including:

• connections to the students’ lives and/or what the class is studying or has studied
• examples
• explanations
• disagreements
• additional information
• questions (e.g., students do not understand or want to know more)
• reactions (e.g., surprise, happiness, or sadness).

Elaborations can be fun. Students can play a kind of Elaboration game in pairs. Person #1 says something, such as “Today, I had a nice chat with my nephew.” Person #2 says, “Please elaborate.” Person #1 says, “He told me about a book he read titled What You Are Looking For Is In The Library.” Again, Person #2 asks for elaboration and #1 says, “This fiction book tells five separate stories of people who received special advice from a librarian, after which their life changed for the better.” This process continues, until the partners change roles.

Step 6: Review – When the pair has completed the U, M, M, and E for all the sections, they do the final letter in SUMMER, R: a review of the main ideas in the entire text.

Reflective Break

Do you think the elaboration activity above will be helpful to students learning to read? If so, how?

Sample Response

That sounds like a useful activity because too often, when students discuss, they do not elaborate. As a result, the interactions lack the quality they need to promote learning and excitement about learning. This leads to their interest in gaining knowledge from text.