Did you know that during the two and a half months of school vacation, students can forget up to 30% of what they’ve learned in the course? This phenomenon, known as “summer loss,” particularly affects content that isn’t reviewed or applied in everyday life. And while vacation is a necessary period of rest and relaxation, what happens to what they’ve learned if it’s completely put on hold for so long?

Since the term “summer loss” was coined by American expert James M. Pedersen in his book Summer vs. School , several studies have found that some academic skills and knowledge decrease or are even lost during summer vacation if they are not practiced .

Alternative proposals to the agricultural calendar

For this reason, some experts, like Pedersen himself, propose a continuous school model to combat the loss of summer, thus transforming the educational system designed for an agricultural society with long summer breaks.

One of the most widely used approaches is the academic calendar known as the ” balanced calendar, “ which proposes 45 school days followed by 15 days off. Although it isn’t established nationwide, it is used in some academic areas in France, Germany, and the Netherlands .

Neural networks and use

While a brief break of two or three weeks doesn’t usually have significant effects, longer periods, such as summer, can cause loss of consciousness if minimal stimulation isn’t provided.

From a neurobiological perspective, learning builds neural networks that strengthen the more they are used. If we stop activating them, these connections weaken. It’s like a path in a forest: the more you walk it, the clearer it becomes; if no one walks on it for weeks, it becomes overgrown and the trail is erased.

To understand how and why forgetting occurs, it’s important to understand the role of memory in the learning process . Learning is the ability to acquire new knowledge or skills; and memory is the capacity to store, retain, and retrieve information.

Implicit and explicit learning

Not everything we learn is stored the same way. Implicit learning is acquired through practice and is usually maintained long-term without much effort. Clear examples are riding a bike or driving. This type of learning doesn’t depend directly on episodic or semantic memory, but rather on more automatic systems in the brain, such as the procedural system .

Explicit learning, on the other hand, requires conscious attention and effort. It is stored in semantic memory, which stores knowledge such as multiplication tables, the rivers of Spain, or grammar rules. Learning to multiply , for example, is explicit learning, and yes: it can be forgotten if not practiced.

Memory and memories

But how is a memory created? Three processes are required: encoding, storage, and retrieval . The encoding of information requires the participation of attention, since anything we don’t pay attention to isn’t perceived by the system. Information encoding occurs by strengthening networks of brain connections. These connections are established in regions of the temporal lobe, primarily the hippocampus.

When we review or practice something we’ve learned, the network’s connections are strengthened, and new connections are established with regions of the prefrontal lobe, making those memories more permanent. Lack of practice or review over time leads to the forgetting of that learning. Generally, what we forget isn’t erased from brain networks; rather, it remains in a dormant state , from which it can be retrieved.

The summer review, without drama

Just as there are methods for storing a name or piece of information and retrieving it more easily (mnemonic techniques), there are strategies that can help us mitigate the devastating effects of the passage of time in the absence of academic practice. During the summer holidays, even though it’s not a school term, we can find review techniques.

Depending on the child’s educational level, activities can include calculating the grocery bill from memory, dividing the portions among the group of diners, reading a novel, analyzing a movie together, playing board games, or analyzing natural phenomena at the vacation destination. This way, we can turn vacation into a time of relaxation during which we continue learning and stimulate curiosity.

Author Bio: Raquel García-Gómez is a Neuropsychologist and Researcher in neuroeducation and development at Villanueva University