Summer reading? Yes, I Can! 

Yes, I Can is a shiny new idea from the brains at Scanning Pens, where we showcase the real-world impact of reading pens and how unlocking literacy can pave the way to real learning confidence. It’s all about looking at a book and saying "Yes, I Can!" to reading, learning, and achieving the grades they deserve. 

—But realistically, how often do we talk about reading pens outside the classroom? 

Honestly, not as often as we should. 

That’s why today, we’re looking at how a reading pen can support summer reading by making it inclusive for everyone, and help each student out there say Yes, I Can to a whole new world of books as they settle in for a summer of relaxation.  

We’ll start with the facts: summer reading is so important 

…And that’s because of the summer slide.  

The ‘summer slide’ refers to a loss of around 20% of the previous school year’s reading and learning gains over the long summer holidays that learners are experiencing. A lack of practice and a dip in consistent engagement are key causes, and more pronounced in those who are still acquiring literacy, although learners of all ages experience some skill erosion over summer. 

We’ve known about it for a while: the first comprehensive research on the phenomenon came in the mid-1990s, and since then, preventing summer slide is acknowledged as a major hurdle for educators, as well as the students who return to class to find books now have a bit more of a barrier in front of them than they did at the end of last term. 

But the summer slide isn’t just about the start of term 

It all starts when learners head back to class and are confronted with more complex and demanding schoolwork. Here’s where the first demographic breakdown happens: those who have read enough to preserve their reading gains over summer and progress into the new year with ease, and those who haven’t. 

Some of the second group will be able to put extra effort into learning to get back on track, but this requires a lot of self-motivation and a fairly complex understanding of the difficulties they’re facing. It often means having the confidence to approach teachers with a request for help, which isn’t so easy when you’re both new to each other. 

This means that many learners who haven’t read over summer enter the new school year proper with an ongoing deficit. If that goes unchecked, it can put them weeks of skill growth behind their summer-reading classmates by the end of term. And as another summer goes by with another up to 20% skill erosion, that means that those lost weeks get doubled, and the deficit becomes entrenched.  

This is why preventing summer slide is so important: it’s not just about the start of this new term, but about the start of the new term after that, and the term after that. 

Summer reading may not be so easy when you’ve got reading needs…  

Think back: long summer holidays come rife with distractions, from a glorious 6 weeks of lie-ins to video games, playing outside and kicking back and relaxing. Summer reading likely isn’t very high up on many learners’ to-do lists... and that’ll likely be especially true if they’re in a learning demographic that often finds reading challenging. Those with dyslexia, English language Learners (ELLs), and those who have fallen behind in their literacy skills and are finding it hard to stay motivated and catch up can all experience significant barriers to summer reading (as well as reading in class).  

But that’s the point at which a reading pen like C-Pen Reader 3 can help them say Yes, I Can to books again!  

Yes, I Can… kickstart summer reading with Reader 3! 

C-Pen Reader 3 is a reading pen designed by the experts at C-Pen: creators of the OG reading pen and with decades of experience creating reading support solutions that just work, it’s inspired by educators and crafted for learners. It’s also ideal for making summer reading feel accessible for learners who feel cut off from books and reading, or like the challenge level is simply too high for them to kick back and enjoy a good book. 

That’s because of the magic of text-to-speech. When they move the tip across the page, Reader 3 relays the words back to them via lightning-fast audio, taking reading multi-modal (and we know that multi-modal reading boosts retention, comprehension, and creates stronger readers overall).  

It’s also packed with extra tools to support kids who want to spend the whole summer reading—from translation to and from 40+ other languages, scan-and-save functionality, a voice recorder and a gamified word practice mode, it’s a suite of reading support all packed into one handy little pen. And there’s a dictionary lookup function too, because nothing’s worse than seeing a brand-new word and drawing a blank.  

Here’s how you can use Reader 3 to spark a love for summer reading...

🔊 Read with confidence, and hit the library! 

Reader 3 is a game-changer for building reading independence. Kids can scan and listen to any word or sentence they find tricky, helping them decode unfamiliar text without needing constant adult support. This boosts their confidence and fluency, especially for those with dyslexia or other reading challenges… so a trip to the library is definitely in order, for access to low-cost reading materials and a world of choice, where kids can let their interests lead the way. 

📢 Share a story using speaker mode 

Reading doesn’t have to be a solo activity! 

With the Reader 3’s built-in speaker, kids can read aloud to siblings, friends, or even stuffed animals. It’s perfect for turning storytime into a performance—whether they’re narrating a fairy tale or reading a comic strip and adding their own dramatic flair. This helps improve oral fluency, expression, and public speaking skills in a fun, low-pressure way, as well as boosts their reading confidence and vocab skills! 

🌍 Practice language skills and translate stories 

Reader 3 supports instant translation in multiple languages, making it a fantastic tool for bilingual learners, those just starting MFL, or kids curious about other cultures. When you can scan a sentence in English and hear it in Spanish, French, or German, language feels fun and accessible!  

Bonus points for pairing Reader 3 with dual-language books, or translating familiar stories to see how words and meanings shift across languages. 

🎬 Read along with favourite shows and movies 

Tie reading to the things they already love. Whether it’s a Pixar adventure, a Marvel superhero movie or a magical world from a streaming series, there are usually books that bring those stories to the page. Kids can use Reader 3 to follow along with what’s happening on the screen or what’s happened in the latest episode, hear character names and difficult words pronounced correctly, and stay engaged with stories in a place they already know and enjoy. 

🎙️ Use the recorder to act out books or turn them into plays and podcasts 

Unleash their inner performer! Reader 3’s voice recorder lets kids bring books to life by acting out scenes, creating character voices, or even writing and recording their own endings. They can turn a chapter into a mini radio play or start a summer podcast, too, where they review books or interview family members about their favourite reads. 

✈️ Stay entertained reading on the go 

Summer is full of travel, day trips, and downtime—and C-Pen Reader 3 is the perfect companion. With no need for Wi-Fi to read and listen and over 8 hours of battery life, it’s ideal for car rides, flights, or lazy afternoons in the garden. That means summer reading happens wherever they are, keeping their minds active and entertained without screens. 

Extra summer reading mantras to remember for parents! 

💪 Yes, I Can… read more myself. 

Creating a culture of summer reading in the home starts with the adults, and learners are more likely to if they see me reading for pleasure. 

💪 Yes, I Can… set aside time for reading. 

This might be as simple as taking time after dinner to read a book together (or separate books in the same room). 

💪 Yes, I Can… offer rewards, because bribery isn’t so morally reprehensible when it’s got the end goal of getting kids reading. 

Setting targets like ‘read 10 books this summer’ or ‘read 500 pages by the time you go back to school’ help learners visualise targets and associate reading with reward. 

💪 Yes, I Can… Turn on the subtitles! 

You can turn TV-watching into a summer reading skill boost by flicking on the subtitles. All reading is good reading, and if the learners in my family are feeling particularly book-averse one day, it’s a great compromise between screen time and reading time. 

💪 Yes, I Can… have a device-free evening and get us reading together! 

Younger kids are mimics, especially if they’re young, and they’re likely to follow the behaviours and patterns that those closest to them exhibit. So if I’m scrolling all the time, the likelihood is that they will be too… but if I’m an enthusiastic reader and reading partner, then there’s all kinds of fun to be had! 

We want all readers to say Yes, I Can to summer reading 

And we want every reader out there to have access to a summer of stories, progress, and possibility. With Reader 3 close to hand, kids don’t have to sit out of reading if they don’t feel confident with books—they can feel empowered and confident enough to dive in, keep up, and even get ahead.  

Because when reading feels doable, it becomes enjoyable. And when it’s enjoyable, kids are far more likely to stick with it. That’s the real power of saying Yes, I Can—when they’re not just saying it, but they’re believing it. 

Yes, I Can… kickstart a summer reading adventure with C-Pen Reader 3!