Editor's note: Jerdine Nolen today explores ways to cultivate youngsters' thinking, speaking and listening skills during the summer break. Her column appears biweekly.

When thinking of ways to fill your children's unstructured hours during summer vacation, don't forget to leave room for practicing important educational skills learned during the academic year. Here are suggestions on how to practice thinking, speaking and listening skills throughout the summer.

* Allow your children to take turns or have a part in planning family outings or vacations.

* Encourage your family to give book reports. After reading a good book, family members can present the book to the family or a friendly audience orally or dressed in character costume.

* Allow your children to take turns asking for information while visiting libraries, museums, etc.

* Give your children opportunities to speak before the family or a friendly audience.

* Use meal times and other resting moments for:

-- Modeling polite listening and speaking behaviors.

-- Contributing to the conversation.

-- Having your children exhibit polite listening behaviors by taking turns, listening, and speaking using appropriate tones, words and grammar.

-- Sticking to the topic.

-- Asking questions to gain information.

Pub Date: 07/18/99