Covid-19 school closures negatively impacted elementary-school students’ reading comprehension and reading fluency skills

• Published in: International journal of educational development 2023-05, Vol.99, p.102753, Article 102753
• Main Authors: Starling-Alves, Isabella, Hirata, Guilherme, Oliveira, João Batista A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Covid-19; Reading comprehension; Reading fluency; School closures
• ISSN: 0738-0593; 1873-4871; 0738-0593
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102753

In Brazil, schools remained closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for approximately two years. In this study, we investigated how COVID-19 school closures were associated with gaps and losses in Brazilian students’ reading skills. We contrasted the reading comprehension and fluency of 2nd- to 4th-graders in 2022 with a 2019 cohort. Furthermore, we investigated how 2022 5th graders’ reading comprehension and fluency skills have improved since 2019. Overall, results showed that COVID-19 school closures were associated with gaps but not losses in reading comprehension and fluency. Therefore, these skills should be targets of educational interventions. •COVID-19 school closures caused gaps in Brazilian students’ reading fluency and comprehension skills.•Losses in students’ reading fluency and comprehension skills rarely occurred during COVID-19 school closures.•COVID-19 school closures effects were more severe for students who did not develop literacy skills before the pandemic.•COVID-19 school closures effects on reading skills were not associated with SES in the assessed school system.