The COVID-19 pandemic has left a mark on nearly every aspect of society, from public health to the global economy. One area that has seen significant and long-lasting impacts is education. When schools closed in March 2020, classes moved online and families faced unprecedented challenges, and the pandemic created a way for learning disruptions to affect students. Among the most affected areas was literacy, particularly reading levels of those in critical elementary school years when classrooms went digital.
When the pandemic forced schools to close, millions of students worldwide experienced an abrupt transition from in-person instruction to remote or hybrid learning. This sudden shift was disorienting for many, with numerous barriers to learning, including lack of access to technology, insufficient internet connectivity and difficulty adapting to online environments. These disruptions were especially detrimental for younger students, who rely heavily on face-to-face interaction with teachers and peers for development and are less able to suddenly perform in an online setting that they may not even wholly understand.
“It is difficult to watch adults and other children speak and see the way they articulate sounds when everyone wears a mask,” said Linda Bradley, a professor of literacy education at GCSU. “Yet, masks were vital for health and safety for schools during and in the recovery from the pandemic. Some of the most impact is noted in younger children who had fewer socialization opportunities and often less explicit instruction in the sounds of oral language and how they map to written language.”
During the first few months of the pandemic, early reading instruction came to a halt in many places, and for students already struggling with literacy, the lack of direct and targeted support led to a struggle. Gaps in reading levels grew significantly as a result of lost instructional time.
“We certainly see challenges that have emerged following the pandemic, and we recognize the complexity of reading levels,” Bradley said. “A great deal of foundational reading development and instruction occurs between [kindergarten] and third grade. Yet, tests like the Georgia Milestones that document reading achievement at the state level are not administered until the end of grade three. So, there can be a four to five-year lag between the beginning of reading instruction and looking at trends for grade-level reading.”
Crystal Bushart is a GCSU Alumni who graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She works for Fulton County Schools as a first-grade dual language teacher and has seen firsthand the impacts of children’s months in quarantine.
“The pandemic definitely had an impact on reading levels,” Bushart said. “Knowing how to read and teaching to read are two completely different things. Since kids were home during the pandemic, they weren’t getting explicit phonics instruction needed for reading. There are so many rules to learn and sight words to practice. Most parents don’t know the rules or how to teach them. In addition to that, reading maybe wasn’t a priority during the pandemic.”
Bradley emphasizes how reading achievement is not a new problem, the pandemic just made it more known to the media.
“Yes, we notice a bit of a drop over the past five years, but more importantly, it is vital to understand that reading scores have not dropped suddenly, as might be perceived from popular or media sources,” Bradley said. “In other words, reading achievement is not a new problem. Reading scores have not ever been a strength in upper elementary, and we must address this challenge in our assessments and instruction. We can do better.”
The pandemic not only affected reading levels in schools but also affected social skills that students develop at younger ages. Younger children learn not just by reading books but also through social interaction, speaking and play. Through the pandemic, they lost many opportunities to practice language and communication skills that go hand-in-hand with reading development.
“It has had a huge effect on their social/emotional skills and regulation,” Bushart said. “I have seen so many students who just don’t know the social cues that are expected of them at their ages due to the lack of socialization they got when they were babies/toddlers or whatever age they were during the pandemic.”
As schools have reopened and educators have returned to in-person teaching, there has been a concerted effort to help students recover from the learning disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Bradley wants people to know that their direct impact on kids makes an impact. She expresses that volunteering, reading and talking to children will help with oral language and practice amongst children.
“The Deal Center on campus is doing work to train tutors for a local reading clinic,” Bradley said. “This is a great way to get involved. Anytime you can read a book with a child, it will be helpful. Read books and talk with children. Your attention can make a huge difference. College students are mentors for kids.”
Bushart expresses that what takes place outside of the classroom is almost more important than what takes place inside of the classroom.
“Family support is crucial for any child to be successful in school,” said Bushart. “I have seen and heard from other colleagues that the parent/family support at home has decreased. In order for a student to be the most successful, it is important that there is a partnership between the teacher and parents.”
Bradley emphasizes that schools are working hard to combat the effects of the pandemic.
“Schools, teachers, administrators, and community partners, are working diligently to improve the reading success and achievement of all students,” Bradley said. “We have experienced an extremely cohesive convergence of initiatives focused on reading over the past five years in Georgia.” Some changes that have already taken place have happened in bills that were approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“In 2019, Senate Bill 48—the Dyslexia Bill—was passed,” Bradley said. “This legislation included a three-year pilot, new required screening for all K-3 students in Georgia for dyslexia utilizing an approved screener list, the establishment of a state DOE office facilitating dyslexia efforts and tools for teacher education and professional learning to ensure effective instruction is provided.”
Georgia is already making efforts to aid students affected by the pandemic. Two more bills were also passed in 2023 that will help students in schools post-pandemic.
In 2023, House Bill 538 was passed, which is Georgia’s Early Literacy Act. This bill aims to improve early reading instruction in Georgia, with key components including a Georgia Department of Education list of approved high-quality instructional materials for teaching reading for K-3 — Core Reading programs.
Also in 2023, the Georgia Council on Literacy was established, which outlines Senate Bill 211. This council contains 30 appointed members from education, business and the community to review birth to postsecondary programs. It aims to ensure improved literacy outcomes among students.
The pandemic affected people of all ages and had lasting effects. By growing knowledge of the effects, students and teachers can better equip their students for the future. Investing in resources that support both academic and emotional growth, schools can help ensure that all students are equipped to succeed in the years ahead.
