Pandemic Impact on Primary Reading Skills: A Qualitative Inquiry

Introduction and Study Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted education, particularly the reading fluency of primary learners. This study aimed to assess the reading abilities of learners from Valencia Elementary School, who were undergoing modular learning, to determine if this educational program improved their literacy. The research used Heideggerian phenomenology and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of participants, anchored on Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory.

Research Findings: Key Themes

Semi-structured interviews revealed three key themes regarding learners' experiences: 'Reliance on Teacher’s Presence,' highlighting the need for direct instruction; 'Vocabulary Challenge,' indicating difficulties with unfamiliar words; and 'Literacy Obstacle,' encompassing broader struggles with reading comprehension. These findings suggest that modular learning alone did not adequately support the development of primary reading skills during the pandemic.

Proposed Solutions for Educators

To address the identified challenges, educators are advised to provide appropriate scaffolding, engage learners in multisensory activities, and foster student independence in the classroom. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding the needs of non-readers and low-performing students to better support them.

Background on Reading Skills and Challenges

Reading is a foundational skill crucial for learning, involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. Strong reading comprehension enables meaningful application of knowledge. Challenges in reading comprehension include identifying key concepts (skimming), finding specific details (scanning), and recognizing textual structure. The pandemic exacerbated these issues, with studies showing a significant drop in reading fluency among young students, necessitating early intervention.