No learning loss in Sweden during the pandemic evidence from primary school reading assessments.
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Hallin AE, Danielsson H, Nordström T, Fälth L
Int J Educ Res 114 (-) 102011 [2022-06-02; online 2022-06-02]
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to worldwide school closures, with a risk of learning loss. Sweden kept primary schools open, but it is unknown whether student and teacher absence and pandemic-related stress factors affected teaching and student progress negatively. In this study, reading assessment data from 97,073 Swedish primary school students (grades 1-3) were analysed to investigate potential learning loss. Results showed that word decoding and reading comprehension scores were not lower during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic, that students from low socio-economic backgrounds were not especially affected, and that the proportion of students with weak decoding skills did not increase during the pandemic. Study limitations are discussed. We conclude that open schools benefitted Swedish primary school students.
Category: Social Science & Humanities
PubMed 35677729
DOI 10.1016/j.ijer.2022.102011
Crossref 10.1016/j.ijer.2022.102011
pii: S0883-0355(22)00089-1
pmc: PMC9162440