The Development of Numeracy Skills in Lower Elementary School Students who Experienced COVID-19 Pandemic-related School Adjustments

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic-related school adjustments have raised concerns about learning loss. To evaluate this concern, the study analyzed the development of numeracy skills in lower elementary school students who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The study compared the numeracy skills and their development in children entering elementary school in 2020, who faced more school disruptions, with those entering elementary school in 2021, who experienced fewer disruptions. Children completed three online measures of numeracy skills: a number line estimation task, a multiplication table task, and a mathematics achievement test across the first and second semesters of 2nd grade and the second semester of 3rd grade. Results Results showed no significant differences in number sense precision, calculation fluency, and mathematics competence between the 2020 and 2021 elementary school cohorts. Both cohorts demonstrated similar levels of development in number sense and calculation fluency compared to pre-COVID-19 years. However, in some outcomes, children entering elementary school in 2020 showed delays in numeracy development and lower levels of problem-solving skills than students entering elementary school in 2021. Conclusions Taken together, we discuss educational implications and suggest future directions to precisely evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on children's learning and development.