From Pandemic to the New Normal: Learning Loss Among Pandemic Learners in Reading and Literacy

Abstract

This descriptive qualitative study explores the lived experiences of learning loss in reading and literacy among fifteen Grade 10 Alternative and Relevant Learning or ARAL students at Bukidnon National School of Home Industries, a public secondary school in Bukidnon, Philippines. The study was conducted during the transition from pandemic-era modular and online learning to face-to-face instruction in the new normal. Using purposive sampling, data were collected through a semi-structured Google Forms questionnaire and analyzed using the six-phase thematic analysis developed by Braun and Clarke (2006).
Four salient themes emerged. Instructional isolation and technical skill decline were the most prominent, affecting vocabulary, fluency, and pronunciation due to the lack of real-time teacher feedback. Cognitive erosion and reduced reading stamina were also observed, as modular learning encouraged surface-level processing and weakened higher-order reading skills. Technology functioned as both a distraction and a support, diverting attention while also providing tools that aided literacy development. Finally, learners demonstrated resilience through multimodal and collaborative recovery strategies such as peer reading, viewing subtitled media, and parental support.
The findings highlight that literacy is a social and cognitive process vulnerable to isolation. Recovery efforts should prioritize face-to-face instructional support, sustained engagement in extended reading, balanced use of digital tools, and peer-assisted learning programs aligned with the Department of Education ARAL framework.