COVID-19 Learning Loss: How to Mitigate the Impact on Students and Educators

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education everywhere. Schools had to close and shift to remote learning to slow the spread of the virus. Distance learning let students keep studying, but it also hurt learning outcomes, a problem now called “COVID-19 learning loss.” This guide explains what learning loss is, how the pandemic affected students and teachers, and four strategies schools can use to help learners catch up.

On this page 5 sections

What is COVID-19 learning loss?

Learning loss is the knowledge and skills students lose during long absences from school or major disruptions to their schooling. Studies show that the long school closures during the pandemic led to significant learning losses. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds were hit hardest.

How the pandemic affected education

According to a UNESCO report, the pandemic affected more than 1.5 billion learners worldwide, or over 90% of the world’s student population. The sudden shift to distance learning created problems on both sides of the lesson.

• Students had to adjust to new ways of learning, often without enough access to devices, internet connection, and learning materials.
• Teachers had to find new ways to teach remotely, often without enough training or support.

Research from other countries shows how large the losses can be:

Country	Source	Estimated learning loss
United States	McKinsey & Company	An average of five to nine months in mathematics; up to a year in reading for students from low-income backgrounds
United Kingdom	Education Endowment Foundation	Up to three months in mathematics and up to two months in reading

Strategies to reduce COVID-19 learning loss

To limit the damage, teachers and school leaders need strategies that meet the specific needs of their students. Here are four that schools can adopt.

1. Focus on the fundamentals

Start with the basics: literacy and numeracy. Students with a strong foundation in reading and math are more likely to succeed in later schoolwork. Teachers can use diagnostic assessments to find each student’s strengths and weaknesses, then plan targeted interventions for the skills a learner is missing.

2. Keep students engaged and motivated

Students learn more when they take an active part in lessons. Teachers can try:

• project-based learning
• gamification (using game elements such as points or challenges)
• online discussion forums that build a sense of community

Giving feedback and recognizing students’ achievements also helps keep them motivated.

3. Use technology for personalized learning

Technology can help each student learn at the right level. Adaptive learning platforms adjust the difficulty of activities to match a student’s needs. Teachers can also use educational videos, podcasts, and interactive simulations to add to classroom lessons and give students more chances to practice.

4. Support both students and teachers

Recovery depends on support for everyone in the school.

For students, needs may include mental health care, nutrition, and access to devices and learning materials. Schools can:

• partner with community organizations and local governments to provide food, mental health counseling, and access to technology
• set up virtual mentorship programs, where students get personal academic and emotional support from qualified mentors

For teachers, needs may include training, technical help, and mentoring. Schools can:

• offer professional development, such as online training sessions and workshops on teaching remotely
• provide technical support, such as a helpdesk, so teachers can solve problems that come up during remote classes

Putting it together

No single strategy closes learning gaps on its own. A practical approach is to find out where each learner stands, strengthen reading and math first, keep lessons engaging, use technology where it helps, and make sure students and teachers both have the support they need.

Frequently asked questions