Abstract
This study aimed to explore the relationship between extended school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic and grade 9 students' reading comprehension proficiency at Morong National High School. A pre-test was conducted among seven hundred eighteen (718) Grade 9 students enrolled in the current school year. The Pre-test captured data that identified their reading comprehension proficiency. The data collected were analyzed using paired t-tests or repeated-measures ANOVA, to compare the pre-test and post-test reading comprehension scores within the same group of students. This analysis will determine if there are significant improvements or declines in reading comprehension proficiency during the extended school closures. The results revealed a drastic increase in the number of students experiencing frustration with reading comprehension. It suggests that the pandemic and the changes in educational settings like remote learning, and disrupted routines may have negatively impacted students' reading comprehension proficiency. The shift to online learning, the potential lack of access to resources, and changes in the learning environment could have contributed to this decline in reading comprehension. Overall, this study provides insights into the significant increase in the number of students struggling with reading comprehension which implies a potential learning loss during the pandemic. These results highlight the urgent need for intervention and support in improving reading comprehension. Regularly monitoring students' academic progress by both teachers and parents, as well as proper assessments can help educators identify struggling students and implement timely interventions to support their learning needs.This study contributes to the existing literature and highlights the importance of teachers regularly assessing students' reading comprehension progress as a vital factor in promoting reading proficiency. Ongoing assessment allows teachers to tailor instruction, provide timely feedback, and implement targeted interventions, ultimately supporting students' growth as proficient readers. By using evidence-based assessment practices, teachers can play a pivotal role in fostering students' reading comprehension development and academic success.
