Evaluation using artificial intelligence shows post pandemic differences in oral reading fluency between Brazilian...

Area of Science:

• Education
• Linguistics
• Psychology

Background:

• Academic achievement disparities between private and public schools are a persistent area of study.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has potentially exacerbated existing educational inequalities.
• Oral reading fluency is a critical indicator of early academic success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare oral reading fluency in elementary students between private and public schools in the post-pandemic era.
• To identify specific metrics of reading fluency where differences may exist.
• To investigate the grade-level at which these differences become apparent.

Main Methods:

• 1296 students (2nd-5th grade) from Brazilian cities participated.
• Oral reading audio files were analyzed using an AI Universal Language Model (Azure SST).
• Key metrics analyzed: words read correctly per minute (WRCM), percentage of correct words (PCW), consecutive correct words (CCW), and silence between sentences (SBS).
• Statistical analysis employed linear mixed models and pairwise comparisons.

Main Results:

• Private school students demonstrated higher WRCM in 4th grade and higher PCW in 3rd grade compared to public school students.
• Private schools showed 4th graders achieving 5th-grade WRCM levels, a trend not observed in public schools.
• No significant differences were found in CCW or SBS between school types.

Conclusions:

• Reading fluency differences between private and public schools emerge early in elementary education.
• These disparities in oral reading skills may be influenced by the post-pandemic educational landscape.
• Targeted interventions may be necessary to address reading fluency gaps in public school settings.