LEARNING RECOVERY IN THE EARLY YEARS: LITERACY, TEACHER EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN THE POST-PANDEMIC CONTEXT

Abstract

Learning recovery has become one of the central issues in Brazilian basic education after the return to face-to-face schooling. Rather than merely repeating content expected for a given school year, this process requires identifying what students have actually learned, recognizing knowledge that has not yet been consolidated, and reorganizing pedagogical work so that school progression does not deepen existing gaps. This article discusses learning recovery in the early years of elementary education, emphasizing literacy, diagnostic assessment, curriculum prioritization, and continuing teacher education. The study adopts a qualitative, bibliographic and documentary approach based on research addressing the effects of the pandemic period on literacy, experiences of learning recovery policies, and teacher education processes focused on literacy teachers. The analysis indicates that learning difficulties identified after the return to school cannot be addressed through simple content repetition or curriculum acceleration. Effective recovery requires continuous monitoring, planned interventions, methodological diversification, and pedagogical decisions guided by evidence of student learning. The study also highlights the importance of strengthening teacher education and pedagogical coordination by creating spaces for study, collaboration, and analysis of teaching practices. It concludes that learning recovery means ensuring new opportunities for students to progress, connecting literacy and social uses of written language, assessment and intervention, curriculum and school reality, without assigning responsibility for learning gaps solely to the child.