Reading Literacy Analysis Paper

An Analysis of

The Progress in Reading Literacy Study

Yuxuan Yang University of Pennsylvania 05/04/2017

PAPER FOR EDUC 683 FINAL PROJECT

Abstract The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an assessment that is conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). It is designed to document the international trends in the reading information of fourth year students and teacher practices in instruction. The goal of PIRLS is to facilitate the development of reading skills and to improve the teaching of reading. It was first developed in 2001. 2011 is the third assessment cycle year. Among all 57 participating education systems,

It allows exploration across all subject such as Physics, Economics, Mathematics; it undergirds student’s critical thinking; most importantly, it enables the dissemination of information. In Paulo Freire, the Brazilian educator and philosopher’s word, he concludes that “reading the world always precedes reading the word, and reading the word implies continually reading the world.” (Freire, 2016) The movement from the word to the world is constantly present.

To address the importance of reading in student’s development, and to evaluate the children’s reading proficiency across borders, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement – commonly known as IEA – administrated The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), an assessment that “documents worldwide trends in the reading knowledge of 4th-graders as well as school and teacher practices related to instruction.” (Progress) PIRLS concentrates on the accomplishment of 4th grade students and the “experiences they have at home and at school in learning to read.” (Mullis,

Cut points for PIRLS 2001 reading literacy benchmark is based on the distribution of students: 1) 615 and above is top 10 percent; 2) 570 and above is upper quarter; 3) 510 and above is median; 4) 435 and above is lower quarter. Different from PIRLS 2001, cut points for PIRLS 2006 reading literacy benchmark is set to be aligned with the cut points used in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The rationale can be found in Martin et al. (2007). The following are the new benchmarks: 1) 625 and above is advanced; 2) 550 and above is high; 3) 475 and above is intermediate; 4) 400 and above is low benchmark. The third version PIRLS 2011 adopts the same benchmarks as PIRLS 2006. Specific criteria of the benchmarks can be found in the following table, Table