What Makes a Good Reader : International Findings from PIRLS 2016

Fifty countries from around the world participated in the PIRLS 2016 international assessment of reading comprehension at the fourth grade, and in every country there was a wide range of reading achievement from basic skills to advanced comprehension. The fourth grade students in the Russian Federation and Singapore had the highest reading achievement on average. These two countries also had more than one-fourth of their students reaching the PIRLS Advanced International Benchmark. Students reaching this level interpreted, integrated, and evaluated story plots and information in relatively complex texts. Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Finland, Poland, and Northern Ireland also performed very well, with approximately one-fifth of their students reaching the Advanced Benchmark

Emergent Literacy: Preschool Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices

The present study reports on the construction of a research instrument developed to examine preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices in relation to emergent literacy. A 130-item survey (Preschool Literacy Survey, PLS) was completed by a total of 90 preschool teachers in Norway. Items were grouped into homogenous scales, and the relationship between beliefs and practices was examined using structural equation modelling. The structural model for all preschool teachers was compared in a qualitative way with the structural model for a random group of preschool teachers (n = 54), who had not participated in literacy-awareness training to look at whether the effects of literacy-awareness training could be assessed with the PLS. The main results show that teachers who took part in the literacy-awareness training were more homogeneous in respect of their beliefs and practices, that their beliefs were strongly underpinned by their beliefs about the specific role of the preschool teacher and by their beliefs about practices consistent with current research. Finally, it seems that the literacy-awareness programme affected the beliefs rather than the practices of preschool teachers. How a PLS can further contribute to research on early literacy in preschools and preschool teacher training is discussed

Verwijzing naar de data van: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study - TIMSS 1995-2008

In het voorjaar van 2007 werden voor de derde keer wereldwijd 9-jarige en 10-jarige leerlingen getoetst op hun kennis van rekenen en natuurkunde. Het onderzoek werd uitgevoerd in 36 verschillende landen. De Universiteit Twente onderzocht de Nederlandse situatie voor TIMSS-2007. Via de website van het TIMMS and PIRLS International Study Centre kunnen de data online geanalyseerd worden

Verwijzing naar de data van: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study - TIMSS 1995-2008

In het voorjaar van 2007 werden voor de derde keer wereldwijd 9-jarige en 10-jarige leerlingen getoetst op hun kennis van rekenen en natuurkunde. Het onderzoek werd uitgevoerd in 36 verschillende landen. De Universiteit Twente onderzocht de Nederlandse situatie voor TIMSS-2007. Via de website van het TIMMS and PIRLS International Study Centre kunnen de data online geanalyseerd worden

NCES Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an international assessment and research project designed to measure reading achievement at the fourth-grade level, as well as school and teacher practices related to instruction. Fourth-grade students complete a reading assessment and questionnaire that addresses students’ attitudes toward reading and their reading habits. In addition, questionnaires are given to students’ teachers and school principals to gather information about students’ school experiences in developing reading literacy. Since 2001, PIRLS has been administered every 5 years, with the United States participating in all past assessments. PIRLS is sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and conducted in the United States by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Bridging the gap from implementation to attainment: Utilising results from international comparative studies

Die prestasies van Suid-Afrikaanse leerders in internasionaal vergelykende studies bly voortdurend swak, wat vrae laat ontstaan oor die kwaliteit van onderwys wat aan Suid- Afrikaanse kinders gebied word in die verskillende grade en fases van formele skoolonderrig. Ernstige kommer oor leerders se swak prestasies oorheers navorsing en opvoedkundige debatte in Suid-Afrika. Ondanks goeie oogmerke, soos die hersiening van beleid en leerplanne, en die fokus op implementering, deur middel van kurrikulêre voorsiening en ondersteuning aan onderwysers, bly die verwesentliking in terme van leerders se prestasie teleurstellend swak. Hierdie studie ondersoek data verkry uit die preProgress in International Reading Literacy Study (prePIRLS) van 2011. Die prestasie van Suid-Afrikaanse Graad 4-leerders is op ’n punt van 461 bereken, wat beduidend laer is as die internasionale gemiddeld van 500 (SE = 3.7). Resultate van die prePIRLS 2011-studie word gebruik as bewys van die bereiking van kurrikulêre doelwitte op die Graad 4-vlak, oor die spektrum van 11 Suid-Afrikaanse landstale. Norme of maatstawwe, soos afgelei uit die resultate, word verder ondersoek om moontlike verbeteringe aan te wys in die implementering van leerplanne in die klaskamer. Gevolgtrekkings sluit voorstelle in oor hoe onderwyspraktyk voordeel kan trek uit die bevindings van internasionaal vergelykende studies.South African learner performance in international comparative studies remains persistently poor, resulting in questions about the quality of education offered to South African children across grades and phases of formal schooling. In South Africa, grave concerns with regard to low levels of learner achievement pervade research initiatives and educational debates. Despite good intentions (such as policy and curricular reforms) and focus on implementation (such as curriculum provision and teacher support), attainment (in the form of learner achievement) remain disappointingly low. This study draws on the preProgress in International Reading Literacy Study (prePIRLS) 2011 data, which places South African Grade 4 learners’ results at 461, which is substantially below the international centre point of 500 (SE = 3.7). Results from the prePIRLS 2011 study are used as evidence of curricular attainment that has taken place at Grade 4 level across a spectrum of 11 languages in South Africa. Benchmark results are further interrogated to provide evidence for possible improvement of curricular implementation at classroom level. Concluding remarks include reflections of how teacher practice can benefit from evidence provided by international comparative studies.http://www.satnt.co.zaam2016Science, Mathematics and Technology Educatio