PIRLS 2010/2011

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2010/11 is the third in a cycle of studies designed to measure trends in reading literacy achievement. For countries that took part in the first cycle in 2001 and again in 2005/06, participation in this cycle will enable them to determine whether or not there has been any definitive change in their students’ reading literacy achievement since 2001. New countries will have the opportunity to gather baseline information that allows them to monitor trends in reading achievement in future cycles.

PIRLS is run every five years, however, the timing is such that it will be run at the same time as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).  Many of the activities for the two studies are therefore being combined into one study.  (See TIMSS 2010/11 home page).

PIRLS-10/11 is currently moving into the final area of the development phase with countries now beginning to progress their field trials.  Information from countries’ field trials will be used to finalise the assessment materials, contextual questionnaires, and procedures to be used in the main survey. New Zealand is administering the field trial at the end of November-December 2009.  

Two new innovations are currently on offer in this cycle of PIRLS. The first is prePIRLS, an option being offered to countries where most children are still developing basic reading skills. PrePIRLS is based on the same concepts and notion of reading as PIRLS, except the assessment and the texts will be less difficult.  The second is a web-based reading assessment.  This initiative will enable countries to determine how proficient their students are at web-based reading as well as  finding out if they are more or less proficient at web-based reading than paper-based reading. This innovation will not be fully implemented during this phase of PIRLS; a small group of volunteer countries will, however, pilot this aspect of the study during 2011/12. The findings from the pilot will inform the implementation of the web-based initiative in the fourth cycle in 2015/16.

This cycle of PIRLS will use an updated, revised assessment framework.  This will serve as the foundation document for describing the processes of reading comprehension, purposes for reading, and reading behaviours and attitudes, which will be assessed by the study. The document will also set out the contextual framework for the study. The 1st edition of this document is due to be released later in 2009.

Schedule:

• The field trial  will be carried out in New Zealand in November 2009 and in the other participating countries in March 2010.
• The main data collection will be administered in New Zealand schools and other Southern Hemisphere countries in late 2010.  
• The data collection in Northern Hemisphere countries is scheduled for April and May 2011.
• International reporting is scheduled for December 2012.

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