Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2001 (PIRLS 2001)

The aim of this report is to present a descriptive summary of similarities and differences between the achievement in reading literacy of New Zealand Year 5 students in 2001 and that of their counterparts in 1990. Year 5 students' achievement is examined in both a national and international setting with reference to the home and classroom context in which reading activities occur.

PIRLS examines three aspects of reading literacy: processes of comprehension, purposes for reading, and reading literacy behaviours and attitudes of middle primary students. The lead research team at Boston College undertook a research study in order to report achievement for the processes of reading comprehension. This summary presents an overview of the findings from their work with a focus on the New Zealand results.

This document provides comprehensive national level information from New Zealand's participation in PIRLS in November 2001. As well as reporting achievement results for Year 5 students, it includes home, class, and school contextual information in both a national and international setting.

A summary sheet of New Zealand's Year 5 student achievement in the 2001 PIRLS assessment.

This document is a summary of the final results from New Zealand's participation in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the partial replication of the 1990-1991 IEA Reading Literacy Study (10-Year Trends Study). These studies involved Year 5 students and were administered in New Zealand in November 2001.