Alberta’s Grade 4 students demonstrate strong results on international literacy test
Edmonton… Alberta Grade 4 students achieved top three in the world in the latest international literacy tests.
On the Progress in the International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006, Alberta scored third highest in the world with very little difference in the performance among the top five participants (Russia, Hong Kong-China, Alberta, Singapore and British Columbia). Alberta students excelled in reading for literacy and in the higher level of comprehension processes such as interpreting, integrating and evaluating; a trait shared by students in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia students. Most of the other top participant countries demonstrated stronger results in reading for information.
“These results show that the achievements of Alberta students continue to be among the best in the world,” said Minister of Education Ron Liepert. “Our students are developing skills that will serve them well throughout life. We can attribute this success to the excellent quality of teaching in Alberta, outstanding learning and teaching resources, high-quality centralized curriculum and standardized assessment programs.”
The international test results also showed that there was a positive relationship between parents participating in early reading activities with their children and the students’ reading achievement on the study. In addition, parents’ own reading habits, such as how frequently parents read, had a positive influence on their children’s reading achievement.
“Alberta’s continued participation in international testing gives Albertans the chance to see how well our students are doing in relation to other students from around the world,” said Liepert. “These results demonstrate that Alberta’s educational standards prepare students for their future as competitors on a global level.”
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which began in 2001, is administered every five years by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. The study assesses Grade 4 students’ reading achievement as well as policy and practices related to literacy world-wide. In the spring of 2006, approximately 4,300 Grade 4 students from 150 schools in Alberta together with students from 40 countries and four other Canadian provinces participated in the study. This is the first time Alberta participated in this study.
Supporting student learning is part of Premier Ed Stelmach’s plan to secure Alberta’s future by building communities, greening our growth and creating opportunity.
Backgrounder
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 resultsPIRLS scores are given as averages within a range. Confidence intervals reflect the range of scores rather than the average score to account for sampling and measurement errors. This allows for a more accurate comparison of scores. Attached is a result chart.
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