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Press Conference on Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2011): International Report Briefing in Hong Kong

Date: 12/12/2012
Event, Related Media Coverage
Press Conference on Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2011): International Report Briefing in Hong Kong
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an international comparative study of the reading literacy of young students. PIRLS studies the reading achievement and reading behaviors and attitudes of 4th-grade students in the United States and students in the equivalent of 4th grade in other participating countries. It is conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). For PIRLS 2011, a total of 45 countries and regions participated in the study. The reading literacy assessment was administered to 4,122 Primary 4 students in Hong Kong.

Research team membes of PIRLS 2011 (from left to right): Mr. Rex Ng, Mr. SY Hui, Dr. WM Cheung, Prof. SK Tse, Dr. EKY Loh and Dr. JWI Lam.
An international report press briefing at HKU was held on 12 December 2012. At the press briefing, the following issues have been addressed:
(i) the international ranking of Hong Kong students in terms of reading literacy achievements; (ii) comparative strengths and weakness of Hong Kong students; (iii) gender difference in reading achievement; (iv) students’ attitudes towards reading; (v) the pertinence of the reading curriculum; (vi) home environment support for reading; (vii) global competiveness of Hong Kong: from the perspective of students’ reading literacy; and (viii) ways to enhance students’ reading ability.
In 2011, 4,122 Primary 4 students chosen randomly from 132 primary schools in Hong Kong took part in the Hong Kong SAR element of the 2011 PIRLS assessment. PIRLS surveys are carried out every five years, the 2011 survey being the third cycle in the series. Out of the 4,122 students tested, 1920 were girls and 2202 were boys, no students being left out because they were either very poor or exceptionally good readers. Every child in the PIRLS studies sat two reading tests, one based on a narrative passage and the other on an information-giving text. Parents of the students, the students themselves, their Chinese Language teacher and School Principal filled in questionnaires about their views on literacy in Hong Kong and how to promote good reading.
In the 2006 PIRLS survey, Hong Kong students’ results had placed them in the top tier of countries. They came second, just 1 point behind the first country in the list, Russia. In the 2011 survey, Hong Kong students came top this time, in the same tier as students from Russia, Finland and Singapore. Their average score was significantly better than it had been in 2006, and schools, teachers and parents can be very proud of their performance.
A few points to think about:
  1. Girls did better than boys in all three PIRLS surveys, and the gender gap had widened from 2006 to 2011.
  2. The children of parents who made sure their child read at home and children encouraged to read in their leisure time tended to be the best readers.
  3. Students who were given carefully chosen practice in lessons also tended to be the best readers, especially in schools that had modified the reading curriculum to make it more interesting and to meet the needs of students in the local catchment area.
  4. There was evidence that many competent and very able children found reading lessons rather tedious, and they did not enjoy reading lessons.
For details, please click to download the report (English version / Chinese version)