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executive summary
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In PIRLS 2006, teachers reported that 30 percent of the students, on
average across countries, had used instructional software to develop
their reading skills (reflecting increases in 14 countries), and 39%
had read stories or other texts on the computer (reflecting increases
in 17 countries).
School Contexts
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Internationally, the reading achievement of students in schools with few
disadvantaged students (no more than 10%) was much higher (56 scale
score points, more than half a standard deviation) than for students
with a high percentage of disadvantaged classmates (more than 50%
disadvantaged economically). According to school principals, in PIRLS
2006 about two fifths of students (39%), on average across countries,
were in schools with few students from disadvantaged homes. This
average percentage reflected an increase in seven countries and one
decrease since PIRLS 2001. On average, 18 percent of students were in
schools with a high percentage of disadvantaged students, reflecting a
decrease in four countries, but also an increase in three countries.
In PIRLS 2006, principals reported that about half the students (52%),
on average across countries, were attending schools that were not
hampered by resource shortages. However, 15 percent, on average, were
attending schools where principals reported that resource shortages
greatly affected the provision of reading instruction. Although the
situation varied from country to country, on average, there was a
positive relationship between an absence of school resource shortages
and average reading achievement.
Internationally, according to principals’ reports in PIRLS 2006, nearly
half the students (48%), on average, attended schools emphasizing
home-school involvement, whereas about one fourth (27%) attended
schools with little communication between the school and the home and
little parental participation in the life of the school. There was a modest
positive relationship between the level of home-school involvement and
average reading achievement.
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