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Introduction
In today’s information society, the ability to read is essential for
maximizing success in the endeavors of daily life, continuing
intellectual growth, and realizing personal potential. Similarly, a
literate citizenry is vital to a nation’s social growth and economic
prosperity. To help countries make informed decisions about
reading education, IEA’s Progress in International Reading Literacy
Study (PIRLS) provides internationally comparative data about
students’ reading achievement in primary school (the fourth grade
in most participating countries). The fourth grade is an important
transition point in children’s development as readers, because most
of them should have learned to read, and are now reading to learn.