Use and Impact of PIRLS

Australia has participated in two cycles of PIRLS, 2011 and 2016. The provision of international comparative achievement data about reading literacy in Year 4 is likely to generate high levels of interest. The focus on Year 4 will draw attention to this significant stage of schooling. Reading literacy is viewed as a critical aspect of the curriculum at all levels of education, and much attention has been given to ways of improving achievement for all Australian children. The National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) provides data on the achievement of all Australian students in Year 3, 5, 7, and 9 on an annual basis, enabling comparisons between states and territories each year as well as change over time. PIRLS not only provides information about achievement at the Year 4 level, but also reliable internationally comparative data about the reading achievement of students in primary school for Australian educators.

In the context of the Australian Curriculum, the PIRLS 2016 data will provide insights on the achievement and learning needs of Australian students. From now on, it will be possible to use these insights to improve educational opportunities at a national level.