Use and Impact of PIRLS
Trinidad and Tobago’s improved performance in PIRLS 2011 over PIRLS 2006 has motivated schools to take steps to further develop students’ reading literacy. The Ministry of Education has identified literacy as a ministerial priority and has implemented training initiatives in support of teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills. Schools under academic watch have been given significant support by curriculum officers with the Student Support Services Division. To meet the goal of building higher order thinking skills in students, schools have been encouraged to assign longer reading passages from a variety of genres.
At the tertiary level, the Ministry of Education has held discussions with higher education providers about aligning their curricula with needs of the Ministry of Education. These institutions have been advised on the adequacy of current reading courses and the necessity of reading pedagogical skills among teachers.