The Reading Attainment of Hong Kong Primary Four Students: A study of Literacy Achievements and Its Implications

Abstract

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a five-yearly international study of reading attainment of Primary 4 students in different countries and regions, and investigates how it is related to their reading experiences at home and in schools. The study deploys both reading assessment tasks and questionnaires to provide a holistic picture of students’ reading literacy development. Hong Kong, a region that has initiated “Reading to Learn” as one of the four key tasks in nurturing students’ capability of “Learning to Learn” in the curriculum, has participated in several cycles of PIRLS study since 2001. Results to date have offered multifold implications to teachers, schools and parents to optimize pedagogy and literacy environment, and to policymakers for monitoring and evaluating the on-going curriculum reform.

全球學生閱讀能力進展研究（Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, PIRLS）是一項五年一度的國際閱讀素養和能力大型研究。這項研究以全球多個國家或地區的小學四年級學生為對象，調查學生在校內和家庭的閱讀經驗與學生閱讀能力表現的關係。本研究透過閱讀理解測卷和問卷調查收集數據，對學生的閱讀素養發展作出完整描述。香港教育局以「從閱讀中學習」為2000年「學會學習」教育改革的四大關鍵項目之一；同時自2001年起，香港參加了多屆PIRLS閱讀研究。本研究的結果和發現，對學校閱讀課程、閱讀環境和氛圍、語文教師的閱讀教學法，以至教育當局監察和審視教育改革的發展，都具有重要的參考價值和啟示作用。