PIRLS is an international study of reading literacy development designed to improve the teaching of reading and the acquisition of reading skills and competencies in students around the world. The education system of the Republic of Serbia participated for the first time in the international survey PIRLS 2021.
The average achievement of students from the Republic of Serbia on PIRLS 2021 is 514 points and is higher than the average value of the PIRLS scale (500). Serbia has the same average achievement as France, and lower than Slovenia, Germany and Austria. In Serbia, fourth-grade students have better achievements in reading for literary experience (518 points) compared to reading for finding and using information (511).
Despite school disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PIRLS 2021 data collection successfully covered nearly 400,000 students in more than 60 education systems worldwide. In Serbia, 4,037 fourth-grade students participated.
The PIRLS international assessment of student achievement in reading literacy is conducted at the age of the student who is in the fourth year of schooling - which is considered a turning point in the development and maturation of the student as a reader. The current PIRLS definition of reading literacy: Reading literacy is the ability to understand and use those written forms of language required by society. The PIRLS Reading Assessment Framework focuses on two overarching purposes for students' reading in and out of school: reading for literary experience and reading for finding and using information. In addition, the PIRLS assessment integrates four broad-based comprehension processes within each of these two reading purposes: 1) recognizing and applying explicitly given information, 2) making direct inferences, 3) interpreting and connecting ideas and information, and 4) evaluating and critically reflecting content and form of the text.
The results show that there is room for improving the teaching and learning program, as well as for changing the content and quality of teaching in the first cycle of elementary school. In Serbia, out of the total number of fourth-grade students tested, 5% of them manage to solve tasks that require advanced reading literacy skills, which is less than the international average of 7%. A high international level is reached by 33% of students from Serbia, which is slightly less than the international average (34%). Finally, 73% of fourth-graders are at the intermediate level, which is close to the international average of 75%.
Students who started literacy early had higher average reading literacy achievement in fourth grade, the results show. Controlling the time that students spend on digital devices leads to higher reading competencies of students. In the field of professional development of teachers in the first cycle of elementary school, it is necessary to intensify training in the field of functional literacy, as well as encouraging the development and application of reading strategies among students. In addition, it is necessary to work on raising the awareness of all teachers about the importance of reading: "Every teacher is a teacher of reading".
All the above results are presented in the National Report on the Results of Reading Literacy Research PIRLS 2021, which was prepared by a team of experts from the Institute for the Evaluation of the Quality of Education and Training, and the Redis 2030 project provided support for the development of the report.