Use and Impact of PIRLS

It is not possible to isolate the impact of PIRLS from the impact of other international studies (e.g., TIMSS and the Programme for International Student Assessment [PISA]). Therefore, the following is an attempt to summarize some possible consequences of Norway’s participation in a number of international studies.

From 2003 through 2007, when national and international studies had indicated that Norwegian students’ reading skills were unsatisfactory, the Ministry of Education developed and initiated a national action plan for improving reading called Make Space for Reading! The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training managed the action plan, which had the following goals:

Improve reading skills and the motivation to read among children and youth
Improve teachers’ skills in teaching reading, communication of literature, and use of school libraries
Increase society’s awareness of reading as a basis for learning, cultural skills, quality of life, and participation in working life and a democratic society

The action plan had specific proposals for projects in primary and lower and upper secondary schools, as well as in libraries and teacher education. These projects included activities directed at students, as well as current and prospective teachers. Activities at the system level included school strategic planning, curricula development, and reading skills and behavior assessment through participation in national and international surveys. The plan also encouraged extensive collaboration and network building among schools, between schools and colleges or research environments, and with communities and organizations committed to the promotion of reading (e.g., librarians, publishers, authors).

Formerly offering support and guidance to local authorities, libraries, and schools, the Center for Reading Research at the University of Stavanger was elevated to a resource center at the national level in 2004 and subsequently changed its name to the National Center for Reading Education and Research. The Reading Center is responsible for a number of the measures in the action plan, including the development of screening tests in reading, professional development for teachers via regular courses or distance learning, and annual national conferences on reading.