Headlines around the world: PIRLS (2016) Results

At the beginning of December, we scanned the headlines around the world to explore PISA’s results around collaborative problem solving. As we have done in similar posts, we offered a number of headlines from around the world that analyzed the recently released PISA results. Following up on that report, we set to once more scanning headlines for the recently released Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) results. Where the general response to the release of the collaborative problem-solving PISA scores was positive, responses to PIRLS varied a great deal. Headlines in the U.S. and South Africa highlighted problematic results. Newspapers in places like the UK and Ireland praised improvements and touted gains.

 

Below are some highlights from around the world:

France

Counterpoints—December 14, 2017

https://www.contrepoints.org/2017/12/14/305426-neurosciences-sauver-lecole

Vous Nous Ils—December 14, 2017

http://www.vousnousils.fr/2017/12/14/comprehension-de-la-lecture-des-histoires-plutot-que-des-dictees-610614

Telegraph—December 5, 2017

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/05/french-primary-pupils-take-dictation-day-humiliating-fall-world/

 

U.K.

Aol, UK News—December 14, 2017

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2017/12/14/more-11-year-olds-meeting-government-targets-in-three-key-tests/

The Guardian—December 7, 2017

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/07/ministers-are-reading-too-much-into-this-test

Schools Week—December 5, 2017

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/pirls-2016-england-rises-one-place-in-international-reading-measure/

 

Bulgaria

EU Scoop—December 5, 2017

https://www.euscoop.com/en/2017/12/5/4-graders-smart-kindergarten

 

U.S.

Cato Institute—December 7, 2017

https://www.cato.org/blog/few-pirls-wisdom-new-reading-results

 

Ed Week—December 5, 2017

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/12/05/global-reading-scores-are-rising-but-not.html

US News and World Report—December 5, 2017

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2017-12-05/other-countries-surpass-us-students-in-international-reading-comprehension-test

http://www.bipps.org/wapo-u-s-schoolchildren-tumble-international-reading-exam-rankings-worrying-educators/

 

U.A.E.

Emirates—December 11, 2017

http://www.emirates247.com/news/dubai-students-improve-in-international-reading-scores-2017-12-11-1.662866

 

South Africa

News 24—December 6, 2017

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/teachers-parents-at-the-heart-of-the-solution-to-sa-childrens-reading-problem-expert-20171206

Business Live—December 6, 2017

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/editorials/2017-12-06-editorial-high-illiteracy-is-alarming/

Herald Live—December 13, 2017

http://www.heraldlive.co.za/opinion/2017/12/13/letter-government-not-heeding-warnings/

Politics Web—December 8, 2017

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/reversing-our-crisis-of-illiteracy