Page 75 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 75
Conclusion 75
Reading competencies are important for successful participation in adult life
(OECD, 2012a). Modern societies need adults who can read and understand
texts and thus become active participants in all processes and activities with-
in their environment. For this reason, one of the principal purposes of educa-
tion in modern societies is to ensure students have developed competencies
of reading with understanding no later than by the time they complete com-
pulsory education. It comes as no surprise that larger proportions of youths
with low reading competencies bring about significant consequences for the
economic and social development of society. Countries with larger propor-
tions of students who do not reach basic levels of literacy in domains such as
mathematics, science and reading, will more likely fall behind in terms of their
progress on account of the proportions of adults with inadequate competen-
cies that are essential in a modern society and at work (see e.g. Hanushek and
Woessmann, 2008, 2010; OECD, 2001).
However, the main aim of comparisons of educational systems is not to es-
tablish which systems are better or worse; rather an awareness about how oth-
er educational systems operate which provides an opportunity to learn more
about our own systems and appreciate the different means that can lead to
good results. The primary hypothesis in this paper is that the analysis of da-
ta on reading achievement, and the background reading-related factors by
groups of female and male students in terms of different achievement levels,
can also produce findings about how students learn and the different means
of how they achieve, or could achieve, higher reading competencies.
On the basis of the analyses made in this paper, it is possible to estab-
lish, or probably confirm, the general perception that the associations be-
tween factors and reading achievement vary by groups with different levels
of achievement. In low-achieving students it is possible to observe some areas
- described by means of the examined factors – in relation to which students
could perhaps be supported in their endeavours to develop reading compe-
tencies. The paper examined reading-related factors that are developed over
a longer period of time such as: the economic, social and cultural status, stu-
dents’ reports on the usefulness of strategies for writing a summary, students’
reports on the usefulness of strategies for understanding and memorising a
text; frequency of the uses of: control strategies when studying, elaboration as
a learning strategy, memorisation as a learning strategy when studying, diver-
sity of reading materials, enjoyment of reading; frequency of the uses of librar-
ies, online reading activities, computer use at home for schoolwork and com-
puter use at home for leisure/entertainment.
Results of the analysis lead to the conclusion that low-achieving students
are less familiar with reading strategies, which is encouraging, as attempts can
low reading achievement in pisa 2009
Reading competencies are important for successful participation in adult life
(OECD, 2012a). Modern societies need adults who can read and understand
texts and thus become active participants in all processes and activities with-
in their environment. For this reason, one of the principal purposes of educa-
tion in modern societies is to ensure students have developed competencies
of reading with understanding no later than by the time they complete com-
pulsory education. It comes as no surprise that larger proportions of youths
with low reading competencies bring about significant consequences for the
economic and social development of society. Countries with larger propor-
tions of students who do not reach basic levels of literacy in domains such as
mathematics, science and reading, will more likely fall behind in terms of their
progress on account of the proportions of adults with inadequate competen-
cies that are essential in a modern society and at work (see e.g. Hanushek and
Woessmann, 2008, 2010; OECD, 2001).
However, the main aim of comparisons of educational systems is not to es-
tablish which systems are better or worse; rather an awareness about how oth-
er educational systems operate which provides an opportunity to learn more
about our own systems and appreciate the different means that can lead to
good results. The primary hypothesis in this paper is that the analysis of da-
ta on reading achievement, and the background reading-related factors by
groups of female and male students in terms of different achievement levels,
can also produce findings about how students learn and the different means
of how they achieve, or could achieve, higher reading competencies.
On the basis of the analyses made in this paper, it is possible to estab-
lish, or probably confirm, the general perception that the associations be-
tween factors and reading achievement vary by groups with different levels
of achievement. In low-achieving students it is possible to observe some areas
- described by means of the examined factors – in relation to which students
could perhaps be supported in their endeavours to develop reading compe-
tencies. The paper examined reading-related factors that are developed over
a longer period of time such as: the economic, social and cultural status, stu-
dents’ reports on the usefulness of strategies for writing a summary, students’
reports on the usefulness of strategies for understanding and memorising a
text; frequency of the uses of: control strategies when studying, elaboration as
a learning strategy, memorisation as a learning strategy when studying, diver-
sity of reading materials, enjoyment of reading; frequency of the uses of librar-
ies, online reading activities, computer use at home for schoolwork and com-
puter use at home for leisure/entertainment.
Results of the analysis lead to the conclusion that low-achieving students
are less familiar with reading strategies, which is encouraging, as attempts can
low reading achievement in pisa 2009
