Page 85 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 85
dents as many as 55 points less (i.e. 456 points).1 The difference between 85
boys and girls in Slovenia is thus bigger than that of OECD (39 points) and EU
(42 points) countries. Basic reading competencies (Level 2 of reading literacy)
are exhibited by 89% of Slovenian female students and 69% of male students.
OECD (2010) data also indicates Slovenian girls are considerably more motivat-
ed to read printed texts2 than boys.
These gender differences, and the drop in the performance percentage at
higher levels of reading literacy in Slovenia, are by no means negligible and are
analysed and described in more detail in the paper hereafter. Students who
are within the PISA 2009 concept, defined as low-achieving students, are those
who reach the basic level of reading literacy (Level 2) or less in the PISA 2009
reading test. In relation to this the author is particularly interested in the da-
ta that might indicate the means to improve reading results and the motiva-
tion for boys to read.
Outcomes of 15-year old Slovenian Students at Individual
Levels of Reading Competencies
The results of Slovenian students within subscales (OECD, 2010) that describe
different levels of each individual reading competency correspond to the
achieved levels of reading literacy. Tables 4, 5 and 6 below reveal Slovenian stu-
dents are most successful in completing tasks where they are required to ac-
cess and retrieve information, followed by integrating and interpreting a text.
They have the most difficulty with tasks where they are required to reflect on
the content of a text and evaluate it. In a similar fashion to the average level
of OECD countries, the percentage of successfully completed tasks for Slove-
nian students is likewise at its highest for tasks at Levels 1b, 1a and 2; the first
considerable drop in the performance percentage is noticeable in the transi-
tion to Level 3, with the drop increasing all the way to Level 6, which is the case
for all three aforementioned reading competencies. Since the focus of this pa-
per is on students who are underachievers in reading, the attention in the pa-
per hereafter will mostly be directed to those achieving lower levels of reading
competencies (Levels 1a, 1b, as well as 2 and 3).
1 The difference of 55 score points equals approximately three quarters of the reading literacy level.
2 The term printed text refers to the text of tasks which students did as part of the paper-and-pencil
tests. As distinguishing between these types of task texts and the text of computerised tasks is im-
portant, the terms printed texts and digital texts will be used hereafter.
reading literacy and motivation in the context of social changes
boys and girls in Slovenia is thus bigger than that of OECD (39 points) and EU
(42 points) countries. Basic reading competencies (Level 2 of reading literacy)
are exhibited by 89% of Slovenian female students and 69% of male students.
OECD (2010) data also indicates Slovenian girls are considerably more motivat-
ed to read printed texts2 than boys.
These gender differences, and the drop in the performance percentage at
higher levels of reading literacy in Slovenia, are by no means negligible and are
analysed and described in more detail in the paper hereafter. Students who
are within the PISA 2009 concept, defined as low-achieving students, are those
who reach the basic level of reading literacy (Level 2) or less in the PISA 2009
reading test. In relation to this the author is particularly interested in the da-
ta that might indicate the means to improve reading results and the motiva-
tion for boys to read.
Outcomes of 15-year old Slovenian Students at Individual
Levels of Reading Competencies
The results of Slovenian students within subscales (OECD, 2010) that describe
different levels of each individual reading competency correspond to the
achieved levels of reading literacy. Tables 4, 5 and 6 below reveal Slovenian stu-
dents are most successful in completing tasks where they are required to ac-
cess and retrieve information, followed by integrating and interpreting a text.
They have the most difficulty with tasks where they are required to reflect on
the content of a text and evaluate it. In a similar fashion to the average level
of OECD countries, the percentage of successfully completed tasks for Slove-
nian students is likewise at its highest for tasks at Levels 1b, 1a and 2; the first
considerable drop in the performance percentage is noticeable in the transi-
tion to Level 3, with the drop increasing all the way to Level 6, which is the case
for all three aforementioned reading competencies. Since the focus of this pa-
per is on students who are underachievers in reading, the attention in the pa-
per hereafter will mostly be directed to those achieving lower levels of reading
competencies (Levels 1a, 1b, as well as 2 and 3).
1 The difference of 55 score points equals approximately three quarters of the reading literacy level.
2 The term printed text refers to the text of tasks which students did as part of the paper-and-pencil
tests. As distinguishing between these types of task texts and the text of computerised tasks is im-
portant, the terms printed texts and digital texts will be used hereafter.
reading literacy and motivation in the context of social changes
