PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) measures reading comprehension among year 4 students. The study is organised by IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement) and is conducted every five years. The most recent round was PIRLS 2021.
What does PIRLS measure?
PIRLS tests students' ability to read and understand both literary texts and informational texts. The tests measure different processes: locating information, making inferences, interpreting and evaluating the text.
Sweden in PIRLS
Sweden has historically performed well in PIRLS but showed a decline in the 2016 study. In PIRLS 2021, results improved somewhat. The study provides important information about early reading instruction and can be linked to later school results.