Gerry Shiel

Engagement in Reading: Lessons Learned From Three PISA Countries

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a global effort to assess reading literacy. The authors of this article focus on the variable of engagement—the student characteristic on PISA that had the largest correlation with achievement in reading. Next, salient findings related to engagement from three English-speaking PISA countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland) are presented. The authors conclude with a discussion of lessons about reading engagement derived from findings common to the authors three nations with implications for policy and practice.

Raising Literacy Levels With Collaborative On-Site Professional Development in an Urban Disadvantaged School

Professional development is now recognized as a key driver in enhancing teacher expertise and improving student achievement. A multifaceted, collaborative professional-development intervention designed to equip teachers with a range of strategies, tools, and methodologies and raise literacy standards was implemented over two years (grades 1–2) in a severely disadvantaged urban school. Teachers were successful in raising achievement, but just as importantly, they developed their classrooms into highly motivating, engaging, and literate communities. By the end of the study, the children made greater-than-expected progress in reading, writing, and spelling. Both special-needs and classroom teachers showed higher expectations for their students literacy development, greater instructional self-efficacy, and deeper knowledge about how to implement a research-based, balanced literacy framework while also responding to the needs of individual students and small groups. n n n nتعرف التنمية الحرفية حاليا محركا رئيسيا في تعزيز تجارب المعلم وتحسين إنجاز الطالب. وقد تم تصميم تدخل تنمية حرفية تعاونية ذات الأوجهة المتعددة لتجهيز المعلمين بمدى من استراتيجيات وأدوات ومناهج ورفع معايير معرفة القراءة والكتابة الأمر الذي تم تنفيذه خلال سنتين (الصف الأول والثاني) في مدرسة شعبية في شدة النقص. وقد نجح المعلمون في رفع الإنجاز ولكن وعلى نفس القدر من الأهمية حولوا صفوفهم إلى مجتمعات في غاية الدافع والإنشغال والمعرفة. وفي نهاية الدراسة حقق الأولاد تقدما أكبر من المتوقع في القراءة والكتابة والتهجية. وقد عرض معلمو الحاجات الخاصة وغرف الصف توقعات أعلى بالنسبة إلى تنمية معرفة القراءة والكتابة لدى طلابهم وفعاليتهم التعليمية الذاتية ومعرفة أعمق بشأن كيف تنفيذ إطار التعلم المتوازن المبني على الأبحاث العلمية حين يستجيبون إلى حاجات الطلاب الانفرادية وفي مجموعات صغيرة. n n n n教师专业培训现今被认为是加强教师专业知识与改进学生成绩的关键促进动力。一项为期两年（1至2年班级）的多元化协作式专业培训的干预研究计划，在一所条件极差的城市学校里进行，其设计目的是为使教师配备一系列的策略、工具、方法，并为提高学生的读写能力水平。其结果显示教师能成功提高学生成绩，但同样重要的是，教师亦能令教室发展为具有高度激励性、令学生投入学习、有读写文化的社群。该研究到结束时，学生在阅读、写作及拼写方面均取得超乎预期的进展。特殊教育教师及课堂教师均表示对他们学生在读写能力发展方面有更高的期望，在教学方面有更大的自我效能感，在实施一个研究性、平衡性的读写教学理论架构方面有更深入的认识；同时亦能应对学习小组及个别学生的学习需要。 n n n nLe developpement professionnel est reconnu maintenant comme un facteur cle de lamelioration de lexpertise des enseignants et de la progression de la reussite des eleves. On a conduit pendant deux ans (en premiere et deuxieme annee), dans une ecole urbaine gravement defavorisee, une intervention sur plusieurs plans relative au developpement professionnel cooperatif afin darmer les enseignants au moyen dun ensemble de strategies, doutils et de methodologies, et delever les niveaux de litteratie. Les enseignants ont reussi a atteindre leurs objectifs de reussite, mais de facon tout aussi importante, ils ont transforme leurs classes en communautes tres motivees, investies et lettrees. A la fin de letude, les enfants ont atteint des niveaux en lecture, ecriture et orthographe plus eleves que prevu. Les enseignants de lenseignement specialise aussi bien que ceux de lenseignement general ont manifeste des attentes plus elevees en ce qui concerne le developpement de la litteratie de leurs eleves, une meilleure confiance en son efficacite professionnelle, une connaissance plus profonde sur la facon de proceder pour mettre en place une structure equilibree de litteratie basee sur la recherche et qui reponde aussi aux besoins des etudiants individuellement et en petits groupes. n n n nВ настоящее время повышение квалификации признано ключевым фактором, способствующим росту мастерства учителя и академическим успехам учеников. В одной из городских школ, где учатся дети из крайне неблагополучных в социальном отношении семей, была развернута программа профессионального совершенствования учителей – многогранное вмешательство, предназначенное для того, чтобы, снабдив учителей целым арсеналом учебных стратегий и методов, повысить общий уровень грамотности школьников. Учителя преуспели в решении этой задачи, но важно также, что им удалось создать на своих уроках благоприятную стимулирующую обстановку, объединить детей в настоящее сообщество, движимое любовью и интересом к грамотности. К концу обозначенного срока школьники достигли в чтении, письме и знании орфографии даже больших успехов, чем ожидалось. Что касается учителей, все они – и учителя, работавшие с детьми с особыми образовательными потребностями, и учителя, работавшие с основным контингентом, – стали ставить для своих учеников более высокую академическую планку. Они учат теперь гораздо качественнее, поскольку обрели более глубокие и разносторонние представления о том, как работать в рамках научно-обоснованной, сбалансированной учебной схемы, учитывая при этом потребности отдельных учащихся и малых групп. n n n nSe reconoce que el desarrollo profesional es importante para mejorar la pericia de los maestros y acrecentar el rendimiento de los estudiantes. Una intervencion multifasetica de desarrollo profesional disenada para equipar a los maestros con una serie de estrategias, herramientas y metodologias para incrementar el estandar de alfabetizacion fue implementada por dos anos (1er y 2do grados) en una escuela urbana muy desfavorecida. Los maestros lograron incrementar el rendimiento, y aun mas, lograron crear en sus aulas comunidades eruditas muy motivadas y participativas. Para cuando termino el estudio, los ninos habian progresado mas de lo esperado en la lectura, la escritura y la ortografia. Tanto los maestros de ninos minusvalidos como los otros maestros tenian expectativas mas altas en cuanto al desarrollo de las competencias de sus estudiantes, mayor eficacia en la ensenanza, y un conocimiento mas profundo de como implementar un marco de competencias balanceado y basado en la investigacion al mismo tiempo que respondian a las necesidades de los estudiantes como individuos y como miembros de grupos pequenos.

International comparisons of reading literacy: what can they tell us?

The participation of large numbers of countries in current international assessments involving reading literacy – 40 in PIRLS 2006 (administered to students in Grade 4 in primary schools) and 57 in PISA 2006 (administered to 15‐year‐olds in post‐primary schools) – suggests that governments and other bodies find the outcomes to be useful. This article acknowledges the benefits of participating in these assessments, including the insights they provide into variation in reading achievement between and within countries, differences between engagement in reading and reading performance among males and females, associations between engagement and socioeconomic status, and instructional practices. Criticisms of international assessments, including those related to cultural bias in texts and inconsistencies in sampling, are linked to difficulties in interpreting achievement outcomes across studies and over time. Directions that PIRLS and PISA may take in the future are outlined.

Gender and PISA Mathematics: Irish Results in Context

This article examines the Irish results in PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) mathematics, with particular reference to gender differences. As in most PISA countries, male students in Ireland achieved a significantly higher mean score than females on the overall mathematics scale in all PISA cycles to date. In 2003, when mathematics was a major assessment domain, male students in Ireland outperformed females on all four mathematics subscales representing the overarching ideas, with the largest difference on Space and Shape. This is contrasted with the stronger performance of female students on the state Junior Certificate (JC) mathematics examination, taken by all students at the end of 9th Grade. The authors analyses suggest that the stronger performance of male students on PISA is related to differential performance across content areas and cognitive levels, stronger performance at the top end of the overall mathematics proficiency scale, stronger performance on multiple-choice items, and stronger self-efficacy in and lower anxiety about mathematics. The findings are discussed in relation to existing theories of gender differences in mathematics and to features of schooling in Ireland. Throughout the article, reference is made to gender difference in PISA mathematics in other European countries.

Effects of Calculators on Mathematics Achievement and Attitudes of Ninth-Grade Students.

ABSTRACT Three calculator tests were administered to a national sample of 1,469 Irish students in Grade 9—the last cohort to study mathematics without calculators (Phase 1). Three years later, the same tests were administered to a similar sample with calculators (Phase 2). Scores on a test of calculator-inappropriate items showed no significant change over the 3 years. For a test of calculator optional items, students were divided randomly into 2 groups, 1 with calculator access and the other without. In both phases, the students with calculators achieved significantly better than the students without calculators. Achievement on a test of calculator appropriate items showed significant improvement over the 3 years. Students’ attitudes toward calculators also improved over the time.

An education system in transition: assessment and examinations in the Republic of Macedonia

This profile traces the recent evolution of assessment and examination policy and practice in the Republic of Macedonia, with an emphasis on the partnerships between state and non-governmental agencies in facilitating educational reform. Following a brief description of the country, the paper explores the overall educational architecture, curriculum reform efforts and initiatives in relation to assessment in primary and secondary education. The establishment of comprehensive school-based assessment predicated on curriculum standards and assessment principles, and supported by relevant professional development for teachers, is highlighted. Future trends and directions are investigated, including efforts to address grade inflation, in part through the introduction of external tests to moderate teacher grades.

Parity of provision? Learning support for English and mathematics in Irish primary schools

This article examines the differences in learning support provision for English and mathematics in Irish primary schools. Questionnaires were completed by 172 learning support teachers in Irish primary schools, as part of a national assessment of English and mathematics. Few respondents (3%) provide learning support for mathematics only, over one-third (36%) provide support for English only, and the remainder provided support for both subjects. Despite the implied equivalence of English and mathematics in the Learning Support Guidelines for teachers in Ireland, considerable differences were noted for English and mathematics in terms of caseloads, in-career development, practices and attitudes. Findings provide an indication of provision prior to the introduction of a new ‘general allocation model’ of support announced by the Irish Department of Education and Science.