Factors distinguishing most and least effective schools in terms of reading achievement: A residual approach

Abstract

This study was based on the Cyprus data from both the student questionnaire and the tests of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), undertaken in 2001 under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The sample included 3,001 fourth-grade students from Cyprus, whose average age was 9.7 at the time of testing. The statistical analysis used to distinguish the more and less effective schools was based on the residuals. From this analysis, 6 factors explaining school differences in reading achievement were identified. The 1st factor, which is the strongest one, is related to class activities subsequent to the reading class. The 2nd most important factor is related to reading outside school. The 3rd factor is related to the time spent on homework. The 4th factor relates to attitudes toward reading. The 5th and 6th factors are activities during teaching and school climate.