cApStAn to work with IEA on cross-language comparability of PIRLS instruments
Every five years since 2001, the IEA has assessed the foundational skill of reading in 4th-grade students: PIRLS, the Progress in International Reading Literacy, provides internationally comparable data on how well children read and offers policy-relevant information for improving learning and teaching. The study has now completed its transition from pencil-and-paper tests to fully digital assessment. As of the second cycle of PIRLS (PIRLS 2006), the IEA has tasked cApStAn with verifying linguistic equivalence to the international source version of all the different language versions of the PIRLS assessment instruments. Our team of international verifiers provide feedback on over 100 versions prepared by 58 participating countries in 53 different languages. They enter their comments and proposed corrections directly in the platforms used to deliver the cognitive tests and the questionnaires: every edit needs to be documented and traceable. We are extremely proud to be involved in the worldwide standard for monitoring reading comprehension at the fourth grade.