Reading competences in the context of social and cultural diversity: Differential meanings of aspects of tasks, students and instruction in large-scale-assessments

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Nele McElvany
• Subject Area: Education Systems and Educational Institutions ; General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 290172171

With respect to the acquisition of competencies and the participation in education the academic success of different student subgroups in the German educational system varies greatly, depending on social background (already Baumert & Schümer, 2001; Maaz, Neumann & Baumert, 2014) and language spoken or migration background of the family (Stanat & Edele, 2011; international Atger, 2009).These educational disparities can already be observed towards the end of elementary school (4th grade). In this context, Large-Scale-Assessments (LSA) fulfill the function of systematically documenting acquired competencies of different student subgroups as well as indicating aspects of school conditions. Core aim and, at the same time, prerequisite of educational processes is reading literacy (Pfost, Dörfler & Artelt, 2012). For this important area of reading literacy the in-tended project will conduct theory-based analyses in order to determine to what extent spe-cific strengths and weaknesses of the student subgroups in focus, children who are socially disadvantaged and those with migration backgrounds, are being influenced by (a) motivational characteristics on the level of the learners and (b) quantitative and qualitative characteristics on the level of school instruction. This is an innovative way to also analyze, on student and instruction levels, the prerequisites of strengths and weaknesses subgroups of students display with respect to reading test items. Analyses focus on Differential Item Functioning-effects, which have been already substantiated for items with an open-answer format. Research focus 1 emphasizes the motivational student characteristics (a) intrinsic reading motivation and (b) self-concept with respect to reading. Research focus 2 examines teaching characteristics as preconditions whereby quantitative aspects (i.e. time allocated to reading) as well as qualitative aspects (i.e. practicing reading strategies in class) are investigated with respect to their significance. Of particular relevance is research focus 3 which consolidates the findings of the other two research focusses by simultaneously examining student and instructional characteristics. Cross-classified Multilevel-Models are used to analyze data of PIRLS, sample from 2006, in order to examine the questions at hand. These data allow for the modelling of effects on the three levels of interest (items/learners/instruction). The anticipated results pertain to important findings relating to the firm establishment of theories regarding the determinants (on student and instruction levels) of item-specific strengths and weaknesses in major student subgroups. These findings are of fundamental importance for the systematic advancement and interpretation of test items used with LSA and other studies, as well as for the identification of possible options for specific individual support in reading instruction and subsequent research priorities.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Franziska Schwabe