TIMSS/PIRLS: Reactions from Asia’s Top Performers
by YongZhao
16 DECEMBER 2012 158 NO COMMENT
Handwringing and head scratching around the 2011 TIMSS and PIRLS results released yesterday continue around the globe. While Western countries show great admiration of the outstanding scores of East Asia and lament on their own abysmal performance, the East Asian education systems, while celebrating their achievement, are worried about something that the media in Western countries rarely mentions. Here are some examples:
Japan:
“But enthusiasm for studying science was below the global average among Japanese second-year junior high students. The fourth-graders interest in arithmetic was also below the world average.” –Japan Times
Singapore:
Nevertheless, the study showed that the Republic still has to work on students’ confidence in approaching the subjects of math and science. TIMMS, which measured this component for the first time, saw Singaporean students exhibiting positive learning attitudes.
However, their confidence levels were found to be lower compared to students in other education systems. –Today Online
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong students reading scores topped the world but their motivation to read ranked bottom, with only 54% of students reported that they were motivated to reading, far below the international average of 74%.
