In PISA 2022, the mean score in reading among OECD countries is 476 points. Singapore is the highest performing education system, followed by Ireland, Estonia, Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei. Another 14 education systems performed above the OECD average. The gap in performance between the highest- and lowest-performing countries is 107 score points among OECD countries and 214 points among all education systems that took part in PISA 2022.
Reading literacy
Reading literacy is understanding, using, evaluating, reflecting on and engaging with texts in order to achieve personal objectives, enhance knowledge and capabilities, and contribute to society. In the 21st century, reading extends to digital platforms, and requires triangulating different sources, navigating through ambiguity, distinguishing between fact and opinion, and constructing knowledge.
Key messages
PISA 2022 results show that 74% of students scored at Level 2 proficiency or above on average across OECD countries. At a minimum, these students are able to identify the main idea in a text of moderate length, find information based on explicit, though sometimes complex, criteria, and reflect on the purpose and form of texts when explicitly directed to do so. Some 7% of students attained the highest proficiency levels, Level 5 or 6, across OECD countries. These students can comprehend lengthy texts, infer relevant information, perform causal reasoning, engage in reflective tasks, and deal with abstract or counterintuitive concepts.
PISA 2022 results show that 74% of students scored at Level 2 proficiency or above on average across OECD countries. At a minimum, these students are able to identify the main idea in a text of moderate length, find information based on explicit, though sometimes complex, criteria, and reflect on the purpose and form of texts when explicitly directed to do so. Some 7% of students attained the highest proficiency levels, Level 5 or 6, across OECD countries. These students can comprehend lengthy texts, infer relevant information, perform causal reasoning, engage in reflective tasks, and deal with abstract or counterintuitive concepts.
Context
Literacy skills in a digital world
Reading in a digital world requires a complex skillset. For example, PISA 2018 results show that the accuracy of distinguishing facts from opinion is associated with education systems with a higher proportion of students who reported being taught how to detect biased information in school and students’ digital access at home, even after accounting for per capita GDP.
Relationship between access to digital resources at home and emergent aspects of reading (2018)
The relationship between reading for enjoyment and reading performance
PISA 2018 results show that reading for enjoyment was positively associated with reading performance in all PISA-participating countries and economies after accounting for students’ and schools’ socio-economic profile and gender. However, the strength of the association varies across education systems. The change in reading performance ranges from less than 11 score points to over 30 score points.
Enjoyment of reading and reading performance (2018)
