PIRLS Teacher Questionnaire

Identification Label

DRAFT

Teacher Name:
Class Name:
Teacher ID:
Teacher Link #:
OMB # to go here

PIRLS 2011
Field Test Version

Teacher
Questionnaire
Grade 4
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K St., NW
Washington, DC 20006

Teacher Questionnaire
Your school has agreed to participate in PIRLS

NCES is authorized to collect information from

2011 (Progress in International Reading Literacy

this questionnaire under the Education Sciences

Study), an educational research project sponsored

Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section

by the International Association for the Evaluation

153). You do not have to provide the information

of Educational Achievement (IEA). PIRLS measures

requested. However, the information you provide

trends in student achievement in reading and

will help the U.S. Department of Education’s ongoing

studies di erences in national education systems
in more than 50 countries in order to help improve

system in the United States compares to that in other

teaching and learning worldwide.

countries. There are no penalties should you choose

This questionnaire is addressed to teachers of
fourth-grade students, and seeks in formation

not to participate in this study. Your answers may be
used only for statistical purposes and may not be

about teachers’ academic and professional
backgrounds, classroom resources, instructional

purpose (Public Law 107-279, Section 183 and Title V,

practices, and attitudes toward teaching. Since your

subtitle A of the E-Government Act of 2002 (P.L.

class has been selected as part of a nationwide

107-347)). Your responses will be combined with

sample, your responses are very important in helping

those from other participants to produce summary

to describe primary education the United States.

statistics and reports.

Some of the questions in the questionnaire refer

This survey is estimated to take an average of 30

to the “PIRLS class” or “this class”. This is the class that

minutes, including time for reviewing instructions,

is identified on the front of this booklet, and which

and completing and reviewing the collection of

will be tested as part of PIRLS in your school. If you

information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor,

teach some but not all of the students in the PIRLS

and a person is not required to respond to, a collec-

class, please think only of the students that you teach

tion of information unless it displays a currently valid

when answering these class-specific questions. It is

OMB control number. Send comments regarding this

important that you answer each question carefully

burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection

so that the information that you provide reflects your

of information, including suggestions for reducing

situation as accurately as possible.

this burden, to: Stephen Provasnik, National Center

Since PIRLS is an international study and all

for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Educa-

countries are using the same questionnaire, you may

tion, 1990 K Street NW, Room 9034, Washington, DC

find that some of the questions seem unusual or are

20006-5650. Do not return the completed form to

not entirely relevant to you or schools in the United

this address.

States. Nevertheless, it is important that you do your

Thank you.

best to answer all of the questions so comparisons can
be made across countries in the studies.
It is estimated that you will need approximately
30 minutes to complete this questionnaire. We
appreciate the time and e ort that this takes and
thank you for your cooperation and contribution.
When you have completed the questionnaire,
please place it in the accompanying envelope and
return it to the school coordinator.

PIRLS 2011

About You

1

5
By the end of this school year, how many years will
you have been teaching altogether?

A. During your post-secondary education, what
was your major or main area(s) of study?
Check one circle for each line.

_____________ years

Yes

Please round to the nearest whole number.

No

O
b) Education - Secondary -------------------------- O
c) Mathematics ------------------------------------- O
d) Science ------------------------------------------- O
e) English ------------------------------------------ O
f) Other --------------------------------------------- O
a) Education - Primary/Elementary ---------------

2
Are you female or male?
Check one circle only.

Female -- O
Male -- O

3
How old are you?
Check one circle only.

Under 25 -- O

O
O
O
O
O
O

B. If your major or main area of study was
education, did you have a specialization
in any of the following?
Check one circle for each line.

25-29 -- O

Yes
No

30-39 -- O

O
b) Science ------------------------------------------- O
c) Language/reading ------------------------------- O
d) Other subject ------------------------------------ O
a) Mathematics -------------------------------------

40-49 -- O
50-59 -- O
60 or more -- O

4

O
O
O
O

What is the highest level of formal education you
have completed?
Check one circle only.

Did not complete high school -- O
Completed high school -- O
Completed a vocational/technical
certificate after high school -- O
Completed an Associate’s degree (AA)
in vocational/technical program -- O
Completed an Associate’s degree (AA)
or Bachelor’s degree -- O
Completed an academic Master’s degree,
postgraduate certificate program (e.g., teaching)
or first professional degree
(e.g., law, medicine, dentistry) -- O
DRAFT

Completed a doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D) -- O

Grade 44>

4 Teacher
Teacher Questionnaire

O
b) Classrooms are overcrowded -- O O

O O
O O

c) Teachers have too many
teaching hours ----------------- O

O

O O

d) Teachers do not have
adequate workspace for
preparation, collaboration,
or meeting with students ----- O

O

O O

e) Teachers do not have
adequate instructional
materials and supplies -------- O

O

O O

DRAFT

About Being a Teacher

9

10
How much do you agree with the following
statements about using computers in your
teaching?

How often do you have the following types of
interactions with other teachers?
Check one circle for each line.

Check one circle for each line.

Never or almost never

Agree a lot

2 or 3 times per month

Agree a little

1-3 times
per week

Disagree a little

Daily or
almost
daily

Disagree
a lot

a) I feel comfortable using
computers in my teaching ---- O
b) When I have technical
problems, I have ready
access to computer
support staff in my school ----- O
c) I receive adequate
support for integrating
computers in my
teaching activities ------------- O

DRAFT

O
O
O

O O
O O
O O

a) Discuss how to teach
a particular topic -------------- O

O

O O

b Collaborate in planning
and preparing instructional
materials ----------------------- O

O

O O

c) Share what I have
learned about my
teaching experiences ---------- O

O

O O

d) Visit another classroom
to learn more about teaching - O

O

O O

e) Work together to
try out new ideas -------------- O

O

O O

Grade 44>

4 Teacher

DRAFT

15

16
How often do you do the following in teaching this
class?
Check one circle for each line.

In your view, to what extent do the following limit
how you teach this class?
Check one circle for each line.

Every or almost every lesson

Not applicable

About half the lessons

Not at all

Some lessons

Some

Never

a) Summarize what students
should have learned from
the lesson --------------------- O

O

b) Relate the lesson to
current events ----------------- O

A lot

O O

a) Students lacking
prerequisite knowledge
or skills ------------------------ O

O

O O

O

O O

b) Students suffering from
lack of basic nutrition --------- O

O

O O

c) Use questioning to elicit
reasons and explanations ----- O

O

O O

c) Students suffering from
not enough sleep -------------- O

O

O O

d) Encourage all students to
improve their performance --- O

O

O O

e) Praise students for
good effort -------------------- O

O

O O

f) Bring interesting materials
toc lass ------------------------- O

O

O O

O
e) Disruptive students ------------ O O
f) Uninterested students --------- O O

O O
O O
O O

DRAFT

d) Students with special needs
(e.g., physical disabilities,
mental or emotional/
psychological impairment) --- O

Grade 44>

4 Teacher Questionnaire

DRAFT

Teaching Reading to the PIRLS
Class

1

Questions 3-10 ask about reading instruction
for the fourth-grade students in this class.

A. In a typical week, how much time do you spend on
English language instruction and/or
activities with the students?
Include instruction or activities in reading, writing,
speaking, literature, and other language skills.
___________hours and ___________minutes per week

Write in the hours and minutes.

3
When you have reading instruction and/or do
reading activities, how often do you organize
students in the following ways?
Check one circle for each line.

B. What proportion of the time spent on English
language instruction and/or activities is
spent on the following skills?

Always or almost always
Often
Sometimes

Write in the percentage for each.

a) Reading ------------------------------------------------- _____%
b) Grammar and spelling ---------------------------------- _____%
c) Writing composition ------------------------------------ _____%
d) Speaking and listening --------------------------------- _____%
e) Other ---------------------------------------------------- _____%
Total = 100%

2
Regardless of whether or not you have formally
scheduled time for reading instruction, in a typical
week about how much time do you spend on
reading instruction and/or activities with the
students?

Never

a) I teach reading as a
whole-class activity ----------- O

O
b) I create same-ability groups -- O O
c) I create mixed-ability groups -- O O

O O
O O
O O

d) I use individualized
instruction for reading -------- O

O

O O

e) Students work independently
on an assigned plan or goal --- O

O

O O

f) Students work independently
on a goal they choose
themselves -------------------- O

O

O O

Include things you do across curriculum areas and
during formally scheduled time for reading instruction.
___________hours and ___________minutes per week

Write in the hours and minutes.

DRAFT
DRAFT

Teacher
Questionnaire
Grade 4 Teacher
Questionnaire

18

4

6

A. How many students need remedial instruction
in reading?
_____________fourth-grade students in this class

Write in a number.

When you have reading instruction and/or do
reading activities with the students, how
do you use the following resources?
Check one circle for each line.
Basis for instruction
Supplement

B. How many of the students in #4A receive
remedial instruction in reading?
_____________students

Write in a number.

5
A. Is there any provision for advanced readers to
receive additional or more challenging reading
instruction in your school?
Check one circle only.

Yes --- O
No --- O

(If No, go to #6)

If Yes,
B. How many students receive additional or more
challenging reading instruction because they are
advanced readers?
_____________fourth-grade students in this class

Not used

a) Textbooks ---------------------- O

O

O

b) Reading series (e.g.,
basal readers,
graded readers) ---------------- O

O

O

c) Workbooks or
worksheets -------------------- O

O

O

d) A variety of children’s books
(e.g., novels, collections of
stories, nonfiction) ------------ O

O

O

e) Materials from different
curricular areas ---------------- O

O

O

f) Children’s newspapers
and/or magazines ------------- O

O

O

g) Computer software for
reading instruction (e.g.,
Internet, CD, DVD) ------------- O

O

O

h) Reference matierials (e.g.,
encyclopedia, dictionary) ----- O

O

O

Write in a number.

29

Grade 4 Teacher
Teacher Questionnaire

DRAFT
DRAFT

7

8
When you have reading instruction and/or do
reading activities with the students, how often
do you have the students read the following
types of text (in print or electronically)?

When you have reading instruction and/or do
reading activities with the students, how often
do you do the following?
Check one circle for each line.

Check one circle for each line.

Every day or almost every day

Every or almost every day

Once or twice a week

Once or twice a week

Once or twice a
month

Once or twice a
month
Never or
almost
never

A. Literary Reading Materials
a) Short stories (e.g., fables,
fairy tales, action stories,
science fiction,
detective stories) -------------- O

a) Read aloud to the class -------- O
b) Ask students to read aloud

O

O O

O
c) Plays --------------------------- O O
d) Other --------------------------- O O

O O
O O
O O

b) Longer fiction books with
chapters ------------------------ O

B. Informational Reading
Materials
a) Nonfiction subject area
books or textbook ------------- O

O

O O

b) Longer nonfiction books with
chapters ------------------------ O

O

O O

c) Nonfiction articles that
describe and explain about
things, people, events, or
how things work -------------- O

O

O O

DRAFT
DRAFT

Never or
almost
never

O
--- O O

O O
O O

c) Ask students to read silently
on their own ------------------- O

O

O O

d) Give students time to read
books of their own choosing -- O

O

O O

e) Teach students strategies for
decoding sounds and words -- O

O

O O

f) Teach students new
vocabulary systematically ----- O

O

O O

g) Teach or model skimming
or scanning strategies --------- O

O

O O

Teacher
Questionnaire
Grade 4 Teacher
Questionnaire

103

9

10
How often do you ask the students to do the
following things to help develop reading
comprehension skills or strategies?

After students have read something, how often do
you ask them to do the following?
Check one circle for each line.

Check one circle for each line.

Every day or almost every day

Every day or almost every day

Once or twice a week

Once or twice a week

Once or twice a
month

Once or twice a
month
Never or
almost
never

a) Locate information within
the text ------------------------ O
b) Identify the main ideas
of what they have read -------- O
c) Explain or support their
understanding of what they
have read ---------------------- O

411

O
O
O

O O
O O
O O

d) Compare what they have
read with experiences they
have had ----------------------- O

O

O O

e) Compare what they have
read with other things they
have read ---------------------- O

O

O O

f) Make predictions about
what will happen next in the
text they are reading ---------- O

O

O O

g) Make generalizations and
draw inferences based on
what they have read ----------- O

O

O O

h) Describe the style or
structure of the text they
have read ---------------------- O

O

O O

i) Determine the author’s
perspective or intention ------- O

O

O O

Grade 4 Teacher Questionnaire

Never or
almost
never

a) Write something about or
in response to what they
have read ---------------------- O

O

O O

b) Answer oral questions
about or orally summarize
what they have read ----------- O

O

O O

c) Talk with each other about
what they have read ----------- O

O

O O

d) Take a written quiz or test
about what they have read ---- O

O

O O

DRAFT
DRAFT

Computer and Library Resources

11

12

A. Do the fourth-grade students in the PIRLS
class have computer(s) available to use
during their reading lessons?

A. Do you have a library or reading corner in your
classroom?
Check one circle only.

Yes --- O
No --- O

Yes --- O
No --- O

(If No, go to #12)

If Yes,

(If No, go to #13)

If Yes,

B. Do any of the computers have access to
the Internet?

B. About how many titles are in your classroom
library?

Check one circle only.

Check one circle for each line.

Yes --- O

0-25

No --- O

26-50
51-100

C. How often do you have students do the following
computer activities?
Check one circle for each line.
Every day or almost every day
Once or twice a week
Once or twice a
month
Never or
almost
never

a) Look up information ----------- O

O

O O

b) Read stories or other texts
on the computer --------------- O

O

O O

c) Use instructional software
to develop reading skills
and strategies ----------------- O

O

O O

d) Use the computer to
write stories or other texts ---- O

O

O O

More than
100

a) Books -------------------------- O

O

O O

b) Magazines (count each
title only once) ---------------- O

O

O O

C. How often do you give the students in your
class time to use the classroom library or
reading corner?
Check one circle only.

Every day or almost every day -- O
Once or twice a week --- O
Once or twice a month --- O
Never or almost never --- O
D. Can the students borrow books from the classroom
library or reading corner to take home?
Check one circle only.

Yes --- O
No --- O

DRAFT
DRAFT

Teacher
Questionnaire
Grade 4 Teacher
Questionnaire

125

Reading Homework

13

Questions 14-16 ask about homework for the
fourth-grade students in this class.

How often do you take or send the students to a
library other than your classroom library?
Check one circle only.

At least once or twice a week --- O

14
How often do you assign reading as part of
homework (for any subject)?

Once or twice a month --- O
A few times a year --- O

Check one circle only.

Never or almost never --- O

I do not assign reading
for homework --- O

(Go to #17)

Less than once a week --- O
1 or 2 times a week --- O
3 or 4 times a week --- O
Every day --- O

15
In general, how much time do you expect students
to spend on homework involving reading (for any
subject) each time you assign it?
Check one circle only.

15 minutes or less --- O
16-30 minutes --- O
31-60 minutes --- O
More than 60 minutes --- O

16
How often do you do the following with the reading
homework assignments for this class?
Check one circle for each line.
Always or almost always
Sometimes
Never or
almost never

613

Grade 4 Teacher
Teacher Questionnaire

a) Correct assignments and give
feedback to students ---------- O

O

O

b) Discuss the homework
in class ------------------------- O

O

O

c) Monitor whether or not the
homework was completed ---- O

O

O
DRAFT
DRAFT

Reading Difficulties

Assessing Reading

Questions 17-18 ask about how you deal with
reading difficulties of fourth-grade students
in this class.

19
How much emphasis do you place on the
following sources to monitor students’
progress in reading?
Check one circle for each line.
Major emphasis

17

Some emphasis

Are the following resources available to you to work
with students who have difficulty with reading?
Check one circle for each line.
Always
Sometimes
Never

a) A specialized professional
(e.g., reading specialist,
speech therapist) -------------- O

O
b) A teacher-aide ----------------- O O
c) An adult/parent volunteer ---- O O

O
O
O

Little or no
emphasis

a) Evaluation of students’
ongoing work ------------------ O

O

O

b) Classroom tests (for
example, teacher-made
or textbook tests) -------------- O

O

O

c) State or District
achievement tests ------------- O

O

O

18
What do you usually do if a student begins to fall
behind in reading?
Check one circle for each line.
Yes
No

a) I have the student work with a specialized
professional (e.g., reading specialist,
speech therapist) -------------------------------- O

O

b) I wait to see if performance improves with
maturation --------------------------------------- O

O

c) I spend more time working on reading
individually with that student ------------------ O

O

d) I ask the parents to help the student
with reading ------------------------------------- O

O

DRAFT
DRAFT

Teacher
Questionnaire
Grade 4 Teacher
Questionnaire

147

Education in Teaching Reading

20

22
As part of your formal education and/or training, to
what extent did you study the following areas?
Check one circle for each line.
Not at all
Overview or introduction
to topic
It was an area
of emphasis

a) English ------------------------- O
b) Pedagogy/teaching reading -- O
c) Educational psychology ------- O
d) Remedial reading -------------- O
e) Reading theory ---------------- O
f) Special education -------------- O
g) Second language learning ---- O

O
O
O
O
O
O
O

O
O
O
O
O
O
O

For your professional development, about how
often do you read children’s books?
Check one circle only.

At least once a week --- O
Once or twice a month --- O
Once or twice a year --- O
Never or almost never --- O

21
In the past two years, how many hours in total have
you spent in in-service/professional development
workshops or seminars that dealt directly with
reading or teaching reading (e.g., reading theory,
instructional methods)?
Check one circle only.

None --- O
Less than 6 hours --- O
6-15 hours --- O
16-35 hours --- O
More than 35 hours --- O

815

Grade 4 Teacher Questionnaire

DRAFT
DRAFT

Thank You
Thank you for the thought, time, and effort you have
put into completing this questionnaire.

TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center
Lynch School of Education, Boston College
timssandpirls.bc.edu

DRAFT

PIRLS 2011
Field Test Version

Teacher
Questionnaire
Grade 4

©2010
International Association
for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement