INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 05,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 517
WAYS TO DEVELOP READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS IN PRIMARY
SCHOOL STUDENTS
Majidov Jahongir Fazliddin ugli
majidovjahongir2000@gmail.com
Master’s Student at the University of Economics and Pedagogy
Abstract:
This article discusses ways to develop the skills of understanding and
comprehension of the text in primary school students. The author emphasizes the importance
of taking into account the age and psychological characteristics of students in this process, as
well as the effective use of various methods and techniques. Methods for developing students'
thinking through interactive approaches such as contextual understanding, identifying the
main idea, question-and-answer, and role-playing games when working on the text are
considered. The article also provides recommendations for improving the level of
understanding of the text by forming independent thinking and teaching students to logical
analysis.
Keywords:
informational text, PIRLS study, comparison, logical analysis, question-and-
answer method, self-development, innovative methods, anonymous questionnaire, TIMMS
and PISA programs.
Annatatsiya:
Ushbu maqolada boshlangʻich sinf oʻquvchilarida matnni tushunish va anglash
koʻnikmasini shakllantirish yoʻllari yoritilgan. Muallif bu jarayonda o‘quvchilarning yosh va
psixologik xususiyatlarini hisobga olish, turli metod va usullardan samarali foydalanish
muhimligini ta’kidlaydi. Matn ustida ishlashda kontekst asosida tushunish, asosiy g‘oyani
aniqlash, savol-javob, rolli o‘yinlar kabi interaktiv yondashuvlar orqali o‘quvchilarning
tafakkurini rivojlantirish usullari ko‘rib chiqiladi. Maqolada, shuningdek, o‘quvchilarning
mustaqil fikrlashini shakllantirish va mantiqiy tahlil qilishga o‘rgatish orqali ularning matnni
anglash darajasini oshirishga doir tavsiyalar ham berilgan.
Kalit so‘zlar:
informatsion matn, PIRLS tadqiqoti, taqqoslash, mantiqiy tahlil, savol-javob
metodi, o’z–o’zidan rivojlantirish, innovatsion usullar, anonim so’rovnoma, TIMMS va
PISA dasturlari
Аннотация:
В данной статье освещены способы формирования навыков понимания и
осмысления текста у учеников начальных классов. Автор подчеркивает важность учета
возрастных и психологических особенностей учащихся, а также эффективного
использования различных методов и подходов в этом процессе. В работе
рассматриваются методы развития мышления учащихся через интерактивные подходы,
такие как понимание текста в контексте, выделение основной идеи, вопросы-ответы,
ролевые игры. Также в статье представлены рекомендации по улучшению уровня
понимания текста у учащихся через развитие их самостоятельного мышления и
обучение логическому анализу.
Ключевые слова:
информационный текст, исследование PIRLS, сравнение,
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 05,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 518
логический анализ, метод вопросов и ответов, саморазвитие, инновационные методы,
анонимные анкеты, программы TIMMS и PISA.
In the coming years, the development of science and technology, the increasing need
for young people to acquire knowledge, and the coherence and complexity of the topics in
textbooks have made the reform of education a fundamental direction of state policy.
In particular, cooperation between the State Inspection for the Control of Education Quality
under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the International
Cooperation and Development Organization has enabled participation in an international
program for assessing students' literacy. Today, a new monitoring system based on
international assessment programs is being developed to evaluate and compare the quality of
education in our country. Studying international experiences in evaluating education quality,
comparing and comprehensively analyzing the existing system, working closely with
international and foreign organizations, agencies, and scientific research institutions in the
relevant field, introducing international projects for evaluating education quality, and
improving the national evaluation system to meet modern requirements have become some of
the key tasks today.
Accordingly, the National Center for International Research on Education Quality Evaluation
was established under the State Inspection for the Control of Education Quality under the
Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan based on the decree number 997 of the
Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated December 8, 2018, on "Measures
for Organizing International Research on Education Quality Evaluation in the Public
Education System." On January 25, a first official meeting was held between Ulugbek
Tashkenbayev, head of the State Inspection for the Control of Education Quality, and Andrea
Netton, Director of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational
Achievement (IEA) in Amsterdam, regarding Uzbekistan's participation in the PIRLS-2021
assessment system. The initiative for Uzbekistan's participation in the 2021 research of the
PIRLS program was warmly welcomed by the IEA organization, and they emphasized that
all necessary support and recommendations would be provided. Uzbekistan’s participation in
this research will not only improve the quality of education but also strengthen the country's
international reputation and bring students’ knowledge to the level of international standards.
The PIRLS project is created under the auspices of the International Association for the
Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Chestnut Hill (Massachusetts, USA), Boston
College is responsible for organizing international research. The preparation of tasks for
international research is carried out at the data center in Hamburg, Germany.
PIRLS is an international assessment system that evaluates the reading comprehension and
understanding levels of primary school students in various countries. This study is conducted
periodically every five years, and so far, it has been conducted five times: in 2001, 2006,
2011, 2016, and 2021. Uzbekistan participated in the 2021 study and ranked 49th with 437
points, which is an average score. It is worth mentioning that neighboring Kazakhstan ranked
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 05,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 519
38th with 504 points in the 2021 study. PIRLS allows for evidence-based decision-making to
improve reading education.
Countries use PIRLS for the following purposes:
To track trends in educational achievement at the global level.
To monitor the impact of new or revised education policies.
To identify weaknesses in the education system and implement reforms.
To improve teaching and learning by researching and analyzing PIRLS data.
To monitor fairness or conduct additional assessments in classrooms.
This helps ensure that students, starting from the primary grades, acquire essential life skills
and are able to compete in the global workforce.
The PIRLS assessment evaluates two broad objectives related to primary school students’
reading and extracurricular reading: "gaining literary experience" and "acquiring and using
information." Each of these objectives combines four types of understanding processes,
evaluating students' ability to read both literary and informational texts in four categories:
Focusing attention and finding specific information.
Making direct inferences.
Evaluating and criticizing content and text elements.
Interpreting and synthesizing ideas and information.
The complexity of texts in the study varies, with countries with lower reading literacy
typically using texts with 400-500 words, while texts for other countries range from 500 to
800 words. The selected texts for PIRLS research are chosen specifically to be culturally
neutral, so they are suitable for students of any nationality.
In PIRLS, the reading literacy levels are described as follows:
Highest level (625 points and above): Students can understand the text as a whole and
relate its parts. They can reference the text to support their interpretations.
High level (550 points): Students understand the key messages of the text, make
inferences based on it, and assess both the content and form of the text.
Intermediate level (475 points): Students can extract information from the text and
make conclusions based on it using some features of the text’s form and language.
Lowest level (400 points): Students can identify clear information and easily
distinguish the main message.
The results of the research are assessed qualitatively and quantitatively based on the
following system:
-
Correct answers in the multiple-choice format are worth 1 point.
-
Correct answers related to topic sequencing are worth 1 point.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 05,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 520
-
Open-ended tasks are scored between 1 to 3 points depending on the task’s
complexity.
Not all students participate in the study; rather, a sample of 4th-grade students from
representative groups undergo objective testing. Anonymous surveys are also conducted with
school principals, teachers, students, and even parents to examine factors that affect the
quality of education.
Meeting the international evaluation program standards is one of the key demands of modern
education. To achieve this, we must accept and convey changes in the teaching system for
primary school students and prepare them for life skills. If we look at the increasingly
popular Finnish education system, the main goal is to prepare students for life, not just for
exams or tests. The reason behind Finland’s high performance in international evaluation
programs is their focus on life preparation. Similarly, it is not an exaggeration to say that
good results in PIRLS will pave the way for success in TIMSS and PISA programs.
Achieving this goal depends on our collective efforts.
In the teaching process, it is essential to foster critical (creative) and critical (analytical)
thinking in students, enabling them to express their ideas freely. Engaging parents in this
process and helping them understand the importance of raising independent thinkers is
crucial. In the classroom, focusing on texts and working individually with students will allow
each child to develop their own unique ideas and express themselves confidently.
One of the stories included in the 4th-grade reading literacy book, written by Muhabbat
Hamidova, is titled "The Revenge of the Bee," which we will analyze. After introducing the
students to the story, we will discuss its content and artistic features. To assess the students’
comprehension and opinions, we will use both open and closed tests.
1. Who are the main characters of the story?
A) Zamira Buvi
B) Doctors
C) Sardor and O’tkir
2. Which tree did O’tkir shelter under?
A) Tull tree
B) Mulberry tree
C) Apricot tree
3. Why do you think the locusts ignored Sardor and chased after O’tkir?
4. What is the flight of the locusts compared to?
A) A leaf
B) An airplane
C) A helicopter
5. What would you have done if you were in Sardor’s position?
6. Who told Sardor about the events that happened?
A) Doctors
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 05,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 521
B) Zamira Buvi
C) Village children
7. Who noticed that O’tkir was lying unconscious?
A) Rahima Opa
B) Zamira Buvi
C) The guard
8. How do you interpret the statement “After all, they are also children of nature”?
9. Why did O’tkir become worried when he went to the field?
A) He saw a bee that had been sleeping in the meadow
B) His cow ran away
C) His hand was bleeding
10. Why is the story titled "The Revenge of the Bee"?
In reading literacy lessons, using such tests for each topic can not only spark students' interest
but also improve their learning outcomes. Moreover, using both oral and written closed tests
can help develop students’ thinking abilities and allow them to express their positive opinions
about the changes happening in the environment. At the same time, we will eliminate various
flaws in students' speech. First and foremost, students need to be able to imagine the events
happening in the text during the reading process. This will help the student avoid difficulties
in analyzing the text, prevent the events from slipping their mind, and allow them to offer
thoughts based on their own experiences, assuming the roles of the characters. This will lay
the foundation for students' future reading and thinking abilities. The primary goal of the
international PIRLS assessment program is: in addition to understanding textual information,
being able to express their opinions based on the text. In conclusion, it is important to
increase their interest, connect the text to real-life experiences, and create an environment for
expressing opinions. Through the right approach, students will not only be able to read the
text but also analyze, understand, and freely express their thoughts, which will naturally
develop as a result.
References:
1. Decree No. 997 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, dated
December 8, 2018, regarding "Measures to organize international research in the field of
evaluating education quality in the national education system."
2. “Assessment of Reading Literacy of Primary School Students in International
Researches” (Methodical manual for primary school teachers, methodologists, and field
specialists) Tashkent, 2019.
3. Mamatova G.A. “Methods of organizing and evaluating students' analysis of reading in
primary school classes.” Methodological Manual. – Tashkent: 2006. – 95 pages.
4. Mirqosimova M. “Foundations of shaping and improving students' literary analysis
skills.” Monograph. – Tashkent: Fan, 2006. – 112 pages.
5. "Reading Literacy" for 4th grade: Textbook for General Secondary Education Schools, U.
Aydarova, N. Azizova – Tashkent: Novda Edutainment, 2023. 80 pages.
