This article is devoted to the topical issue of the modern Kazakhstani education ¬ increasing functional literacy of population. Reading literacy is one of the components of the functional literacy. Our understanding of this literacy domain refers to the methodological guidance of the international comparative studies like PISA and PIAAC. As showcased by the results of the PIAAC-2018, the level of reading literacy of adult population in Kazakhstan, including young people aged 16-24, is low. In this regard, it is important to focus on the development of reading literacy in the process of professional training in universities. This will require developing adequate tools for measuring reading literacy. We approach the measurement and building of reading literacy in students through careful selection of texts and tasks (test items development) paying particular attention to such reading literacy skills as accessing to, understanding, reflection on and evaluation of textual information. The development of reading literacy in students will improves their educational achievements, increases their competitiveness in the labor market, and creates opportunities for improved well-being in community and private life. The authors of this paper developed a theoretical framework for reading literacy assessment on the basis of the methodology of international comparative studies PISA, PIAAC. This paper describes the features of the developed instrument for measuring reading literacy: the principles of text selection, and the methodological framework for test items development.
