The Benefit of NAPLAN for Children, Families and Teachers
By Kylie Hitz, NAPLAN Coordinator at Faith
With NAPLAN fast approaching, I wanted to highlight a message to Parents/Guardians and that is, don’t lose sight of the big benefits NAPLAN offers your children, families and teachers across Australia. Remember NAPLAN does not test everything a child knows but it does provide a snapshot of how children are going in areas key to opening up their future opportunities.
Faith staff can target their teaching more effectively when they know where children are starting from. Schools use many different types of assessments but NAPLAN is powerful because it shows how students are travelling against national benchmarks at key year levels. Over time, it shows how much progress students make.
NAPLAN also gives parents an independent view on how their children are going, beyond regular school report cards. If a NAPLAN result throws up a surprise, parents can talk to their child’s teachers about possible new approaches to make sure their child gets the most out of school.
I like the analogy Jordana Hunter uses when talking about NAPLAN. Jordana says, “Perhaps we should think about NAPLAN just like we think about a regular trip to the dentist. Sure, it might not be the event on the calendar that we most look forward to, but the nervous anticipation is generally worse than the check-up itself. And most of us understand that it’s better for the dentist to pick up any problems early so they can put them right before the real pain kicks in down the track.”
Student Feedback
Students feedback about the online tests have been positive, highlighting that they are:
- Quick and easy to complete
- Saved time for a child with poor handwriting/Easier to complete for a child who dislikes writing
- Easier to correct mistakes/no need to rub out answers.
- Ability to flag questions to return to later
- Less anxiety around filling in forms correctly
- A ‘tailored test’ design that adapts to correct and incorrect student responses providing a more precise understanding of student achievement;
- Innovative use of technology, including a more engaging test design and a wider range of item types;
Participation
To assist us with the planning for NAPLAN please complete the following form (One form must be completed per student) to indicate which location your child will be attending.
Visit the NAPLAN Public Demonstration Site. Have a go at the online tests yourselves first, then introduce your child to the platform. Most students find this fun and easy to navigate.
● The Public Demonstration Site also has examples of past NAPLAN tests that you can print off and practise.
● For Years 5, 7 and 9 the writing task will be done on the computer, using a keyboard. It will help if your child practises keyboarding skills ahead of time.
NAPLAN Dates
Wednesday 15 March – Reading and Writing
Friday 17 March – Catch up Day
Friday 24 March – Conventions of Language and Maths
Monday 27 March – Catch up Day