Whether it is helpful or stressful for school students and teachers across Australia sparks passionate debate. But for now, NAPLAN is here to stay.
New research from an Australian Catholic University (ACU) researcher says that Australia’s National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has strayed from its original purpose by insidiously infiltrating everyday teaching and learning practices – and that’s something that is having an impact on the workload of over-stretched and stressed teachers across the country.
While initially intended to identify students below minimum standards for literacy and numeracy and to target funding based on need, the research found this social justice and equity position has instead been overshadowed by NAPLAN’s impact on school decisions and classroom practices.
Lead researcher Dr Rafaan Daliri-Ngametua, of ACU’s School of Education, said the high-stakes test had become so embedded in teaching and learning programs and school-level decision making, it was difficult to distinguish between teaching work and NAPLAN-oriented teaching work.
“Greater accountability and data visibility of NAPLAN results has led to it covertly shaping everything from staff and resource allocation to curriculum decisions and teaching priorities,” Dr Daliri-Ngametua said.
Stressed teachers face NAPLAN preparation now
And with the testing now moved forward to March 2024, teachers who are forced to deal with the impact NAPLAN has on their teaching need to start planning now.
For already overworked teachers, adding to that end-of-year workload can seem overwhelming. EducationDaily spoke to edtech and Australian Curriculum specialist from Education Perfect Kelly Hollis on how teachers can reduce their workload while also helping kids achieve the best possible results.
Top tips to help teachers prepare for NAPLAN and help kids improve their results
NAPLAN tips for students:
- Engage in consistent practice and revision
- Complete practice tests to get familiar with the format and types of questions
- Regular practice with timed writing tasks can enhance your ability to think and write quickly
- Familiarise yourself with various writing genres as NAPLAN assesses different forms of writing
- Seek and act on feedback from your teachers
- Ensure a balanced diet and adequate rest to keep your mind sharp
- Maintain a positive attitude towards the test and do your best
- Start preparing well in advance to reduce stress and anxiety
- Access tools and resources to help you understand and successfully manage your NAPLAN preparation and exams.
Supporting preparation with quality edtech platforms is a proven way, Ms Hollis says, to boost results in several ways:
- Customised learning experiences are tailored to individual needs and learning styles
- Curriculum-aligned resources so that kids can focus on the relevant content
- Practice tests simulate the NAPLAN environment to get students used to the formats and timing
- Immediate feedback helps kids identify where they need to put in the work for improvement
NAPLAN tips for teachers:
- Keep open communication with parents to inform them about the skills being taught and how they can assist with revision
- Develop a calm, relaxed and positive classroom environment – don’t overwhelm kids by making it a big deal
- Use affirmative, positive and encouraging language
- Start preparing students as early as possible
- Practise different ways of asking the same questions so they understand that and get no surprises
- Pay attention to each student’s unique needs and provide targeted support
- Provide practice tests to make students comfortable with the test format
- Provide continuous and constructive feedback to students on their practice tests to help them understand their mistakes and improve
- Regularly practise short, timed writing exercises to build speed and coherence in writing skills
- Familiarise and coach students with different writing genres
- Make sure students are familiar with the structure of NAPLAN tests and the types of questions they can expect
- Teach students how to effectively manage their time during the test, including strategies for different sections
- Cover relaxation and breathing techniques so they can manage their own stress if necessary
- Encourage students to focus on the process of answering questions and developing responses, rather than just the final answer
- Implement tools to deepen students’ understanding of good writing and to assess their work
- Remind them that it’s one test at a time – so they aren’t focused on the big picture
- On the day of the official assessments, make sure that students have the stationery they need, the classroom and setting is prepared so there are no hiccups, and everything is ready to go
Ms Hollis says education technology platforms like Education Perfect support teachers and student in NAPLAN preparation, and boost results by offering tailored learning experiences, curriculum-aligned resources and practice tests with immediate feedback support teachers to support students.
“Data-driven insights allow teachers to track student progress for targeted support in real-time, and more effectively,” she told EducationDaily.
With the current reality – that “NAPLAN has become a dictating force in curriculum development, teaching priorities and resource allocation, making it a troublesome and influential policy driver” – ACU researcher Dr Daliri-Ngametua says enabling performance and policy decisions to be dictated by a narrow measure such as NAPLAN scores “severely inhibits the capacity for educators to do things differently”.
But with Ms Hollis pointing to the way she says technology-based learning offers more engagement for the student – “making the preparation more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone” – educators can, at least explore ways to reduce the NAPLAN stress as long as the testing is in place within Australian schools.
