For students in Year 3, 5, 7, and 9, the NAPLAN test measures their literacy and numeracy abilities once a year. Every year, the exam is administered during the second week of May.
From 2023 NAPLAN test time is changing:
- The NAPLAN tests will move to Term 1.
- In 2023, NAPLAN will be held from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March.
NAPLAN’s main objective is a way to test and measure whether all children receive high-quality education, not to assign students a pass or fail grade. Recognize that it isn’t the end of tests even if there will undoubtedly be some anxiety building up to it.
Instead, NAPLAN can assist you in determining your child’s level and assist them in modifying their course of study or other aspects of their ongoing education.
NAPLAN: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
The Education Council established NAPLAN (National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy) in 2008. It reflects the council’s two main objectives:
- to encourage students’ learning excellence across all states and territories.
- to help Australian students become successful, knowledgeable, and productive individuals
It is used to measure the quality and advancement of education throughout the entire nation. The government and academic institutions can establish academic policies, curricula, interventions, and teaching practises with the support of NAPLAN, which provides essential information.
Additionally, NAPLAN assists in creating age-appropriate learning benchmarks that assist teachers in identifying where a kid requires additional support. At the national and school levels, comprehensive and comparable results reports are offered. Over time, this could help improve a student’s performance. Additionally, it holds the government, schools, and teachers accountable.
The Exam and Its Evaluation
NAPLAN tests the student’s general English and Maths skills rather than the school’s curriculum or syllabus. It assesses their capacity for practical learning, including their capability for problem-solving, time management, comprehension, and test navigation.
The NAPLAN scale has 10 bands, with scores ranging from 0 to 1000. (1-10). A range of raw scores that are comparable to a NAPLAN scale score are indicated by these bands. The score equivalence tables can be used to evaluate student performance.
Additionally, their proficiency levels are evaluated using a scale that is constant over time. For instance, a writing score of 800 will mean the same thing in 2015 and 2022.
How to Get Ready for NAPLAN
Few individuals are aware of what the NAPLAN test comprises because the test’s substance is unique. But to get a good idea of the NAPLAN test, check the previous exam papers. It assesses pupils’ fundamental academic skills in the following areas:
- Reading
Reading tests a student’s ability to understand the written text. Additionally, it investigates how they comprehend text and digest information.
The reading of publications with a variety of writing styles is required of the students. The students are given a separate booklet in which to respond to inquiries about the text.
– Encourage the students to develop a habit of reading books or educational publications.
– Ask the students to interpret and explain passages from books.
– Inquire specifically about what they are reading. Their ability to understand and comprehend ideas.
– Get ready with reading drills and past test papers.
- Language (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation)
The use of language tools and fundamental literacy abilities are evaluated on this test. In order to read and write proficiently in English, several tools are used. The test determines whether the student consistently adheres to grammar, spelling, and punctuation requirements.
– Clarify, edit, and diligently practise grammar concepts. For instance, using the correct tenses and active or passive voice.
– Teach students new words and insist that they use them in everyday interactions. This will gradually increase their vocabulary.
– Describe the significance of punctuation marks and how they affect sentence construction.
- Writing
Writing assessments look at the student’s abilities in the two genres of persuasive and narrative writing. On the day of the NAPLAN test, a prompt is given. The kind of text the student must write is determined by it.
Ten criteria—audience, text structure, ideas, vocabulary, cohesion, paragraphing, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling—are used to grade each genre of writing.
The tenth criteria varies between the two types. Tests of narrative writing Explain the differences between the two types of writing styles in great detail. Persuasive writing evaluates Persuasive Devices.
– Equally practise the two different text formats. For practice, suggest arbitrary or sample prompts.
– Select a guiding structure for the essay. An example would be introduction-body-conclusion.
– Assisting the student in concentrating on writing details like audience, coherence, and ideas.
- Numeracy
The student’s proficiency in mathematics is examined in this area. Three areas of mathematics are involved: number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability.
The test has two different kinds of questions: constructed replies and multiple choice. The test does, however, also contain technologically advanced questions on the online edition. Analysis is done of reasoning and problem-solving ability. Evaluation also takes into consideration fluency and a fundamental comprehension of the subjects.
– Make sure students’ Maths skills are in line with the numeracy standards for their grade.
– As Maths skills are built on gradually, work to solidify your child’s foundation in the subject. Before moving on to new topics, address any questions they may have regarding earlier ones.
– Math skills can be improved by lots of practice. Studying the past NAPLAN test papers is always a good idea.
How to ace the NAPLAN Exam
- Keep the student relaxed. The goal of the test is to raise student performance, not to lower it as a result of unnecessary anxiety.
- Overpreparation can have a negative impact on a student’s grades. Do not encourage the students to cram or practise nonstop.
- Make sure they are aware of the criteria and test framework particular to each domain.
- Encourage them to use the online samples and past NAPLAN test questions to prepare.
- Consult the teachers and tutors to determine their areas of strength and weakness. This will enable them to plan accordingly.
- Find a tutor to assist them in successfully taking the test. An English tutor or Maths tutor can improve their understanding of the questions and help them improve their time-management abilities.
- Make sure the student understands the test’s purpose. It’s critical that students avoid making results comparisons because doing so can damage their self-esteem. Instead, help students develop a sense of self-assurance.
NAPLAN plays a crucial role in a student’s study journey. It offers priceless information on your child’s abilities. You can tell as a parent where your child is doing well and where they need more support. It aims to build students’ literacy and maths skills for life.
Do you want your child to achieve their full academic potential on the NAPLAN test? To find out more about how Masterclass English College’s English tutors may assist, get in touch with us today.