5 Tips to fine tune NAPLAN preparation

5 Tips to Fine Tune NAPLAN Preparation

March 11, 2024

The NAPLAN debate is always re-invigorated at this time every year. The testing window this year has been moved to Term 1 and has added extra navigation for teachers. However, this standardised testing with a national benchmark, gives educators and parents a view into how an individual student is performing amongst their peers (particularly after a couple of disruptive scholastic years). I like to remind parents of the original purpose of NAPLAN – it was to check the temperature of the nation in literacy and numeracy.

When is NAPLAN? All Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are required to sit four separate tests.

Overall, parents and teachers should make certain that kids don’t stress about NAPLAN. Preparation is part of this process and we offer 5 Tips.

1) Know what to expect

As a tutor, I hear from parents that they want strategies to help their children approach the tests. Getting kids acquainted with the type of questions and format is the best method to relieve – not create – anxiety. Past NAPLAN papers: https://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan/naplan-2012-2016-test-papers(note that ACARA does not provide access to past NAPLAN papers published after 2016).

** NAPLAN is online again this year, and our programs Literacy for Kids and Literacy for Boys

familiarise students with reading comprehension passages and practice with their spelling, grammar and punctuation skills.

2) Plan how to use the test time

A common struggle for many students is running out of time in the test! To avoid this, encourage them to look at each component of the test and work out how much time for each section. (This is a bit tricky for younger students so try setting the oven timer at the halfway mark to give them an idea.)

Chat with your child about their strategy for if they get stuck on a certain question. Encourage them to move on and revisit it at the end.

3) Practice brainstorming tactics for the writing topics

The writing section of NAPLAN asks students to write an informative, narrative or persuasive piece of writing. They have to respond to an unseen piece of text or image – many kids struggle with this!

To help improve your child’s writing skills, spend some time with them brainstorming writing topics in response to a practice question.

4) Emphasise the process, not the results

Shift the focus from the results of NAPLAN, to the process. It is an opportunity to improve their ability at taking tests, to learn how to approach and deal with test anxiety, and it’s a chance to list their strengths and work on areas that need improving.

5) Be positive and offer perspective

If your child comes home from the first day of NAPLAN and feels like they have ‘failed’, be encouraging and try and move their focus to the future. Ask them what can they do differently for the next day of NAPLAN to improve. Focus on what they can change, rather than what has happened.

It’s also important to help them gain perspective. NAPLAN is not pass or fail. It is not high-stakes testing. Even if they don’t do well, explore with them what’s the worst that can happen? Let them know that all answers, right or wrong, are valuable as the results will help form the school’s ongoing approach to teaching.

Lastly, we want our young people to obtain strong skills in literacy and numeracy, and to have effective self-management skills to do their best under pressure and time constraints.

Contact us

Looking for a new literacy program for your class or school? Students from Year 3 to 9 wanting extra practice with their comprehension, spelling, grammar and punctuation can enrol in our program. Literacy for Boys.

Latest data from 2023 showed that 100% of a Year 6 cohort improved their reading comprehension ages after using Literacy for Kids. Watch this short clip here ~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRPDZLZ9kuk

Want a literacy program that you can use at home? Here is feedback from one of our parents:

“Your website is wonderful. I am so glad that I discovered it. Our two boys love the topics.” (Amelia)

“The success of this program is the 2-minute grab at the beginning of the literacy activities which grabs their attention. The content is continually being updated and the students get really excited when they see this happen. The text to speech compatibility means that the program is very inclusive of all learners.” (Cathy, teacher at St Augustine’s College)

Feel free to contact us info@literacyforboys.com.au or info@literacyforkids.com.au to enrol for a FREE 2-week trial.