2021 NAPLAN Parent Talk - Eagle Junction State School

2021 NAPLAN Parent Talk

What is NAPLAN?
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an
annual national assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9.
All students in these year levels are expected to participate in tests in
Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation)
and Numeracy.
Purpose of the Tests
The NAPLAN tests are designed to assess the skills of Australian students in
literacy and numeracy. The specific purposes are:
•to collect data from the population of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students for
reporting to parents/carers and schools for systematic reporting
•to accommodate the assessment of students against national minimum
standards.
•To provide schools, states and territories with information about how
education programs are working and which areas need to be prioritised for
improvement.

What is Tested?
A series of tests will assess areas of literacy and numeracy.
The following areas of literacy are assessed:
•          Language conventions - spelling, grammar and punctuation
•          Writing - knowledge and control of written language
•          Reading - comprehension.
As in other years, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be required to respond to a stimulus in the
NAPLAN Writing test. Students are asked to write a response to the task in a maximum of three
pages.
The response formats for questions on all other test papers will be either multiple choice (shade
a bubble to indicate the answer) or constructed response (write the answer in a box or on a line).

In numeracy, the content areas assessed are:
•          Number
•          Measurement, chance and data
•          Space
•          Algebra, function and pattern.

NAPLAN assesses a student’s ability to apply their learning and is therefore a test of skill rather
than a test of learned content knowledge.

Assessment and Reporting
Results from the tests will provide information about
children's progress in literacy and numeracy. Following
the tests, schools and students will receive a statement
of performance in relation to the national minimum
standards.

NAPLAN tests are one aspect of the school’s
assessment and reporting process, and do not replace
the extensive, ongoing formative and summative
assessments made by teachers about each student’s
performance.

2021 Time of Testing
Tuesday 11 May       Wednesday 12 May     Thursday 13 May      Friday 14 May
Official test date   Official test date   Official test date   Catch up tests
                                                               permitted

Language             Reading              Numeracy
conventions          Year 3: 45 min       Year 3: 45 min
Year 3: 45 min       Year 5: 50 min       Year 5: 50 min
Year 5: 45 min

 Writing
Year 3: 40 min
Year 5: 40 min

Writing – Persuasive Text
Writing: students write a persuasive text in response to a given
stimulus. They are assessed on the quality and organisation of
ideas, structuring of sentences and use of correct spelling and
punctuation.

Writing – Narrative Text
Writing: students write a narrative text, a story, in response to a
given stimulus. They are assessed on the quality and
organisation of ideas, structuring of sentences and use of correct
spelling and punctuation.

Language Conventions
Language Conventions: students
identify and correct spelling errors and
answer questions on aspects of
grammar and punctuation.

Examples of test can be found at
https://www.acara.edu.au/assess
         ment/naplan

How is the school preparing my
         child for NAPLAN?
• We are preparing students for NAPLAN at school
  through good quality teaching.
• All teachers “own” NAPLAN. Prep to Year 6.
• Children are engaged in Test Wiseness activities at
  school. The aim of these activities is for students to
  be familiar with test instructions and common forms
  of questions.
• Adequate preparation ensures that students feel
  comfortable in the testing environment and are able
  to confidently demonstrate what they know and can
  do.

How can I help my child prepare
            for NAPLAN?
▪ Focus on doing their best.
▪ Validate your child’s feelings if they’re feeling nervous, tell them that it’s
  normal to feel a little nervous. Listen to any of their concerns.
▪ Give them some relaxation ideas.
▪ Give them a good breakfast on each of the assessment days.
▪ Be positive when asking your child how the test went. If you act worried,
  your anxiety will be noticed.
▪ Treat the test as just one component of your child’s educational
  achievements.
▪ Make sure your child’s sleeping and waking schedule is regular in the days
  leading up to and during the assessment period.
Above all have a positive view of NAPLAN – a positive
caring attitude is the best thing you can do to support
your child.

Where can I get more information?
For more information about NAPLAN:
• visit National Assessment Program
www.nap.edu.au
• visit QCAA www.qcaa.qld.edu.au

PLEASE REMEMBER