Naplan - how hard is this?

[i-need-a-martini]

I have been trying to help my daughter plan and study for Year 7 Naplan and I give up!

The reading task is so complicated and the maths is impossible for me. The latter I can understand as maths isn't my strong point but reading and comprehension is something I have always been good at.

I can only suggest that my daughter (who has a learning difficulty) do what she can but I suspect most of her pages will be blank!

Anyone elses kids doing Year 7 Naplan at the moment?

[raptor_rebooted]

What some posters seem to have missed, is that Martinis daughter has a learning disability and struggles with tests.

the op asked how hard was naplan.

it doesn't appear to be hard. 

from the examples - most are multiple

choice questions or short answers.

[raptor_rebooted]

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@j*oono wrote:

Not in primary school Julia.  Most tests are pop tests with no prior warning.

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i think the idea of this national literacy

and numeracy assessment is that all 

students participate.  i'm not sure if it

would be possible to not have a set date.

[j*oono]

Yes of course.  One that the schools and teachers know about only.  Any absentees could be offered a chance to sit the exam when they return to school.

[raptor_rebooted]

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@j*oono wrote:

Yes of course.  One that the schools and teachers know about only.  Any absentees could be offered a chance to sit the exam when they return to school.

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probably not a bad idea. 

that way all children would have to 

do the test rather than parents keeping

them away from school on the day of 

the test.

[k0llectable5]

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@siggie-reported-by-alarmists wrote:

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@secondhand-wonderland wrote:

My kids love doing Naplan and have always done well in it.

Your kids would have to be the only kids in Australia who "love" doing Naplan.  

Yes test them on what they are learning but these tests are not related to what they have been learning in the classroom. (Thats why it stresses kids)  It's more about "trying" to determine how well the school is educating the children.  

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  The students should be learning these things in the classrooms......that's why they go to school.

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Agreed, so what I should have said is the Naplan tests are not necessarily related to what the students are learning at the time. Thats why it can be stressful for kids because some of the content could be about concepts that they havent yet covered in class.  

The fact is Naplan only covers language conventions, reading, numeracy and writing. Just another way to teach kids what to think when they should be concentating more on teaching kids how to think (jmo)

[raptor_rebooted]

regarding the issue of children with 

disabilities - op - have you looked at

naplan website?  

http://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/school-support/adjustments-for-students-with-disability/adjustments-for...

[daydream**believer]

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@polksaladallie wrote:

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@daydream**believer wrote:

My kids love doing Naplan and have always done well in it.

My daughter is doing Yr 9 Naplan this week

We did tests when i was in school and i dont believe it hurts kids to do tests now.

I think if these tests cause so much stress for some kids, then that shows that they should be doing even more tests in the classrooms.

Whats the issue with learning something and then being tested on how well you learnt it?

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Naplan is not a test of students and how well they have learned.  It is a test of the teachers and how well they have taught.

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If only it was due to bad teachers thats kids are not getting an education.

Yes, in some cases that it true but, there are also plenty of ratbag kids out there who do nothing at school and either their parents are also ratbags or just wont accept that their child is a ratbag

[daydream**believer]

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@secondhand-wonderland wrote:

My kids love doing Naplan and have always done well in it.

Your kids would have to be the only kids in Australia who "love" doing Naplan.  

Yes test them on what they are learning but these tests are not related to what they have been learning in the classroom. (Thats why it stresses kids)  It's more about "trying" to determine how well the school is educating the children.  

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Rubbish.

There are plenty of kids who really like doing tests.

Of course the tests are related to what they are learning. Apart from the last few questions which are harder

[daydream**believer]

Well daughter did her Day 1 of Naplan today. She enjoyed it.

She did notice there were quite a few girls who had been given notes from parents not to do the tests though.

One of my daughters friends sat out. Her Mum says she does not believe in testing her children.

Yeh, great thinking Mum. Guess the daughter wont be doing any exams in school, or going to University or getting a drivers licence....etc

Daughter said no boys sat out of the test.

One of daughters other friends said she guesses the answers randomly. That way if she goes bad, she knows why.

Sheesh

[k0llectable5]

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@daydream**believer wrote:

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@secondhand-wonderland wrote:

My kids love doing Naplan and have always done well in it.

Your kids would have to be the only kids in Australia who "love" doing Naplan.  

Yes test them on what they are learning but these tests are not related to what they have been learning in the classroom. (Thats why it stresses kids)  It's more about "trying" to determine how well the school is educating the children.  

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Rubbish.

There are plenty of kids who really like doing tests.

Of course the tests are related to what they are learning. Apart from the last few questions which are harder

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That I'm sorry is wishful thinking on your part.  Majority of kids cannot stand doing Naplan tests. The ones who "really like" doing them would be in a very small minority.  The tests are generalised, there may be some aspects which are related to what they are learning but the majority is not.  Naplan has political not educational purposes, the error margins are too big to be an accurate indication of where the child is at, the tests are not diagnostic tests so therefore cannot inform teaching or be used to accurately  track student progress. They only cover a very small part of the curiculum, they have a negative impact on a childs attitude to learning, cost millions of dollars which could be better spent and honestly as a parent if you really want to know how your child is progressing go and have a chat with their teacher, they will be more than happy to spend some time with you explaining how your child is progressing and what you can do to help their learning.