tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/naplan-3001/articlesNAPLAN – The Conversation2024-03-06T19:15:26Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2250852024-03-06T19:15:26Z2024-03-06T19:15:26ZNAPLAN testing is about to start. How can you support an anxious child?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580059/original/file-20240306-22-ri320g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C92%2C5582%2C3598&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/search/child%20worried%20school/?orientation=landscape">Jonas Mohamadi/ Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>From March 13, NAPLAN testing for 2024 <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/key-dates">will begin</a>. Over the following two weeks, all Australian students in years 3,5,7 and 9 are expected to sit tests in literacy and numeracy.</p>
<p>Results are then aggregated for schools and other demographics and made public. Students also get their <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-parents-should-and-shouldnt-say-when-talking-to-their-child-about-naplan-results-189636">individual results</a>. </p>
<p>For students in Year 3, this will be their first experience of a formal test. For others, they will be sitting the test among school and <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fvictoria-education%2Fnaplan-scores-reveal-victorias-top-schools%2Fnews-story%2F3f5ba1b091238e8c5dc139ad34740af2&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-1-NOSCORE">media hype</a> about the “importance of NAPLAN”. </p>
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<h2>The NAPLAN debate</h2>
<p>Since it was introduced in 2008, NAPLAN has polarised the community. Some education experts see it as <a href="https://lens.monash.edu/@education/2021/05/10/1383196/learning-from-disruption-why-we-should-rethink-the-place-of-naplan-in-our-schools">counterproductive</a> (with too much emphasis on test performance rather than learning). Others emphasise the <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-things-we-wouldnt-know-without-naplan-94286">importance of the data</a> collected, and how this informs teaching practice and school funding.</p>
<p>One of the prevailing concerns relates to the impact on <a href="https://all-learning.org.au/app/uploads/2021/05/Putting-Students-First_final.pdf">student wellbeing</a>. </p>
<p>While many students do not feel any anxiety, one <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00049441211061889">2022 study</a> of more than 200 high school students found 48% felt worried about what the test would be like and how they would perform. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02680939.2017.1305451?casa_token=rnwVm0381fsAAAAA:Wbz40LeJsRLw80DTQFnecubaRTDck5AM0H6p4tRu6VjwOyIYSdjRFr8GFBwNCLrwpLOZLjGi4R9U">A 2017 study</a> of more than 100 primary students revealed up to 20% of children had a physical response to the test, such as feeling sick, not sleeping well, headaches or crying.</p>
<p>For parents, the stress and anxiety their child experiences in the lead up to NAPLAN can cause them to worry and even <a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-inform-schools-parents-and-policy-but-too-many-kids-miss-the-tests-altogether-201371">withdraw</a> their child from the assessment.</p>
<p>But test anxiety is not inevitable. Here are some simple things parents and teachers can do to support students, not just for this assessment, but into the future. </p>
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<img alt="Two young students sit cross legged in a playground, looking at work books." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580055/original/file-20240306-30-nvuda.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">NAPLAN tests students progress in reading, writing and maths.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-diverse-pupils-studying-lesson-together-while-sitting-in-yard-5896577/">Mary Taylor/ Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-inform-schools-parents-and-policy-but-too-many-kids-miss-the-tests-altogether-201371">NAPLAN results inform schools, parents and policy. But too many kids miss the tests altogether</a>
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<h2>1. Talk about the purpose of the test</h2>
<p>NAPLAN is not just about individual student results and whether you are a “good” at maths or “bad” at reading. It’s about informing teaching and learning. </p>
<p>The results help teachers do their jobs by identifying areas of reading, writing and maths that need more attention. This can help individual students, classes or entire schools.</p>
<p>When the results are collected at state and national levels, they also help tell governments where to put more efforts and funding to help support students. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-australian-students-really-falling-behind-it-depends-which-test-you-look-at-218709">Are Australian students really falling behind? It depends which test you look at</a>
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<h2>2. Talk about how the test is a journey (not a destination)</h2>
<p>Children learn from experience. This enables them to predict what might happen in similar future events. </p>
<p>Talk about NAPLAN as “practice” for future tests. So if you sit NAPLAN test in your younger school years this will help you handle other tests in senior school or maybe even university. </p>
<p>Emphasise that sitting the test is not about a particular outcome or result. It’s about embarking on an experience and learning what it is like to do a standardised tests. In this way, NAPLAN can help students build <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00049441211061889">resilience</a>. </p>
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<img alt="A young girl works at a laptop, with bookcases behind her, lined with books." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580056/original/file-20240306-28-oxcats.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Tests like NAPLAN can help prepare your child for other challenges.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-black-long-sleeve-shirt-using-macbook-4A1pj4_vClA">Annie Spratt/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>3. Teach your child to manage anxiety</h2>
<p>Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to be <a href="https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/ebmental/25/3/135.full.pdf">successful</a> in addressing anxiety symptoms in children. </p>
<p>Mindfulness can teach children to recognise anxiety symptoms such as a fast heart beat, shortness of breath or racing thoughts. By encouraging children to focus on the present moment, mindfulness can help children through improved concentration, better emotional regulation and fostering a sense of calm. </p>
<p>Smiling Mind is an Australian app designed to teach children to be mindful in a developmentally appropriate and guided way. The app is free to download and use. You could sit or lie down with your child and do a “body scan” (where you scan your entire body and notice how it feels) or a listening practice (where you pay attention to the sounds around you). </p>
<p>If your child is experiencing significant test anxiety, such as headaches, tummy pains or a racing heart, there may be more to it than just concerns about NAPLAN. For children aged 12–18, <a href="https://headspace.org.au">Headspace</a> – Australia’s mental health foundation for young people – offers a range of services. </p>
<p>For younger children, or if you are still concerned, speak to your child’s teacher, the school counsellor or your GP.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225085/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rachel Leslie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Next week, Australian schools will begin NAPLAN tests for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.Rachel Leslie, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy with a focus on Educational Psychology, University of Southern QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2178872023-12-13T03:05:44Z2023-12-13T03:05:44ZStandardised testing could be compulsory in NZ primary schools – what can we learn from the past?<p>New Zealand primary and intermediate schools could <a href="https://www.national.org.nz/teaching_the_basics_brilliantly">soon be required</a> to test children’s reading, writing and maths at least twice a year, using a standard template to report results to parents. </p>
<p>The proposal makes up a central part of the National Party’s education policy, but is it the best way to assess student progress? That could depend on how the policy is shaped – and what is done with the test results once they are collected. </p>
<p>But before education minister Erica Sanford completely revamps how students are assessed, she would be wise to learn from Aotearoa New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-standards-are-they-working/TYGFLYLBS343WSLYAZOQAFHGEM/">recent history with primary assessment</a> as well as overseas experience.</p>
<h2>National standards past and present</h2>
<p>Introduced by National in 2010, the <a href="https://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/national-standards">National Standards</a> set out levels all children should reach in reading, writing and maths in each of their first eight years of school. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/national-standards-key-lifting-achievement">promise behind the policy</a> was that it would raise achievement across primary and intermediate schools, a goal it <a href="https://doi.org/10.26686/nzaroe.v22i0.4142">failed to achieve</a>. </p>
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<p><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/primary-school-braces-for-more-bureaucracy/EF64TJHP5LJGXFWMEF7AIWYZRQ/">Primary teachers were quick</a> to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3438282/Key-prefers-to-work-with-rebel-schools">push back</a> against National Standards, worried that students would be <a href="https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/839">labelled based on performance</a> rather than progress.</p>
<p>Some <a href="https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/8394">researchers warned</a> the damage National Standards were doing to school cultures outweighed any gains, while others noted the standards failed to recognise neurodiverse learners and those with socioeconomic barriers. </p>
<p>Labour <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/346011/national-standards-ditched-by-government">scrapped</a> National Standards when it came to power in 2017.</p>
<h2>Overseas experience of standardised testing</h2>
<p>New Zealand will not be the first country to introduce mandatory standardised testing.</p>
<p>In 2007, Australia implemented the National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), promising to <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1017709.pdf">increase transparency and accountability</a> and improve teaching and learning by measuring school performance. The government of the day also said using national data would help disadvantaged school communities lift their performance.</p>
<p>A public website, <a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au/">MySchool</a>, was created in 2008 to collate NAPLAN data. The website meant NAPLAN was evaluating not only students but also schools and teachers. </p>
<p>This approach drew <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304378304_The_performative_politics_of_NAPLAN_and_Myschool">critical commentary</a>, especially given NAPLAN results were seen to <a href="https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v22.1571">indicate school quality</a>. </p>
<p>The publication of results transformed NAPLAN into a high-stakes test, creating <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304378304_The_performative_politics_of_NAPLAN_and_Myschool">pressure and competition</a> between schools.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/teachers-need-a-lot-of-things-right-now-but-another-curriculum-rewrite-isnt-one-of-them-202438">Teachers need a lot of things right now, but another curriculum 'rewrite' isn't one of them</a>
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<p>This pressure led to an intensification of rote learning and “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/43896306?seq=1">teaching to the test</a>”. English and maths squeezed out other subjects as the curriculum narrowed. And it reduced teacher morale, affected their wellbeing and eroded trust in their professional judgement.</p>
<p>In England, standardised assessment tests (<a href="https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/05/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sats/">SATs</a>) have long been embedded in primary schools, with similar outcomes. A government website for the public sharing of results enables parents to “<a href="https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/">compare school and college performance</a>”. </p>
<p>Using test data, successive governments have turned schooling into a marketplace for parents to choose “the best” school. Much like in Australia, this has effectively narrowed the curriculum to just English and maths.</p>
<p>This approach makes sense if you believe comparing schools will raise standards. But the data-driven approach to education is a <a href="https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/curj.202">highly questionable</a> way of understanding child development. And given <a href="https://schoolsweek.co.uk/record-rate-of-teacher-departures-as-40000-leave-sector-last-year/">England’s teacher retention crisis</a>, it does not seem to appeal to teachers.</p>
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<h2>Government should listen before changing the policy</h2>
<p>Notably absent from National’s proposed education policy is an examination of the effects these changes might have on students. </p>
<p>One potential benefit of the policy is a possible <a href="http://psychnet.wustl.edu/memory/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Roediger-Karpicke-2006_PPS.pdf">improvement in students’ long-term retention of information</a> cultivated by regular testing.</p>
<p>Additionally, student performance is <a href="https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/65981/3/CD%202015-229%20Pekrun%20et%20al.%20Emotion%20Achievement%20Prepublication%20Manuscript%20June%202016.pdf">influenced by how they feel</a>, so earlier exposure to standardised testing provides an opportunity for students to gain experience in the process and to become more confident. </p>
<p>Without careful implementation, however, this could have the opposite effect. Negative experiences may result in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nathaniel-Von-Der-Embse/publication/238075255_Test_Anxiety_Interventions_for_Children_and_Adolescents_A_Systematic_Review_of_Treatment_Studies_from_2000-2010/links/5ab022c6a6fdcc1bc0be10db/Test-Anxiety-Interventions-for-Children-and-Adolescents-A-Systematic-Review-of-Treatment-Studies-from-2000-2010.pdf">test anxiety</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255779892_Unmotivated_or_Motivated_to_Fail_A_Cross-Cultural_Study_of_Achievement_Motivation_Fear_of_Failure_and_Student_Disengagement">students disengaging</a> earlier in their education. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curriculum-changes-must-tackle-the-lifelong-consequences-of-nzs-alarming-literacy-and-numeracy-declines-209326">Curriculum changes must tackle the lifelong consequences of NZ’s alarming literacy and numeracy declines</a>
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<p>To combat this, the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natasha_Segool/publication/238061980_Heightened_test_anxiety_among_young_children_Elementary_school_students'_anxious_responses_to_high-stakes_testing/links/6019b26e45851589397a3bcd/Heightened-test-anxiety-among-young-children-Elementary-school-students-anxious-responses-to-high-stakes-testing.pdf">performance stakes</a> need to be minimised and clearly communicated. The results should not limit future learning opportunities. </p>
<p>Maximising student <a href="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/bitstream/123456789/13732/2/goetz_frenzel_barchfeld_etal.pdf">control over success</a> will support positive test-taking experiences. This requires resources to be available for all students. </p>
<p>National’s election policy reads: “Students deserve equal opportunities to benefit from assessment, regardless of their location, school or teacher”. But there are known gender equity issues in testing. For example, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.552355/full">research has shown</a> girls have much lower self-confidence during maths testing than boys, impacting their overall performance in the subject.</p>
<h2>A tool, not a stick</h2>
<p>Most of the harmful consequences of standardisation are not caused by children sitting tests, but by what the tests come to mean about students, teachers, and schools. </p>
<p>The more they become an indicator of worth or value – because they change a school’s ranking, or label a child as “above” or “below” average – the more likely they are to cause fear, anxiety, risk avoidance, and box-ticking – from children and adults alike.</p>
<p>National has proposed using an existing assessment tool called <a href="https://e-asttle.tki.org.nz/">e-asTTle</a> that many teachers are familiar with. This is good news in terms of teacher workload and a big contrast to National Standards. </p>
<p>Unlike Australia or England, it seems the exact timing of tests will be up to schools, avoiding some of the frenzied collective panic of national test days.</p>
<p>It will be important that tests don’t become a stick to beat schools with. Test results must never be linked to school funding, <a href="https://ero.govt.nz/">ERO</a> visit frequency, or official statements about school quality. </p>
<p>The ACT Party’s <a href="https://www.act.org.nz/education-foundation">education policy</a> is to publish schools’ test results online to create choice, a move that has had disastrous consequences overseas. This is not in the party’s <a href="https://assets.nationbuilder.com/nationalparty/pages/18466/attachments/original/1700778592/National_ACT_Agreement.pdf?1700778592">coalition agreement with National</a> – it is crucial it stays that way.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217887/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Pomeroy receives funding from the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Pratt is affiliated with the UK Green Party</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Shuker, Kaitlin Riegel, and Rafaan Daliri-Ngametua do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The new government needs to tread carefully as it looks to reintroduce standardised testing. A one size fits all approach to testing students can have negative consequences for everyone involved.David Pomeroy, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education, University of CanterburyJessica Shuker, Initial Teacher Education Lecturer , University of CanterburyKaitlin Riegel, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of CanterburyNick Pratt, Associate Professor of Education, University of PlymouthRafaan Daliri-Ngametua, Lecturer in Education, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2187092023-12-05T19:24:37Z2023-12-05T19:24:37ZAre Australian students really falling behind? It depends which test you look at<p>Ask anyone about how Australian students are doing in school and they will likely tell you our results are abysmal and, more importantly, getting progressively worse. </p>
<p>This narrative has been reinforced by sustained reporting within <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00313831.2016.1258726">academia</a> and the <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/education/why-australia-s-students-keep-falling-behind-20220928-p5blna">media</a>. It has <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/australia-s-long-term-slide-in-reading-maths-and-science-pisa-results-show-20231204-p5ep03.html">only grown</a> with the release of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/pisa?utm_source=acer%20homepage&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=feature%20box">results</a> on Tuesday evening.</p>
<p>But is this accurate and fair? </p>
<p>This year we independently both published papers looking at Australian students’ results. These papers both reached the same conclusions: students’ scores on the vast majority of standardised assessments were not in decline. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-teenagers-record-steady-results-in-international-tests-but-about-half-are-not-meeting-proficiency-standards-218814">Australian teenagers record steady results in international tests, but about half are not meeting proficiency standards</a>
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<h2>What tests do Australian students do?</h2>
<p>Australian students sit multiple <a href="https://theconversation.com/support-for-standardised-tests-boils-down-to-beliefs-about-who-benefits-from-it-86541">standardised tests</a>. These are tests that are set and scored in a consistent manner. Importantly, scores from one assessment round are statistically “matched” with those from previous rounds, meaning comparisons of average scores over time are possible. </p>
<p>Australian students do NAPLAN in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9. This is a national test that looks at literacy and numeracy skills. </p>
<p>Australian students also sit several international tests. <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/pisa-2018-results-volume-i-5f07c754-en.htm">PISA</a> aims to measure 15-year-old students’ application of knowledge in maths, science and reading. </p>
<p>They also sit <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/pirls">Progress in International Reading Literacy Study</a> (PIRLS) which looks at Year 4 students’ reading comprehension skills and <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/timss">Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study</a> (TIMSS), which assesses maths and science knowledge in the curriculum in Year 4 and Year 8.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/nap-sample-assessments/science-literacy">NAP-SL</a> measures students’ science literacy in Year 6 and Year 10. NSW students also complete <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/student-assessment/assessment-and-reporting/about-valid">Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development</a> (VALID) assessments in science based on the NSW syllabus in Year 6, Year 8 and Year 10. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-year-4-students-have-not-lost-ground-on-reading-despite-pandemic-disruptions-205644">Australia’s Year 4 students have not lost ground on reading, despite pandemic disruptions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Sally’s research</h2>
<p><a href="https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/hvw3j">Sally’s research</a> documented average scores in the four major standardised assessments in which Australia’s students have participated since 1995. </p>
<p>All but one assessment program (PISA) showed improvements or minimal change in average achievement. </p>
<p>In particular, primary school students’ scores in some of the standardised literacy and numeracy tests, including NAPLAN, PIRLS and TIMSS, have notably improved since the start of testing in each program. </p>
<p>For example, for PIRLS, which tests Year 4 reading skills, the average score for Australian students increased from 527 in 2011 to 544 in 2016 and 540 in 2021 (the difference between 2016 and 2021 is negligible).</p>
<p>Since NAPLAN testing began in 2008, average Year 3 reading achievement has increased by the equivalent of a full year’s progress.</p>
<p>In high school, students’ NAPLAN and TIMSS results have stayed largely the same over the same time span. </p>
<p><iframe id="1XmOa" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/1XmOa/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Helen’s research</h2>
<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11165-023-10129-2">Helen’s research</a> explores the assumption there is a real and significant decline in Australian students’ achievement in science. It looks at assessments of students’ science literacy, including PISA, TIMSS, NAP-SL and VALID. </p>
<p>NAP-SL has no historical data but between the other three assessments, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11165-023-10129-2/figures/1">there is only a decline</a> for PISA. </p>
<p><iframe id="B7Sgp" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/B7Sgp/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>For both TIMSS and VALID, average scores remain stable, though TIMSS reveals improvements during the period PISA scores appreciably decline. Analysis on PISA scores for NSW public school students also reveals no decline.</p>
<p><iframe id="qsY9q" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/qsY9q/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>What does this mean?</h2>
<p>So when we talk about a “decline” for Australian results, we are really just talking about a decline in PISA results. While these do indeed show a decline, there are other important factors to consider. </p>
<p>First, PISA is one of many assessments taken by Australian students, each providing important but different information about achievement. As 2023 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14749041231151793">research also shows</a>, PISA receives a lot more attention than other international tests. While there is no definitive reason for this, researchers suggest</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the OECD purposefully set out to [give it more attention], branding and marketing the study in such a way to maximise media, public and policy attention.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A 2020 paper also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10833-019-09367-x">noted</a> the “growing body” of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/may/06/oecd-pisa-tests-damaging-education-academics">criticism</a> around PISA. </p>
<p>This includes doubts over whether PISA actually measures the quality of education systems and learning, or if it measures something distinct from existing tests. </p>
<p>Comparing scores and ranks is also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11336-013-9347-z">highly problematic</a> because countries’ scores are not exact. For example, in 2018, Australia’s reading literacy score (503) was considered “<a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/28450521-en.pdf?expires=1701741601&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=A1F60681CB3F4C0FC5C30ADCE80E97E5">not statistically different</a>” from ten other countries, meaning its rank (16th) could potentially be as high as 11 or as low as 21.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/problems-with-pisa-why-canadians-should-be-skeptical-of-the-global-test-118096">Problems with PISA: Why Canadians should be skeptical of the global test</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why we should be cautious</h2>
<p>Australia needs to be cautious about an over-reliance on PISA results. </p>
<p>For example, last month a <a href="https://learningfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FULL-REPORT-COMBINED.pdf">widely publicised report</a> from educational consultancy Learning First called for an overhaul of Australia’s science curriculum. In part, it based its argument on “deeply disturbing trends” around “sliding performance” on declining PISA results. </p>
<p>So we need to be careful about what these results are used for and how they may be used to justify big changes to policy. </p>
<p>Perhaps most importantly, however, is that the decline narrative diminishes and minimises the difficult and amazing work teachers do. While improvement should always be on the agenda, we should also celebrate our wins whenever we can. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australian-curriculum-is-copping-fresh-criticism-what-is-it-supposed-to-do-218914">The Australian Curriculum is copping fresh criticism – what is it supposed to do?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218709/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Helen Georgiou currently receives funding from the NSW Department of Education and The Australian Government (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources)</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sally Larsen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two researchers independently studied Australian students’ results. These papers both reached the same conclusions: scores on the vast majority of standardised assessments are not in decline.Helen Georgiou, Senior Lecturer in Science Education, University of WollongongSally Larsen, Lecturer, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2121012023-08-23T05:44:30Z2023-08-23T05:44:30ZThe latest NAPLAN results don’t look great but we need to go beyond the headline figures<p>This year’s national NAPLAN <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-results">results are out</a>, with the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-23/one-in-three-students-not-meeting-naplan-standards/102756262">news only two-thirds</a> of Australian students met <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/results-and-reports/proficiency-level-descriptions">minimum achievement levels</a> in literacy and numeracy. </p>
<p>The headlines are everything we would expect them to be – full of panic. Most reporting is focused on the number of Australian students not meeting the new proficiency standards, with talk of “<a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/albanese-government-under-pressure-following-failed-naplan-expectations/video/121439875cd205797ed7a27122a1135b">failure</a>” and “<a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Fpolitics%2F662bn-debacle-one-in-three-kids-fails-naplan-literacy-numeracy%2Fnews-story%2Ffdb0cde16efe5262ffe08024d5a7bc2c&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-low-test-score&V21spcbehaviour=append">debacles</a>”. </p>
<p>The numbers certainly don’t look great, but should we be worried?</p>
<h2>Changes to NAPLAN</h2>
<p>NAPLAN was introduced in 2008 and is an annual test of all Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It aims to see whether students are developing basic skills in literacy and numeracy.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, we saw the overall results released. Individual student reports will go home during term 3, via schools. </p>
<p>Earlier this year, NAPLAN <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-naplan-test-changes-mean-for-schools-and-students-199764">underwent significant changes</a>. These changes included a shift to online testing, moving the testing dates forward and new proficiency standards. </p>
<p>At the time of the announcement, many education experts <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/naplan-changes-aim-to-fix-the-underachievement-problem-20230210-p5cjhr">warned</a> that 2023 results might be lower than usual. </p>
<p>Many pointed to the shift from ten proficiency bands to four achievement levels (“needs additional support,” “developing,” “strong” and “exceeding”). This likely explains a lot of what we’re seeing today. It also means we cannot compare this year’s results with previous results.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1626766536273715203"}"></div></p>
<h2>The shift to online testing</h2>
<p>The shift to online testing may also have had a significant <a href="https://www.future-ed.org/paper-vs-online-testing-whats-the-impact-on-test-scores/">impact</a> on results. </p>
<p>Disparities in access to technology <a href="https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/even-pandemic-students-limited-technology-access-lagged-behind-their-peers">can impact</a> how students perform on the test. Students who regularly use computers and the internet at home are likely to feel more confident while taking an online test. Students without might struggle with basic computer skills. This can lead to more mistakes that have nothing to do with numeracy and literacy.</p>
<p>Changes to the testing window from May to March also means schools had less time to prepare students for NAPLAN in 2023. Theoretically, this might have a positive impact on education in the long run. Less time can be devoted to “test prep” or “teaching to the test”. This can free up time to spend on more authentic learning activities. But for this year, the change caught schools off guard, which may have impacted student performance.</p>
<p>We also shouldn’t forget about the impact of COVID. It is hard to estimate all the ways students have been affected by the pandemic. We can assume these effects will be felt for years to come, and we should continue to interpret NAPLAN results with this in mind.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1566940423569932288"}"></div></p>
<h2>Disparities and funding</h2>
<p>What we should be worried about is the clear disparity between Australia’s most vulnerable students and their peers. </p>
<p>Like every other year, NAPLAN results <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/australia-naplan-results-literacy-numeracy-nsw-qld-vic-sa-nt-tas-wa">show</a> significant gaps between Indigenous students and their peers. About one-third of Indigenous students “need additional support”, compared to one-tenth of students overall. Some 50% of students in the most remote regions of Australia also “need additional support”. </p>
<p>This is not a new concern, and one experts have been <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/an-inquisition-into-australia-s-great-school-funding-rort-20220913-p5bhtj">worried</a> about for many years. While politicians often blame schools and teachers, the real problem is with equitable funding. Public schools are responsible for teaching most students who require additional support, yet they are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jul/17/gonski-review-government-funding-private-public-schools">not adequately funded</a> to do so. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fewer-than-1-in-5-students-who-are-behind-in-year-3-catch-up-and-stay-caught-up-211516">Fewer than 1 in 5 students who are behind in Year 3 catch up and stay caught up</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Proceed with caution</h2>
<p>We must interpret this year’s NAPLAN results with caution. Our instinct might be to panic, but the reality is significant changes to the test have led to these results. It might take a few years before we can make any meaningful sense about overall progress and change.</p>
<p>We can also look to some experts’ <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/rebooted-naplan-may-be-the-wake-up-call-australia-needs-20230315-p5cs9w#:%7E:text=NAPLAN%20is%20a%20cornerstone%20of,ammunition%20to%20drive%20important%20improvements.&text=The%20annual%20tests%20of%20school,numeracy%20are%20in%20full%20swing.">optimism</a> about the changes. They say the new achievement levels and earlier testing dates will eventually lead to simpler and more useful results. They hope this means better communication between schools and families, as well as more time for schools to act.</p>
<p>Importantly, we should not interpret this year’s results as an indictment on schools. Rather, we should force governments to <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-report-proposes-full-public-funding-for-private-schools-but-theres-a-catch-203840">fully fund schools</a> to the level they have said is necessary. This year’s results leave no question about the urgency of equitable funding.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-type-of-school-does-matter-when-it-comes-to-a-childs-academic-performance-199886">The type of school does matter when it comes to a child's academic performance</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212101/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Holloway receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>According to this year’s NAPLAN results, one third of Australian students do not meet minimum achievement levels in literacy and numeracy.Jessica Holloway, Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2115162023-08-20T20:03:56Z2023-08-20T20:03:56ZFewer than 1 in 5 students who are behind in Year 3 catch up and stay caught up<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543124/original/file-20230817-17-vud45n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C9%2C3258%2C2155&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>We want all students to finish school with the literacy and numeracy skills they need to take advantage of post-school opportunities and to <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration">participate fully in society</a>. Currently, in Australia, <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-report">many students don’t</a>. </p>
<p>The problem of not meeting learning standards starts early, with some students behind in Year 3. An important question is whether these students eventually catch up to their peers. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/learning-outcomes-students-early-low-naplan-performance">new research</a>, published today by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AER0), indicates this is very difficult to do. </p>
<p>We found less than one in five students who are behind in Year 3 catch up and stay caught up. In fact, most students with early low performance are at risk of not meeting learning standards throughout their schooling with the support they currently get. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-inform-schools-parents-and-policy-but-too-many-kids-miss-the-tests-altogether-201371">NAPLAN results inform schools, parents and policy. But too many kids miss the tests altogether</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>It’s hard to catch up</h2>
<p>Our research looked at what happens to students who perform at or below the national minimum standards in literacy and numeracy in the Year 3 NAPLAN tests.</p>
<p>We chose “at or below the the national minimum standards” as a cut off point for not meeting learning standards because there is widespread agreement the standards for NAPLAN tests before 2023 were set <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/news/why-the-new-naplan-report-card-is-better-than-the-old/">too low</a>.</p>
<p>Using a <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/longitudinal-literacy-and-numeracy-australia-llania-dataset-technical-report">new longitudinal NAPLAN data set</a>, we tracked the performance of about 190,000 students who performed at or below the national minimum standards in Year 3 through to Year 9. These students were in Year 3 between 2009 and 2015. </p>
<p>The performance pathways these Year 3 students experience in NAPLAN reading tests is shown in the diagram below. The picture is similar for numeracy.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A diagram with coloured pathways showing the movement of students at/below NMS in reading in Year 3 as they progress through Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 relative to whether they again perform at/below NMS or above NMS." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Our research shows the pathways for students who were at or below the national minimum standards for reading in Year 3 (2008–2015, excluding 2014).</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As the diagram shows, we found a little over a third of the Year 3 students with low performance continued to perform below standards through to Year 9. Almost half of the group performed inconsistently through to Year 9. </p>
<p>This shows Year 3 students who perform below learning standards are at a high risk of continuing to perform at that level throughout their schooling. </p>
<p>We also found less than one fifth of students (17% in reading and 19% in numeracy) went on to perform consistently at expected levels. This means fewer than one in five students were supported to catch up to their peers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/too-many-school-students-are-falling-behind-how-do-we-help-those-most-at-risk-210886">Too many school students are falling behind: how do we help those most at risk?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Many Year 3 kids need more support</h2>
<p>Our analysis also shows learning gains are hard to maintain. </p>
<p>When students with low Year 3 performance reached learning standards in Year 5, only half of that group continued to perform that well until Year 9. The other half fell below learning standards in secondary school.</p>
<p>This suggests students who perform below standards in Year 3 require more support to catch up to their peers than they currently receive.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">About 36% of students who are at or below the national minimum standards (NMS) in Year 3 perform above these standards in Year 5 in reading and numeracy. But only about half of this group remain above the standards consistently from Year 5 on.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A golden opportunity early on</h2>
<p>These patterns highlight how important it is to assess student progress early. </p>
<p>By knowing exactly where students are versus where they are expected to be in their learning, we can intervene with teaching and learning programs.</p>
<p>Of the group of students with early low performance in Year 3, the best opportunity we saw for improvement was between Year 3 and Year 5. </p>
<p>This is because 36.1% of the initial group of students moved to performing above national minimum standards in reading between Years 3 and 5. </p>
<p>This is a much higher proportion than the 28.3% that made the same change between Years 5 and 7, and the 21.2% that made this move between Years 7 and 9. There is a similar pattern for numeracy.</p>
<p>This suggests the best time to intervene to catch students up is as soon as they have been identified as not meeting learning expectations.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Children in uniform sit on the ground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We want all students to finish school with the literacy and numeracy skills they need.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-research-shows-australian-students-who-are-behind-in-primary-school-can-catch-up-by-high-school-208364">Our research shows Australian students who are behind in primary school can catch up by high school</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Small-group tutoring can help</h2>
<p>Students who perform below expectations are not likely to catch up without extra support. These students need the best teachers, schools and education systems can offer to help them to achieve learning standards. </p>
<p>There is strong evidence <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/tackling-under-achievement/">small-group tutoring</a> within a <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/our-work/current-projects/tiered-interventions">multi-tiered system of supports</a> can help students who have fallen behind. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-students-return-to-school-small-group-tutoring-can-help-those-who-are-falling-behind-198388">As students return to school, small-group tutoring can help those who are falling behind</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>This system involves assessment of student learning gaps and the delivery of frequent, small-group or one-on-one interventions within the school environment, led by trained school staff. </p>
<p>Any student learning interventions, of course, must also be monitored and assessed to see if they’re effective.</p>
<p>Our findings offer an opportunity to investigate the impact of interventions on students’ literacy and numeracy performance. </p>
<p>This can help identify the best ways to improve outcomes for those least likely to finish school with the literacy and numeracy skills they need.</p>
<p><em>Our research also involved AERO’s Dr Lisa Williams, Dr Wai Yin Wan and Dr Eunro Lee.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211516/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olivia Groves is a Principal Researcher for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucy Lu is the Senior Manager, Analytics and Strategic Projects for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).</span></em></p>Students who perform below standards in Year 3 require more support to catch up to their peers.Olivia Groves, Adjunct Research Fellow, Curtin UniversityLucy Lu, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2108862023-08-06T20:00:43Z2023-08-06T20:00:43ZToo many school students are falling behind: how do we help those most at risk?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540919/original/file-20230802-25888-om8m1c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=9%2C36%2C5988%2C3962&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Anastasia Shuraeva/Pexels</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is increasing concern about Australian students falling behind in numeracy and literacy.</p>
<p>NAPLAN <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-report">results</a> show 16.2% of Year 3 students are at or below the national minimum standards in numeracy and 12.9% are at or below the minimum standards in reading. By Year 9, this climbs to 20.4% and 25.1% respectively. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/announcements/report-now-available-2021-australian-early-development-census">2021 early development census</a> also found 22% of Australian children were developmentally vulnerable in their first year of school. </p>
<p>Federal and state governments are currently working on the next <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/quality-schools-package/national-school-reform-agreement">National School Reform Agreement</a>, which ties funding to school reforms and starts in 2025. The <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/consultations/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system-consultation">consultation paper</a> released last month notes with concern: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>too many students are starting school behind or are falling behind in minimum literacy and numeracy standards. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>It also asks, what can schools do to help those most at risk of falling behind? </p>
<h2>Why do students fall behind?</h2>
<p>Students can fall behind for a many reasons and these can be complex. </p>
<p>This may be due to a student’s abilities or perhaps they have a developmental issue or impairment. A student may have missed essential concepts through illness or changing schools. Or they may not have a home environment that helps them learn, such as as healthy food, access to books and adequate sleep. </p>
<p>As the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/announcements/national-school-reform-agreement-consultation-paper">consultation paper</a> notes, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students in regional, rural and remote locations, students with disability and students whose parents have low levels of educational attainment are three times more likely to fall below minimum standards.</p>
<p>The learning gap can also increase over time. Early difficulties with learning can <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/resources/better-and-fairer-education-system-consultation-paper">quickly become compounded</a> if they are not addressed.</p>
<p>Students who are behind can lose motivation to learn because they have missed essential concepts and find lessons frustrating. They can also start to exhibit challenging behaviours. </p>
<p>However, learning gaps do not necessarily increase. <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-research-shows-australian-students-who-are-behind-in-primary-school-can-catch-up-by-high-school-208364">Australian research</a> published this year shows effective teaching can compensate for early learning difficulties.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1685655136243261441"}"></div></p>
<h2>How do schools identify students?</h2>
<p>Identifying students can happen informally and may occur at any age. At preschool a teacher may notice a student has indistinct speech and recommend hearing testing, language support or both. The assessment of cognitive skills – such as literacy and numeracy – will usually happen when students begin school. </p>
<p>At school teachers might observe children playing counting games and sharing out counters to identify which students have difficultly counting up to five. </p>
<p>More formal assessments might involve a young student reading a short list of real and made-up words. They can also include work samples or individual tests for older students. The results can be compared with others of their age or year level. </p>
<p>Teachers also look at students’ engagement in educational activities and school attendance. Pre-COVID figures from 2019 showed <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/attendance-matters.pdf">at least 25%</a> of Australian students missed at least one month of school per year. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/school-attendance-rates-are-dropping-we-need-to-ask-students-why-200537">School attendance rates are dropping. We need to ask students why</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How can students catch up?</h2>
<p>How a student catches up will depend on a number of factors. For those with disability, an inclusion plan can make sure students have the right adjustments and supports to learn. This needs to be updated regularly. </p>
<p>For other students, the process of catching up might begin with meeting their basic needs through providing meals, uniforms and communication in home languages. </p>
<p>More generally, catching students up starts with the <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-policy-framework/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers.pdf">principle</a> “know students and how they learn”. Teachers aim for a strength-based approach, which values the knowledge and skills students bring to school. </p>
<p>This draws from home knowledge, interests, and learning preferences to make the curriculum more engaging. For example, if a student has a great interest in sport, maths problems can incorporate data from games. </p>
<p>Students will not learn effectively if they do not feel valued, comfortable and safe. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child writes in a workbook at a desk." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some 16% of Australian Year 3 students are at or below the national minimum standards in maths, according to NAPLAN.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Katerina Holmes/Pexels</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Literacy and numeracy help</h2>
<p>Approximately <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/supporting-students-significantly-behind-literacy-and-numeracy">20% of students</a> require some additional teaching and support to acquire fundamental language, literacy and numeracy skills.</p>
<p>This may involve classroom, small group or individual support. It is easier and more effective to provide extra support early in students’ schooling, but older students can also benefit from intervention. </p>
<p>Due to teacher shortages, there has been an increase in teachers teaching <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/report-highlights-need-for-more-data-to-tackle-out-of-field-teaching">out of their field</a> of specialisation. We don’t yet know what impact this has had on intervention programs. </p>
<h2>Most students can catch up</h2>
<p>A 2023 study by the Australian Education Research Organisation and Monash University found approximately <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/supporting-students-significantly-behind-literacy-and-numeracy">95% of students</a> should be able to meet academic benchmarks with quality classroom programs and research-supported interventions. But students with a history of learning difficulties should be carefully monitored as they may require additional support in the future. </p>
<p>About 5% students will need more nuanced interventions and different teaching approaches. For example, a student with a physical disability might be disadvantaged when asked to write by hand. Working on a laptop instead of persisting with hand writing can help. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-students-return-to-school-small-group-tutoring-can-help-those-who-are-falling-behind-198388">As students return to school, small-group tutoring can help those who are falling behind</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>We need a more consistent approach</h2>
<p>Australia has a national curriculum but there are differences between what is taught and how it is taught across the states and territories. There are also considerable differences between schools. </p>
<p>This means students who move schools can be disadvantaged. Figures from 2016 show in New South Wales, 7% of all school children <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/students-who-change-schools-do-worse-in-naplan-20160301-gn7kh8.html">changed school</a> at least once during a year. </p>
<p>We need a more nationally consistent approach to the national curriculum. Jurisdictions’ and schools’ have varied philosophies, priorities and needs. But core standards around appropriate teaching approaches and effective interventions are possible.</p>
<p>There is also a need for increased sharing of information with parents and between schools. National student numbers could be used to track enrolment and core national assessment data. </p>
<p>Some parents and schools may be opposed to this idea for reasons of student privacy. Parents may want their children to have a “fresh start” if they change schools.</p>
<p>We acknowledge these concerns, but sharing key assessment data would reduce time re-assessing students in their new school and support strong teaching from day one.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210886/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joanne Quick is a member of Learning Difficulties Australia and the Dyslexia Association Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Melissa Cain does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>School students can fall behind for many reasons. From missing school to learning difficulties and problems at home.Melissa Cain, Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Arts Education, Australian Catholic UniversityJoanne Quick, Senior Lecturer in Literacy, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2083642023-06-29T20:01:33Z2023-06-29T20:01:33ZOur research shows Australian students who are behind in primary school can catch up by high school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533947/original/file-20230626-183624-7zqiy7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C35%2C5982%2C3880&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mary Taylor/Pexels </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If students have poor academic results early in school, do they continue to fall further and further behind as they move through their education? </p>
<p>The intuitive answer to this question is yes. This perception is fuelled by relentless <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=14804">media reporting</a> about <a href="https://www.primaryfocus.org.au/media/lessons-in-failure-on-education-need-to-be-learnt">falling standards</a> in Australia, and claims about “<a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/widening-gaps/">widening gaps</a>” between advantaged and disadvantaged groups of students. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-wonder-no-one-wants-to-be-a-teacher-world-first-study-looks-at-65-000-news-articles-about-australian-teachers-186210">No wonder no one wants to be a teacher: world-first study looks at 65,000 news articles about Australian teachers</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The ‘Matthew effect’</h2>
<p>If achievement gaps do widen as children develop, this would be evidence for what researchers call the “Matthew effect”. This <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1987-15181-001">theory</a>, first described by Canadian psychologist Keith Stanovich, proposes students who start with poor academic skills early in school make less progress over time compared with their higher-achieving peers.</p>
<p>Referencing a verse from the Bible’s <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025%3A29&version=NIV">Book of Matthew</a>, Stanovich argued children who initially had strong skills should become even stronger over time, because academic skills build on each other. (Or, as Matthew put it, “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”).</p>
<p>According to this argument, higher-achieving students have an extra advantage over time because their skills, knowledge and ability will snowball, allowing their progress to accelerate relative to less able students. </p>
<p>But is this phenomenon universally true? Not necessarily, according to our latest research on Australian students. </p>
<h2>Our research</h2>
<p>We have a unique advantage in Australia because our national NAPLAN tests are designed to track students’ progress over time. So results on one test can be directly compared to the next or the previous one. This is rare internationally, and very powerful for answering questions about development.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2023.102201">research</a>
examined patterns growth in literacy and numeracy in two states. We looked at 88,958 New South Wales students (who were in Year 3 in 2012), and 65,984 students in Victoria (who were in Year 3 in 2011). </p>
<p>We matched NAPLAN reading comprehension and numeracy results for each student from Year 3 through to Year 9. We examined reading and numeracy, as these two skills form the basis of learning in many other areas of the curriculum.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-year-4-students-have-not-lost-ground-on-reading-despite-pandemic-disruptions-205644">Australia’s Year 4 students have not lost ground on reading, despite pandemic disruptions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Our findings</h2>
<p>Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence of the Matthew effect in either reading or numeracy amongst students sitting NAPLAN tests in NSW or Victoria. </p>
<p>Instead, we found the reverse pattern, called “<a href="https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1598/RRQ.39.1.5">compensatory growth</a>”.</p>
<p>That is, students starting with below average NAPLAN results are making more progress from Year 3 to Year 9 compared with students starting above average. This compensatory growth pattern was seen in both reading and numeracy, but was particularly strong in reading. </p>
<p>This pattern can be seen in the figure below which plots trajectories for 100 randomly-selected students sitting NAPLAN reading tests in NSW. </p>
<p>While surprising, our research aligns with findings from a 2014 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0034654313509492">meta-analysis of Matthew effects</a> research in reading. </p>
<p>This earlier study examined all longitudinal research on reading development across primary school. Studies were drawn from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Greece, Canada, Austria, Sweden, and the Netherlands, and the combined sample included 425,685 students. Matthew effects were only observed in a quarter of the included samples.</p>
<p>Our research is the first in Australia to build on these findings and examine reading and numeracy development in state-wide data using individual student scores across the NAPLAN years. </p>
<p>Given the widespread beliefs about widening gaps, our results should be reassuring. Although, our findings also indicate the highest achieving students do not make as much growth in NAPLAN as their lower performing peers. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A graph showing NSW reading scores between years 3 and 9." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=659&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=659&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=659&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=828&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=828&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534737/original/file-20230629-15-m4el0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=828&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This chart plots the progress of a random sample of the 88,958 NSW students in our study across all their NAPLAN reading tests. It shows students starting with below average NAPLAN results are making more progress from Year 3 to Year 9 compared with students who start above average.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author supplied</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>But what does this mean for high achievers?</h2>
<p>There is a popular perception teachers are not effectively teaching students basic skills. But our research suggests students who begin with poorer literacy and numeracy skills are supported by classroom teachers, and do make progress over time.</p>
<p>However, while our results indicate poorly performing Year 3 students do “catch up” somewhat, a small proportion of students still <a href="https://naplanreview.com.au/pdfs/2020_NAPLAN_review_final_report.pdf">fail to meet minimum standards</a> for literacy and numeracy by Year 9. Ongoing efforts to identify and support these students in secondary school is vitally important. </p>
<p>On the other hand, our results also suggest students who begin with high achievement in NAPLAN reading and numeracy tests in Year 3 are not making the amount of progress to Year 9 they are capable of. </p>
<p>While both NSW and Victoria have clear <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/high-potential-and-gifted-education/HPGE-policy-information">policies</a> and <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/high-ability-toolkit/Pages/high-ability-toolkit.aspx?Redirect=1">resources</a> for teaching high-ability students, it is difficult for teachers to enact them if the majority of classroom time is focused on struggling students. </p>
<p>Perhaps the progress of high-ability students <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED501703.pdf">is not a high priority</a> for schools once these students have attained the basic skills expected of their age group. Further research in Australian schools is needed to identify the reasons for underachievement relative to potential for high-ability students.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, our finding that struggling students can make good progress over time rather than falling further behind should be a cause for optimism among educators and the community.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-pandemic-silver-lining-how-kids-in-some-disadvantaged-schools-improved-their-results-during-covid-203047">A pandemic silver lining: how kids in some disadvantaged schools improved their results during COVID</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208364/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sally Larsen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A new study looked at NAPLAN results in reading and numeracy and tracked the same students all the way from from Year 3 to Year 9.Sally Larsen, Lecturer, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2070072023-06-05T20:03:50Z2023-06-05T20:03:50ZAustralian students in rural areas are not ‘behind’ their city peers because of socioeconomic status. There is something else going on<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529959/original/file-20230605-21-tuayz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C0%2C3982%2C2245&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Major international and national tests show rural students, on average, do not do as well at school as their city peers. </p>
<p>This includes <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/school-agreement/report">lower scores on NAPLAN</a> and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).</p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/pisa">in the 2018 PISA</a> test, Australian students outside cities performed at lower levels in reading literacy, mathematical literacy and scientific literacy. Their average performance was between two-thirds of a year and almost two years behind metropolitan students.</p>
<p>Most of the studies looking at rural students have focused on primary school students. And most conflate <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/research-reports/family-occupation-and-education-index-2013">rurality with low socioeconomic status</a>. </p>
<p>In our <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00049441231155708">new research</a>, we looked at New South Wales Year 12 Higher School Certificate results in standard and advanced English and maths. We controlled for students’ social background characteristics to test if it is socioeconomic status (SES) or a rural location that impacts student results. </p>
<p>SES measures a parents’ level of education and so, indicates a student’s familiarity with finishing school, going to university or other forms of educational attainment. </p>
<h2>Our study</h2>
<p>We studied more than 73,000 students and 772 high schools in NSW in 2017. The study included all high schools, government (selective and not selective), Catholic and other independent schools, using data from the NSW Education Standards Authority. </p>
<p>All Year 12 students living in outer regional, remote and very remote areas who completed (standard) Mathematics General 2, (advanced) Mathematics, Standard English or Advanced English were matched to students with the same characteristics who completed the same subject in major city or inner regional areas. </p>
<p>These subjects were chosen because English is mandatory in the NSW HSC, each has an advanced and standard offering and both English and maths are <a href="https://theconversation.com/poorer-nsw-students-study-subjects-less-likely-to-get-them-into-uni-127985">powerful for determining post-school options</a>. For example Advanced English and Mathematics can potentially add more to a student’s ATAR (final rank) than Standard English and Mathematics General 2.</p>
<p>Matching means they had the same gender, the same level of parental SES status and they attended a school with the same level of school SES and school sector.</p>
<h2>Our results</h2>
<p>We found that when SES is controlled for, rural students still achieve lower results than non-rural students in HSC English and maths. </p>
<p>Put another way, students attending schools in rural locations, regardless of their parents’ SES levels, the average SES of their peers at school, their prior achievement in NAPLAN and school sector, achieve at lower levels than their non-rural counterparts. </p>
<p>In Mathematics, the difference in average marks was approximately 6% and approximately 3% for Advanced and Standard English. There was no significant difference for Mathematics General 2. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Desks lined up in an exam hall." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529960/original/file-20230605-19-far4l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Our study found rural students achieve lower results than non-rural students in HSC English and maths, even when other factors are controlled for.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why is this happening?</h2>
<p>Although not directly tested in this study, it is likely different and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11125-023-09637-w">unequal opportunities around learning</a> are playing a role here. </p>
<p>This includes a lack of access to some subjects in rural areas and teachers teaching out of their fields of expertise and training. </p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00131911.2021.1909537?journalCode=cedr20">previous study</a> we found if you live in a regional area you will have less access to subjects that help you get to university and more likely to be offered vocational subjects. </p>
<p>Rural students also have different everyday experiences from city kids. This is <a href="https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/files/8350798/2014000793_journal_article.pdf">often overlooked in the school curriculum</a>, especially in the HSC, where all students do the same content and exams. </p>
<p>In the past, we had the Country Areas Program to help schools make the curriculum more meaningful to rural students. But more recently we have focused on greater standardisation <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-improve-our-education-system-stop-seeking-advice-from-far-off-gurus-and-encourage-expertise-in-schools-165320">in search of “excellence”</a>. </p>
<p>This new approach ignores how students come to school with different experiences, skills and prior achievements. Research shows cultural context has a <a href="http://www.edhub.unsw.edu.au/projects/cultural-context-in-education">an impact on student achievement</a> in standardised tests such as NAPLAN. This is because familiarity with the examples used in questions clouds a students ability to demonstrate the skill being tested. For example, having to write about a beach when you have never been to one. </p>
<p>Earlier this year, a Productivity Commission <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/school-agreement/report">review</a> showed no significant improvements have been made in enhancing equity since programs like the Country Areas Program were abolished in favour of more standardisation. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/poorer-nsw-students-study-subjects-less-likely-to-get-them-into-uni-127985">Poorer NSW students study subjects less likely to get them into uni</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>We are still using the same approach of state-wide exams as we were 50 years ago. It is assumed that if everyone does the same thing, then this is “fair”. </p>
<p>The relationship between student background, their location and end-of-school achievement has not improved much in that time, regardless of more students finishing senior secondary school. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-solve-australias-rural-school-challenge-focus-on-research-and-communities-94979">How to solve Australia's 'rural school challenge': focus on research and communities</a>
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<p>This one-size-fits-all approach ignores the fact that rural students have different experiences from urban children, and often their teachers. </p>
<p>At the moment, the federal government is developing the next <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-national-school-reform-agreement-and-what-does-it-have-to-do-with-school-funding-202847">National Schools Reform Agreement</a>, to start in January 2025. This agreement between the federal government and all states and territories is designed to lift student outcomes – and has a huge role in shaping how education works in Australia. </p>
<p>The next agreement can make a big difference for rural students. </p>
<p>Firstly, it needs to focus on achieving equity in access to senior secondary subjects for rural students. Secondly, it needs to develop a program to help teachers make curriculum more meaningful and introduce fairer means of assessment.</p>
<p>We can do much better than the examination-based system developed half a century ago.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207007/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philip Roberts receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DE200100953)</span></em></p>New research looked at NSW Year 12 results in English and maths and tested if socioeconomic status or rural location impacts student results.Philip Roberts, Associate professor (Curriculum Inquiry / Rural Education), University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2013712023-03-14T19:06:31Z2023-03-14T19:06:31ZNAPLAN results inform schools, parents and policy. But too many kids miss the tests altogether<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515027/original/file-20230313-20-dv146l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6000%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Today the NAPLAN testing window starts for more than a million students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Over the next nine days students will sit literacy and numeracy tests which are designed to measure their reading, writing, numeracy, grammar, punctuation and spelling. </p>
<p>Education decision makers will be holding their breath about how many students turn up for NAPLAN. Last year saw the <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/naplan-participation-who-missing-tests-and-why-it-matters">steepest declines</a> on record in secondary school student participation. </p>
<p>This is an issue because NAPLAN results help inform parents, teachers, schools and education authorities about student learning and can influence <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/school-agreement#report">decisions about policies</a>, resources and additional supports for students. Declining NAPLAN participation may result in decisions being based on incomplete data. </p>
<p>In our <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/naplan-participation-who-missing-tests-and-why-it-matters">new paper</a> for the Australian Education Research Organisation, we look at who is not sitting the tests and why that matters.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/maths-anxiety-is-a-real-thing-here-are-3-ways-to-help-your-child-cope-200822">'Maths anxiety' is a real thing. Here are 3 ways to help your child cope</a>
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<hr>
<h2>Who is not sitting the tests?</h2>
<p>While primary school student participation in NAPLAN has been steady at about 95% since 2014, secondary student participation has been in persistent decline. Last year only 87% of Year 9 students sat the tests. </p>
<p>A sharper decline in participation in 2022 <a href="https://acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia-data-portal/student-attendance">was partly due to</a> flooding in regions across Australia, high rates of illness and COVID-19 isolation requirements – circumstances we hope will not be repeated. It is the long-term decline in NAPLAN participation in secondary schools that needs attention. </p>
<p>The participation rate is alarmingly low for some groups of students. The figure below shows 79% of Year 9 students living in remote Australia sat NAPLAN last year. First Nations students and students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds also had low participation rates in 2022; 66% and 75% respectively. </p>
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<iframe src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13050285/embed" title="Interactive or visual content" class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width:100%;height:600px;" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<div style="width:100%!;margin-top:4px!important;text-align:right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/13050285/?utm_source=embed&utm_campaign=visualisation/13050285" target="_top"><img alt="Made with Flourish" src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg"> </a></div>
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<p>Our analysis reveals low-performing students are also less likely to participate in the tests. Students who performed poorly in NAPLAN in Year 7 were nearly five times more likely to miss the Year 9 tests than high-performing students. These findings were replicated for primary students.</p>
<p>Students who are educationally at risk need the best decisions from schools and education authorities. If NAPLAN participation rates are low for these smaller populations, the data is less reliable and the ability to make informed decisions may be compromised. </p>
<h2>Why aren’t students sitting the tests?</h2>
<p>Students do not sit NAPLAN for three official reasons: they may be exempt from taking the tests, withdrawn by their parents, or absent on the day. </p>
<p>The main reason for the long-term decline in NAPLAN participation is that more parents have been withdrawing their children from the tests. In 2022 over 11,000 Year 9 students didn’t sit the writing test because they had been withdrawn from it.</p>
<p>Being absent is also a contributing factor in the decline in participation; more so for secondary students than primary. In 2022, more Year 9 students than usual were absent from the writing test (in total over 28,600). </p>
<iframe src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13049784/embed" title="Interactive or visual content" class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width:100%;height:600px;" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<div style="width:100%!;margin-top:4px!important;text-align:right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/13049784/?utm_source=embed&utm_campaign=visualisation/13049784" target="_top"><img alt="Made with Flourish" src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg"> </a></div>
<p>There are many reasons students are absent and withdrawn from NAPLAN. Parents who are worried about how their child may be affected by taking the tests and <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-parents-should-and-shouldnt-say-when-talking-to-their-child-about-naplan-results-189636">receiving results</a> may choose to keep them at home or formally withdraw them from the tests. Anecdotally there have also been <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/schools-can-cheat-naplan-exams/news-story/8160b68c1e79ce869538913e730cdad4">reports</a> of schools asking low performing students to stay home on testing days, so they don’t “drag down” school averages.</p>
<p>On the positive side, our analysis showed Year 9 students with language backgrounds other than English participated in higher proportions than average (92% compared to 87%). This suggests cultural differences and family attitudes to education and testing might play an important role in participation. </p>
<h2>Why is high NAPLAN participation important?</h2>
<p>NAPLAN data is used by education authorities to <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-things-we-wouldnt-know-without-naplan-94286">better understand the learning progress of all Australian students</a> to inform system-wide policies and support.</p>
<p>It also helps schools, systems and sectors to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of educational approaches, and identifies schools which need more support. </p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/writing-the-next-chapter-in-student-learning/281525">in NSW</a>, NAPLAN data has been used to understand whether a new teaching role and giving students more practice time have been effective in improving students’ writing skills.</p>
<p>In Victoria, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/naplan-starts-this-week-here-s-what-the-changes-mean-for-students-and-parents-20230312-p5crfr.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national">Brandon Park Primary School</a> used its NAPLAN results to inform a whole school change to its teaching of reading, which brought remarkable success. </p>
<p>Given the benefits that good use of NAPLAN data can bring, it is critical the results are representative of the student groups being tested. </p>
<p>While the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority estimates data for withdrawn and absent students, our analysis suggests student proficiency is likely to be overestimated.</p>
<p>That’s because students not sitting the test are more likely to be lower-performing students from their respective demographic groups. Real data is always better than estimates.</p>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>The Australian <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration">education system</a> is meant to be about achieving equitable outcomes from education for all students.</p>
<p>Equity is something we should all expect and support. </p>
<p>To achieve it, we need accurate information about student progress on a national scale. NAPLAN is meant to provide that information, so we should support and encourage students to turn up for the tests and try their best. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-avoid-annoying-your-kids-and-getting-stressed-by-proxy-during-exam-season-200719">How to avoid annoying your kids and getting 'stressed by proxy' during exam season</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201371/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucy Lu is the Senior Manager, Analytics and Strategic Projects for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olivia Groves is a Principal Researcher for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).</span></em></p>Our analysis reveals the participation rate is alarmingly low for some groups of students, such as First Nations kids and students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.Lucy Lu, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of SydneyOlivia Groves, Adjunct Research Fellow, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2008222023-03-12T01:51:27Z2023-03-12T01:51:27Z‘Maths anxiety’ is a real thing. Here are 3 ways to help your child cope<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514140/original/file-20230308-26-xz4ubd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5518%2C3670&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>From March 15, <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/media-releases/20221025-naplan-national-report-2022-media-release.pdf">more than one million</a> young Australians will sit the NAPLAN numeracy test. For most students, this will just be a routine part of the school day (albeit less fun than running around at recess or lunch). </p>
<p>But for others, the prospect of doing a maths test will be downright terrifying. These students may be suffering from maths anxiety. </p>
<p>We are academics in mathematics education. Here’s how to help your child if they are experiencing maths anxiety. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-naplan-test-changes-mean-for-schools-and-students-199764">What do the NAPLAN test changes mean for schools and students?</a>
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<hr>
<h2>What is maths anxiety?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887618502002402">Maths anxiety</a> is the feeling of tension and worry that interferes with a person’s ability to solve mathematical problems. Researchers consider maths anxiety to be <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00508/full">distinct</a> from general anxiety, or test anxiety, though there is some crossover. </p>
<p>Maths anxiety usually develops as a result of poor experiences with maths, which leads to negative thought patterns about your maths potential. These thoughts can manifest in an avoidance of maths and feelings of helplessness when confronted with tests.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A student works on a maths sheet." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514113/original/file-20230308-18-7oenhk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Maths anxiety usually develops after a bad experience with maths.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Greg Rosenke/Unsplash</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Maths anxiety is a common issue for many young people and adults and can be seen in children as young as five. </p>
<p>According to Stanford University mathematics education professor <a href="http://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-timed-tests-and-the-development-of-math-anxiety/2012/07">Jo Boaler</a>, as of 2012, up to 50% of adults had maths anxiety. The <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/Pages/research_overcomingmathsanxiety.aspx">Victorian Department of Education</a> suggests rates are lower, at between six and 17%. However, the average rate in academic studies tends to be <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203998045-27/math-anxiety-cognitive-consequences-tutorial-review">approximately 20%</a>. </p>
<p>That means there are thousands of children who will be dreading the upcoming NAPLAN numeracy test. </p>
<p>So, what can a parent do to help their anxious child achieve their best in the NAPLAN numeracy test and other maths exams? Here are three practical things you can do right away and into the future:</p>
<h2>1. Focus on successes to build confidence</h2>
<p>Most children want to be good at maths. If they are younger, they will likely understand this is something their teachers and parents think is important. If they are older, they will know it is important for future jobs and careers. </p>
<p>One of the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0734282908330580">key sources</a> of maths anxiety is despite wanting to be good at maths, students have received consistently negative feedback about their ability. This may just be by comparing themselves to others or more formally through poor results. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child completes a maths worksheet." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514148/original/file-20230308-16-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Take out old worksheets or tests from previous grades to build confidence.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Annie Spratt/Unsplash</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>To reduce anxiety, it is important to focus on the positive, showing your child times where they have had success in maths. Experiences of success are vital in <a href="http://hillkm.com/EDUC_712/Week_8/Wigfield_Tonks_Klauda_2009.pdf">paving the way</a> to further success in maths. </p>
<p>A practical way to demonstrate success is by getting the child to do an old worksheet, even as far back as two years ago. Students in years 5 and above could do a previous NAPLAN test at a lower level. This shows them how they have progressed. </p>
<p>After completing the sheet, focus on areas of strength – such as “you got all the long divisions correct!” – to help build confidence. This experience of success can be used as a base to then tackle more complicated tasks.</p>
<h2>2. Avoid ‘NAPLAN overload’</h2>
<p>Anxiety about NAPLAN and any other assessments can be exacerbated by over-emphasising its importance in the build up. A more constructive approach is to reassure your child there is no judgement in how they perform. </p>
<p>Currently, most schools are working hard to prepare students for NAPLAN and discussions about the test are regularly taking place. Because of this, it can be easy for children with maths anxiety to get “NAPLAN overload”. At home, it is useful to limit your discussion of the upcoming tests to times where the child is doing work to prepare for it. </p>
<p>We recommend trying to make the day an exciting one, rather than a terrifying one. For example, you might have a special NAPLAN breakfast on the day of the test. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-parents-should-and-shouldnt-say-when-talking-to-their-child-about-naplan-results-189636">What parents should and shouldn't say when talking to their child about NAPLAN results</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>3. Work alongside your child</h2>
<p>During COVID many families felt the strain taking a hands-on role with their children’s education (who did not take kindly to mum or dad suddenly becoming their “teacher”). So parents may be tempted to leave their children alone to study or do homework. But this won’t help relieve maths anxiety. </p>
<p>A more beneficial approach is for for parents to <a href="https://childmind.org/article/help-kids-with-math-anxiety/#doing-math-together-at-home">study alongside</a> younger children, and show interest in the work older children are completing. Teenagers may not be open to help when you offer the first time but make it clear that you’re there if they need you and you aren’t seeking to judge them. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A dad leans over his son's work." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514144/original/file-20230308-20-86fbn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Show interest in what your teenagers are doing in maths.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This approach shows the child their parent is engaged with their work and positive about their ability to learn. </p>
<p>It cannot be underestimated how much a parents’ approach to learning maths <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10409289.2012.693430">influences</a> their child’s approach. Try and have positive conversations with your child about maths and how we use it everyday. This can be help dispel negative attitudes, such as children thinking, “this is too hard and is just something I need to do at school”. You might want to use maths to work through a “best buy” at the supermarket or use length and area to determine how to arrange the furniture in a room.</p>
<p>As the test day nears, families should not have to stress out about NAPLAN. Preparation focused on celebrating successes and positive experiences can encourage students to simply do their best.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200822/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Maths anxiety is the feeling of tension and worry that interferes with a person’s ability to solve mathematical problems. It can be seen in children as young as five.Ben Zunica, Lecturer in Secondary Maths Education, University of SydneyBronwyn Reid O'Connor, Lecturer in Mathematics Education, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2007192023-03-01T19:05:56Z2023-03-01T19:05:56ZHow to avoid annoying your kids and getting ‘stressed by proxy’ during exam season<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512624/original/file-20230228-22-pq3q8d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C6%2C4045%2C2676&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>I knew assessment season was upon us when my son frantically asked me one morning before school if I had any spare pens in my bag. Despite the fact most tests have moved online, it appears the fear of ink in a pen running out remains a timeless stress factor. </p>
<p>This will likely be a familiar scenario. With NAPLAN moving to March and Year 11 and 12 students already in the throes of multiple assessments, exams are looming for many households with school-aged children. </p>
<p>This is likely to be stressful for parents as well as students, as families cope with pre-test anxieties and perhaps, different approaches to study and learning. </p>
<p>Exams are not the most important thing in life or in school. There is a <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2020.544628/full">valid ongoing debate</a> among education researchers about the use of standardised testing. This comes on top of a welcome shift towards <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/innovation/creative-thinking/">developing lifelong creative learners</a>, rather than kids who focus on tests.</p>
<p>In the meantime, how can we help our children manage this testing time?</p>
<h2>Kids will likely do things their way</h2>
<p>As parents, it is important to be aware of how your own school experiences may impact how you respond to your children sitting exams and preparing for them.</p>
<p>Perhaps studying came easily to you or it was very important to your identity growing up. Perhaps you have regrets about your involvement or engagement (or lack thereof) in school. Your natural instinct may be to try too hard to ensure your child does not replicate that experience. </p>
<p>Additionally we all have different ways of studying or revising information. Multiple <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1347421">systematic reviews</a> have debunked the notion of “preferred learning styles” or the idea that students prefer learning through seeing, listening, or physically engaging with a subject. But children may still approach learning differently to us. So we need to ensure our support is tailored to their needs, rather than our preferences. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-naplan-test-changes-mean-for-schools-and-students-199764">What do the NAPLAN test changes mean for schools and students?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How to really annoy your kids</h2>
<p>In a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiL82NRszK8">TEDx talk</a> I gave on the teenage brain and testing, I noted that, in my experience, one question annoys children more than any other:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Why aren’t you studying?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Interestingly, the word “assessment” can act as a great guiding point for parents wanting to help their children during tests and exams. The word “assess” in Latin is the combination of two words meaning “to sit by or sit beside”. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PiL82NRszK8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>How to ‘sit by’ your children</h2>
<p>When it comes to assessment time, instead of getting what I call “stressed by proxy”, it’s important to remain calm because your child will take your cues from you. Some steps to help your child during this time include:</p>
<p><strong>1. Leave them alone after school</strong></p>
<p>When they get home, give them some much needed decompression time, rather than diving straight into study. We know students manage multiple transitions and interactions during the day. </p>
<p>Just as adults need breathing space when they get home from work, so do young people. Even half an hour will help.</p>
<p><strong>2. Have supplies ready</strong></p>
<p>Years of experience have taught me that for some reason, a black pen and a lead pencil are like gold in my household. I have no scientific explanation for the nebula they continually disappear into, but I have a secret stash to be proffered when needed. </p>
<p>I also have a spare charger and highlighter pens because they also become hot button items ahead of exams.</p>
<p><strong>3. This includes snacks and water</strong></p>
<p>A good way to help rather than impose yourself on your kids is to bring them snacks and water first before starting a conversation. Kids will often be hungry, tired and overwhelmed at the end of a long day at school. When we meet this simple need, it is often a great basis for a deeper chat. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A hand, pouring a class of water, with a sandwich in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512625/original/file-20230228-16-epmpy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Offering snacks can be a good way to start a conversation with your child about how they are going.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterestock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>4. Show them you love them anyway</strong></p>
<p>Finally, it’s important to make it clear to young people that assessments are the equivalent of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/snapchat-streak">Snapchat streak</a>. They capture a brief moment in time and that is all. </p>
<p>Maintaining <a href="https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.ecu.edu.au/stable/pdf/24031925.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A99e57a21e5f55b41a96a86c7a34500c2&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1">close and loving connections</a> with our kids during these times of stress is far more important for their longer term wellbeing. </p>
<p>A great measure of success is children being able to disclose their results with us, knowing they are emotionally safe to do so. Sometimes that may mean putting on our best poker face, or taking some very deep silent breaths. </p>
<p>Either way, it’s important we remain a safe space that is available any time they need. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/back-to-school-blues-are-normal-so-how-can-you-tell-if-its-something-more-serious-198671">Back-to-school blues are normal, so how can you tell if it's something more serious?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200719/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Jefferson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With NAPLAN moving to March and Year 11 and 12 students already in the throes of multiple assessments, exams are looming for many households with school-aged children.Sarah Jefferson, Senior Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1999792023-02-21T19:04:33Z2023-02-21T19:04:33ZThe My School website has just been updated. What makes a ‘good’ school?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511269/original/file-20230221-22-nlfqmo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=15%2C0%2C5069%2C3374&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Parents often worry about which school will be the best one for their children. Is the local public school the best option or would another public, faith-based or independent school be a better fit? </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au">My School website</a> has just been updated for 2023. This is the site launched in 2010 by then education minister, Julia Gillard, which allows you to search information about individual schools. </p>
<p>If you are looking up My School data about your child’s school, what should you keep in mind? How do you know whether your school is a “good” one?</p>
<h2>What is My School?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au/about-my-school">My School</a> website is updated each year with information about every school in Australia. According to the site, this is to help parents and the community understand “the performance of schools over time”.</p>
<p>My School includes information about enrolment numbers, attendance, the socioeconomic background of students and NAPLAN results since 2014.</p>
<p>The site also provides information about schools’ finances, funding sources and the “post-school destinations” of students, which includes information about further education and training or employment six months after completing Year 12.</p>
<h2>My School does not measure school quality</h2>
<p>My School <a href="https://myschool.edu.au/about-my-school">says</a> it “does not measure overall school quality”, but instead “complements other reporting measures aimed at ensuring schools and school systems are accountable to parents”.</p>
<p>In 2020, My School <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/new-simplified-my-school-website-dumps-school-comparisons-20200317-p54b2j.html">revamped its approach</a> and got rid of direct comparisons between schools in favour of reporting on “student progress”. This charts average NAPLAN performance compared with students from similar socioeconomic backgrounds and comparable NAPLAN scores two years earlier.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Children play in a school hall." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511270/original/file-20230221-28-cz2c4b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">My School is aimed at making schools ‘accountable’ to parents.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, there is no doubt “high performing” schools are singled out for media coverage via the My School database and through their NAPLAN results. While My School actively discourages the use of its data to generate league tables, media reporting often does <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/queensland-education/schools-hub/500-queensland-private-school-fees-vs-naplan-results-revealed/news-story/d818af6764b88aee88139400a522cc83">precisely this</a>. On top of this, <a href="https://lens.monash.edu/@education/2021/05/10/1383196/learning-from-disruption-why-we-should-rethink-the-place-of-naplan-in-our-schools">substantial concerns</a> remain about the value of NAPLAN altogether. This includes detrimental impacts on staff morale and student wellbeing. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, NAPLAN results do not necessarily tell you anything about the quality of a school and its teachers. My School does not give direct information about school culture, community connections and values, which are all important considerations when thinking about what makes for a “good” school. </p>
<p>In short, parents should not read too much into NAPLAN results and My School information.</p>
<h2>How can you get a sense of quality?</h2>
<p>A good school for your child is the one where they feel like they belong, are seen and heard by their teachers and peers, and where they are challenged by a curriculum that connects them to new ideas and ways of thinking about the world. </p>
<p>There is simply no substitute for visiting a school, speaking to teachers and school leaders, and getting information about their programs and resources. Attending school open days and parent information evenings can also provide a useful source of information about the community and culture of the school.</p>
<p>Parents should make sure they ask their children what they want from a school or where they might like to go. For example, are they very interested in a particular sports or arts program at one school? Is going to school in their local area important? Where are their friends going?</p>
<p>You can also ask other parents why they send their children to a particular school.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-naplan-test-changes-mean-for-schools-and-students-199764">What do the NAPLAN test changes mean for schools and students?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Which school is best?</h2>
<p>School choice is taking place in a highly pressurised and ongoing debate in Australia. There are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-15/abs-data-shows-public-private-school-enrolments-divide/101976204">news stories</a> about an “exodus” of students from the public system to private schools. It is important to look at the actual figures here. </p>
<p>Between 2018 and 2022, an additional 71,388 students enrolled in Australian independent schools. Over the same period, an additional 47,657 students enrolled in government schools – so this is hardly an exodus.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A student works at a computer and smiles at another student." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511283/original/file-20230221-26-nopgpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When thinking about schools, make sure you ask your child what they want.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There is a demand for a <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-a-new-online-only-private-school-what-are-the-options-if-the-mainstream-system-doesnt-suit-your-child-189138">diverse range of schools</a> that provide different programs, philosophies and structures for young people. But while families obviously need to make their own choices, research shows students’ performance at school is largely based on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220620.2019.1689234">their socioeconomic background</a> rather than whether they went to a private or public school. </p>
<p>It’s not always the case of a super-rich private school versus an impoverished public school, either. For example, low-fee independent schools can struggle to meet basic resourcing for students, while government schools in affluent areas can generate <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03050068.2021.1942359">substantial funds</a> through voluntary parent contributions, fundraising and ventures such as outside school care and school canteens.</p>
<p>It can also be easy to get caught up by marketing campaigns used during “open day” season, when schools (including <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02188791.2021.1953440">public ones</a>) compete for new enrolments and tout their academic achievements, programs and co-curricular offerings.</p>
<p>If families do have a choice about schooling – noting that many do not – remember the value of a school is not just about how they rate on a website. A good school is one where your child is safe, feels like they belong and can participate in a rich learning environment.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-private-high-school-enrolments-have-jumped-70-since-2012-195714">Australian private high school enrolments have jumped 70% since 2012</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199979/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stewart Riddle receives funding from the Australian Research Council (LP210100098 - Constructing a rich curriculum for all: ‘Insights into practice’).</span></em></p>My School is updated each year with information about every school in Australia to help parents understand “the performance of schools over time”.Stewart Riddle, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Southern QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1997642023-02-13T04:24:17Z2023-02-13T04:24:17ZWhat do the NAPLAN test changes mean for schools and students?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509615/original/file-20230212-14-gvz0ar.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C22%2C2980%2C1992&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dan Peled/AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia’s education ministers have <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/collections/communiques-education-ministers-meeting-2023">just announced</a> changes to NAPLAN that will start right away. These include bringing the testing date forward and changing the way results are reported. According to the ministers: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>These new standards will give teachers and parents better information about what a student can do.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What will the changes mean for schools and students? </p>
<h2>Remind me, what is NAPLAN?</h2>
<p>NAPLAN was introduced in 2008 and is an annual test of all Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. </p>
<p>It aims to see whether students are developing basic skills in literacy and numeracy. </p>
<h2>Earlier testing date</h2>
<p>NAPLAN is done by schools in a specific testing window. As of this year, the window <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/what's-changed.pdf">will move</a> from May to March. </p>
<p>This year’s test will also be administered entirely online for the first time (with the exception of the Year 3 writing test). </p>
<p>Because it will be done online and completed in term one, results can be made available faster. Parents and schools are due to receive students’ individual reports in July 2023. </p>
<p>Experts have long <a href="https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/how-to-make-naplan-more-useful/203723">criticised</a> the late reporting of NAPLAN scores, arguing it did not allow enough time to actually use the results in a given school year. The new approach gives schools more of a chance to work with and respond to NAPLAN data. </p>
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<h2>What about test prep?</h2>
<p>The earlier testing date will mean schools have less time for test preparation. This is not necessarily a negative thing. “Teaching to the test” has always been a significant <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/naplan-out-of-control-teachers-say-test-eats-into-curriculum-20190130-p50ul5.html">concern</a> for parents, teachers and researchers because it takes away from more authentic learning opportunities.</p>
<p>With NAPLAN in March, schools have little time to explicitly teach for the test and more of the school year to focus on other content. However, there is a risk it could lead to more intensive test preparation in the first months of the school year for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Or it could see teachers in earlier grades spend more time on test preparation for subsequent years. </p>
<h2>New standards</h2>
<p>Another key change to NAPLAN is students’ results will now be reported against four levels of achievement instead of the existing ten “<a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan/naplan-score-equivalence-tables">proficiency bands</a>”. These new levels are “exceeding”, “strong”, “developing” and “needs additional support”. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-parents-should-and-shouldnt-say-when-talking-to-their-child-about-naplan-results-189636">What parents should and shouldn't say when talking to their child about NAPLAN results</a>
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<p>Some <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politically-correct-naplan-to-drop-minimum-standards/news-story/c46d7fbc3907cc2d6ea298f9bf7384b8">media commentary</a> has suggested the new standards will “water down” existing expectations. However, there will actually be a higher threshold for students to meet the new minimum standard. </p>
<p>For students to be deemed “proficient”, they will have to meet either the “exceeding” or “strong” level, which is designed to <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/media-releases/naplan-proficiency-standards-media-release-2023-02-10.pdf">“support higher expectations for student achievement”</a>. As such, the changes could actually mean more students (not fewer) are identified as <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/naplan-changes-aim-to-fix-the-underachievement-problem-20230210-p5cjhr">performing below minimum standards</a>. </p>
<p>It is also hoped the new <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/education-ministers-meeting/resources/education-ministers-meeting-communique-10-february-2023">easy-to-read</a> standards will make the results more accessible for students and parents. </p>
<p>However, schools will likely need more resources, such as teacher aides and professional learning, to ensure that students actually receive the extra help they need. </p>
<h2>What isn’t being proposed?</h2>
<p>The proposed changes are primarily targeted at how NAPLAN data is reported, with a particular focus on more user-friendly forms for teachers, parents and students. </p>
<p>They do not tackle deeper inequalities and achievement disparities in the education system. For example, <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/school-agreement/report/school-agreement.pdf">a recent Productivity Commission report</a> showed 5% to 9% of Australian students in 2021 did not meet NAPLAN minimum standards in reading or numeracy, which translates to “tens of thousands of students” each year.</p>
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<img alt="Blurred image of school students walking over a bridge." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509671/original/file-20230213-14-mc1pbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Tens of thousands of Australian students do not meet minimum basic skills standards each year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dean Lewins/AAP</span></span>
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<p>The report raised important questions about whether minimum standards are set too low and whether systems and schools are doing enough to identify and support students who are falling behind. </p>
<p>For example, students who are below minimum standards at Year 3 struggle to catch up in later years. Also, more than half of all struggling students are not in identified <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/school-agreement/report/school-agreement.pdf">priority equity cohorts</a> (such as Indigenous or rural students). This could mean they are less likely to be identified as needing additional support.</p>
<h2>Will this make a difference?</h2>
<p>While the new changes are intended to produce positive impacts, it remains to be seen how meaningful they will be. Theoretically, making it easier to receive and understand results will make it easier to improve student performance. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-things-we-wouldnt-know-without-naplan-94286">Five things we wouldn't know without NAPLAN</a>
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<p>But measuring student learning and achievement is a very complex process and requires nuanced interpretations. All measurement is prone to errors and blind spots. While the new changes might offer schools and parents simpler reports, we must not assume this automatically means cleaner or more useful data. </p>
<p>The changes will certainly be welcomed by many who have argued for earlier and simpler NAPLAN reporting. Hopefully, they will also lead to better outcomes for students and more fruitful conversations about the purpose and importance of NAPLAN for Australian schools.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199764/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Holloway receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Glenn C. Savage receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Steven Lewis receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>NAPLAN testing has been brought forward from May to March and results will be reported against just four levels of achievement.Jessica Holloway, Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic UniversityGlenn C Savage, Associate Professor of Education Policy and the Future of Schooling, The University of MelbourneSteven Lewis, Senior Research Fellow, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1896362022-09-05T20:04:19Z2022-09-05T20:04:19ZWhat parents should and shouldn’t say when talking to their child about NAPLAN results<p>It’s that time of year again when parents and students anxiously <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/victorian-students-receive-naplan-results">await their NAPLAN results</a>. </p>
<p>NAPLAN is a nationwide test of literacy and numeracy that all students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are expected to take. It doesn’t impact entrance to high school or university, but is a measure of how a child is performing at school. </p>
<p>Just like every year, some students will bring home results that are lower than what they hoped for. If this happens to your child, you can play an important role in helping them overcome some of the disappointment and limit any impact on their wellbeing. </p>
<p>What should you say – and what shouldn’t you say – when discussing NAPLAN results with your child? </p>
<h2>Do talk about the context</h2>
<p>One thing parents can do for their student is help them understand the broader context of NAPLAN. </p>
<p>For one thing, the <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/faqs/naplan--general#:%7E:text=NAPLAN%20helps%20governments%2C%20education%20authorities,learning%20of%20literacy%20and%20numeracy.">purpose</a> of NAPLAN is for the government and public to get a broad understanding of how schools are performing. </p>
<p>This provides important information about where to allocate more resources to support schools in need. While individual families also receive information about how their student performed, this was not the original purpose of the test. </p>
<p>Another key aspect is the impact of COVID cannot be overstated when it comes to interpreting this year’s NAPLAN results. Countries around the world are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/sep/01/math-reading-scores-us-students-covid-pandemic-learning">reporting</a> that annual test scores are significantly down this year, and it shouldn’t be a surprise. </p>
<p>School disruptions might explain some of these drops, but we can’t forget the levels of fear, loss and trauma that many families have experienced due to the pandemic and floods. NAPLAN participation rates were <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/early-naplan-results-delayed-as-illness-floods-cause-high-absenteeism-20220826-p5bcxl.html">historically low</a> this year, which says a lot about the challenging circumstances students have faced. </p>
<h2>Do talk about life beyond NAPLAN</h2>
<p>Without fail, NAPLAN attracts national attention every year. To a student, it is hard to believe that NAPLAN could be anything but a very big deal. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, <a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-testing-does-more-harm-than-good-26923">research</a> has shown students’ self esteem can be negatively impacted by lower-than-expected test results. </p>
<p>Parents can help students understand NAPLAN is only one indication of their learning progress. They can encourage their child to focus on their strengths and other indicators of achievement. These may be achievements in subjects not tested by NAPLAN, or involvement in extra curricular activities. </p>
<p>Parents may also like to note that some experts say the test should be abandoned or changed, arguing it it is <a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-abandon-naplan-we-can-do-better-95363">too narrowly focused</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-writing-tests-hinder-creativity-so-what-could-we-use-in-their-place-94735">hampers creativity</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/it-hurt-my-heart-and-my-wallet-the-unnecessary-test-stressing-teachers-before-they-even-make-it-to-the-classroom-187860">'It hurt my heart and my wallet': the unnecessary test stressing teachers before they even make it to the classroom</a>
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<h2>Do talk to your child’s teacher</h2>
<p>Most importantly, if you have any questions about your student’s NAPLAN results, discuss these questions with your child’s teacher. </p>
<p>Teachers have the most valuable information about how your student is progressing through school. </p>
<p>Regardless of what NAPLAN results say, teachers are the ones who spend every day watching your student grow. They are constantly assessing learning, and they will be able to explain how your student is doing and how to interpret NAPLAN scores more holistically. </p>
<h2>Don’t compare your child’s results</h2>
<p>Please resist the urge to compare your student’s NAPLAN results to their peers’ or even their own previous scores. </p>
<p>I would say this every year, but it’s even more important now. The last few years have been extremely disruptive, and families have been impacted in very different ways. </p>
<p>It is impossible to know exactly how the effects of the pandemic influenced each student’s NAPLAN performance. Because of this, comparisons across students, classrooms or years can be misleading. </p>
<h2>Don’t focus on what NAPLAN ‘means’ for the future</h2>
<p>It is critical that students and parents understand that NAPLAN is only one narrow measure of learning. </p>
<p>NAPLAN only provides a small snapshot of how they performed on one day. NAPLAN will never be able to capture everything a student has learned or the progress they have made. </p>
<p>It is also true that NAPLAN doesn’t tell us much about what a student might do in the future. Most importantly, students should be reminded that NAPLAN does not define who they are, or what they are capable of achieving. </p>
<h2>And don’t panic!</h2>
<p>Regardless of how your student performs on NAPLAN this year, do not panic or get overly excited. </p>
<p>Remaining calm and encouraging your student to see NAPLAN as but one measure of achievement is crucial for supporting students’ wellbeing and future prospects. </p>
<p>Overreactions can have multiple consequences. They can lead to unnecessary pressure to perform better next time, which will likely have the opposite effect. </p>
<p>They can also lead to the incorrect <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/irhbM4XKM7FsCCvp69HP/full">belief</a> that NAPLAN scores are true predictors of what students will be capable of doing in the future. It is not worth jeopardising a student’s sense of worth simply because of one test score. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/parents-and-screen-time-are-you-a-contract-maker-or-an-access-denier-with-your-child-188977">Parents and screen time: are you a 'contract maker' or an 'access denier' with your child?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189636/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Holloway receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Results are coming back for students in years, 3, 5, 7 and 9. It can seem like a very big deal to stressed students. In reality, it is only one indicator of how a child is progressing.Jessica Holloway, Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1843132022-06-15T20:01:56Z2022-06-15T20:01:56ZTime in hospital sets back tens of thousands of children’s learning each year, but targeted support can help them catch up<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468635/original/file-20220614-18-r7p1do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4718%2C3147&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/">NAPLAN</a> scores can tell us about a child’s learning, but can they also help us to support learners who have had a serious injury or a long-term chronic illness like asthma or epilepsy? </p>
<p>Children who spend time in hospital for these reasons miss out on time in class and are at risk of performing below the <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/results-and-reports/how-to-interpret/standards">national minimum standard</a> (NMS) in numeracy and literacy as measured by NAPLAN. A serious injury or chronic illness can have a cumulative effect, resulting in lower educational performance, non-completion of high school, and potentially limiting their social, educational and later employment opportunities. </p>
<p>Knowing these risks in advance means parents and educators can plan to support children before the shock of poor school or NAPLAN results. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/every-teacher-needs-to-be-a-literacy-teacher-but-thats-not-happening-in-most-australian-schools-184557">Every teacher needs to be a literacy teacher – but that's not happening in most Australian schools</a>
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<p>Serious injury, asthma, mental health, epilepsy and diabetes impact more than a million children each year. More than 100,000 end up in hospital. </p>
<p>We compared their NAPLAN results with kids of the same age and gender who lived in the same area but who had not been hospitalised for those conditions. We found spending time in hospital for these conditions did set back learning, with the exception of type 1 diabetes. </p>
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<h2>What did the study find?</h2>
<p><strong>Injury</strong></p>
<p>About <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-021-02891-x">70,000 people</a> under the age of 16 are hospitalised with an injury each year in Australia. This can disrupt their ability to attend school or concentrate and learn. </p>
<p>Recovery from injury can be unpredictable. Some young people may fully recover. Others experience ongoing difficulties at school.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-021-02891-x">Compared to matched peers</a>, students who had been hospitalised with an injury had a 12% higher risk of not achieving the NMS in numeracy on NAPLAN and a 9% higher risk of not achieving the NMS in reading.</p>
<p><strong>Asthma</strong></p>
<p>Around <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/asthma-prevalence-children">460,000 young people</a> have asthma in Australia. If asthma is not adequately controlled, it can have a wide-ranging impact on their lives, including on their performance at school.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cea.14022">analysis</a> of 28,114 young people hospitalised with asthma showed a difference between the sexes. Young males’ risk of not achieving the NMS was 13% higher for numeracy and 15% higher for reading compared to matched peers. In contrast, females hospitalised with asthma showed no difference.</p>
<p><strong>Mental illness</strong></p>
<p>Around 14% of young people experience a mental illness in Australia that can affect their health, relationships and school life. In our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674211061684">study</a> of 7,069 young people hospitalised with a mental illness, young males had almost twice the risk of not achieving the NMS on NAPLAN for both numeracy and reading compared to their peers. Young females had a 1.5 times higher risk of not achieving the NMS for numeracy and those with diagnosed <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/conduct-disorder">conduct disorder</a> had twice the risk of not achieving the NMS for reading.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-transition-into-adolescence-can-be-brutal-for-kids-mental-health-but-parents-can-help-reduce-the-risk-180487">The transition into adolescence can be brutal for kids' mental health – but parents can help reduce the risk</a>
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<p><strong>Epilepsy</strong></p>
<p>Across the country, about <a href="https://epilepsyfoundation.org.au/about-us/media-room/#:%7E:text=1%20in%20200%20Australian%20children%20live%20with%20epilepsy.">one in 200 children</a> are living with epilepsy. Epilepsy can affect attention, concentration and memory, all which can be a barrier to performing well at school. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2022.05.014">study</a> of 2,383 young people hospitalised with epilepsy found young males and females had a three times higher risk of not achieving the NMS on NAPLAN for both numeracy and reading compared to peers.</p>
<p><strong>Type 1 diabetes</strong></p>
<p>Type 1 diabetes was the exception and showed no adverse impact on school performance. In Australia, an estimated 6,500 young people have type 1 diabetes. Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/pedi.13317">analysis</a> of 833 young people hospitalised with type 1 diabetes did not find any difference in achieving the NMS in numeracy or reading on NAPLAN compared to matched peers.</p>
<p>This finding is likely explained by improved glucose control and type 1 diabetes management. It is also possible that school assessments, such as NAPLAN, do not capture everyday difficulties that students with diabetes experience.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-parents-can-do-to-make-a-childs-chronic-illness-easier-41359">What parents can do to make a child's chronic illness easier</a>
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<h2>How can we support these students’ learning?</h2>
<p>It is essential that we identify students who are likely to need learning support because of an injury or chronic illness. Supports can include online learning options, flexible programming or mobilising peer support to enable sharing of class notes and homework activities. </p>
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<p>Monitoring students’ progress when they return to school will help to identify ongoing learning support needs.</p>
<p>There are also ways to manage symptoms and enhance performance at school. With asthma, for example, a comprehensive asthma management plan, using medication to manage symptoms, and <a href="https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/find-a-service/health-medical-services/asthma-improvement">healthcare co-ordination</a> between GPs, hospitals and community services can all reduce the chance of ending up in hospital. For epilepsy, learning to identify seizure triggers, lifestyle and medication management are <a href="https://www.epilepsy.org.au/strong-foundations/overview/">key</a>.</p>
<p>Improving teachers’ understanding of symptom management for chronically ill or injured students is important too. For example, a New South Wales program, <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/whats-happening-in-the-early-childhood-education-sector/resource-library/asthma">Aiming for Asthma Improvement in Children</a>, encourages self-paced training for school staff on asthma management and first aid, along with resources for managing asthma in schools. For epilepsy, Strong Foundations provides <a href="https://www.epilepsy.org.au/strong-foundations/learning-and-participation/">advice</a> on the skills children with epilepsy need to manage in the classroom and playground.</p>
<p>Early identification and recognition that an injured or chronically ill student may need learning support at school and at home are critical to ensure they are not left behind academically.</p>
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<p><em>This article is part of The Conversation’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/topics/breaking-the-cycle-119149">Breaking the Cycle</a> series, which is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184313/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Mitchell has received funding from the NHMRC, the MRFF, the ARC, and various state and federal government departments for past projects. This research was funded by a philanthropic donor to Macquarie University. This article is part of The Conversation's Breaking the Cycle series, which is about escaping cycles of disadvantage. The series is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne McMaugh has received funding from the Australian Research Council for past projects. This research was funded by a philanthropic donor to Macquarie University</span></em></p>A study of thousands of students hospitalised with an injury or illness confirms they are likely to fall behind their classmates. But good management and targeted help with learning cut the risk.Rebecca Mitchell, Associate Professor Health and Societal Outcomes, Macquarie UniversityAnne McMaugh, Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1845572022-06-13T04:41:56Z2022-06-13T04:41:56ZEvery teacher needs to be a literacy teacher – but that’s not happening in most Australian schools<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467665/original/file-20220608-24-7p0wfy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4992%2C3295&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>We know literacy is important. Unfortunately, many Australian students <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2019.1672502">move through the years of schooling</a> without achieving the literacy they need for essential daily activities. </p>
<p>When we think about building literacy, we most likely think about the English learning area. But think back to your time at school. You’ll probably remember you needed good literacy skills in learning areas beyond English.</p>
<p>Your knowledge and skills across most learning areas were gained and measured through your literacy skills. For example, your ability to write an essay in history, produce a report in science and explain your working out in mathematics contributed to your grade. Research shows how students’ literacy skills influence their achievement in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883035519327636?casa_token=wQp1VeKxMOsAAAAA:yYn1GVdznCB9R6qctwnuwz1yeLiG6z2TUEVHgVDTT5U8FURuSIY1cRVTeTR3TWd9JDxxH6VJ">mathematics</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10212-019-00453-5">science</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/all-teachers-need-to-teach-language-and-literacy-not-just-english-teachers-180498">All teachers need to teach language and literacy, not just English teachers</a>
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<p>The Australian Curriculum positions literacy as a <a href="https://australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy/">general capability</a> to be taught in every learning area. Despite this, few Australian schools have whole-school literacy policies that include practical plans for building student literacy across learning areas. That’s the troubling conclusion from my analysis of Australian and UK school literacy policies for my <a href="https://www.hbe.com.au/hb6449.html">upcoming book</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1741143220905036">My earlier research</a> also shows that many Australian secondary teachers do not believe their schools have a whole-school approach to supporting struggling literacy learners. This is concerning, as students who struggle with literacy won’t only struggle in English. </p>
<p>It’s not that the push to make every teacher a teacher of language and literacy is new. It has been discussed <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/357438?casa_token=2Oo8oj8v2PIAAAAA%3AK1r82jb7WiFTWJVHXDb-u6cLmSZ6xr7TYZClftjDg4r9AaNSiXHuCBN25qN6TkcOdR4W0qlzn5lih0lTGXpWpwptGXzFnFkL3prw4MWKPgOwcHBPjQ&seq=1">since the 1960s</a>. However, there are questions about how closely Australian schools meet this expectation. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1533505179349241856"}"></div></p>
<h2>What kinds of literacies do we need?</h2>
<p>Many literacies are needed to boost achievement beyond English. When we talk about whole-school literacy, we often refer to content area literacy and disciplinary literacy. </p>
<p><a href="https://journals.lww.com/topicsinlanguagedisorders/FullText/2012/01000/Building_a_House_on_Sand__Why_Disciplinary.7.aspx?casa_token=sobD1yeiNIQAAAAA:mhXP-Mdm7cvb_TCFIitXOmALMTxHY0lR2kVCuPbLnBTQIDglo8np9JFA83jPQKYlpwsPGyDTaLZXcnvGARNLXTA">Content area literacy</a> refers to the literacy knowledge, strategies and skills we use across the learning areas. For example, we don’t only need reading comprehension in English. It’s needed in every learning area that requires students to read. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/where-we-stand/ila-content-area-disciplinary-literacy-strategies-frameworks.pdf?sfvrsn=e180a58e_6">Disciplinary literacy</a> relates to the literacy knowledge, strategies and skills that we use to achieve learning purposes that are unique to a learning area. For example, writing a <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/aeipt.215162">science report</a> requires the correct scientific language, formatting, referencing and diagrams. It calls for specific literacy skills unique to science.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/language-matters-in-science-and-mathematics-heres-why-68960">Language matters in science and mathematics - here’s why</a>
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</em>
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<h2>What’s missing from school literacy policies?</h2>
<p>Whole-school literacy policies plan for all learning areas to include a focus on literacy achievement. </p>
<p>However, analysis of Australian schools’ literacy policies reveals many gaps in these policies. Part of the problem is an <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/aeipt.222604">excessive focus on NAPLAN testing</a>. There is also limited attention to making the most of literacy resources such as <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09610006211022410?casa_token=l-NLgG5GXCQAAAAA%3AyFd3mbsR358Rq6AZwQA8qBiv1_XwmDh2GkLlAX1Cp-nFfHGr9o7UlDr3vqAt9d7epITiPb8LbWY">school libraries</a>, especially by comparison with policies in the UK.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1531703063580491776"}"></div></p>
<p>School literacy policies commonly fail to include:</p>
<p><strong>A definition of literacy</strong> that considers both content area literacy and disciplinary literacy, as well as the wide range of literacies that the school seeks to develop in its students. This should not be limited to the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/lit.12166?casa_token=_8rBJ5locDoAAAAA:16YyZqaWexqOsv6fLB3qirVGiUfuwveL9DPMEkwg5lY4_xkQOQ1GIFjnRS4dgeuxRGFYvIQndEv5eg">narrow</a> framing of literacy tested in NAPLAN.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-year-without-naplan-has-given-us-a-chance-to-re-evaluate-how-we-gauge-school-quality-138603">A year without NAPLAN has given us a chance to re-evaluate how we gauge school quality</a>
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<p><strong><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19404159909546595">Detailed and explicit literacy targets</a></strong> for building content area and disciplinary literacy, as well as meeting other goals such as increasing students’ information literacy. Targets are needed so the policy isn’t just aspirational; it actually drives change. There should also be detailed implementation planning that allocates literacy responsibilities across the school. </p>
<p><strong>An explanation of how improvement in literacy will be measured</strong> to determine the effectiveness of the policy. Don’t just assess changes in high-stakes literacy-testing scores. Look at building literacy <a href="https://www.abc-clio.com/products/a5940p/">engagement</a>. This relates to students’ attitudes toward and performance of practices such as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eie.12143?journalCode=reie20">reading for pleasure</a>. Research has found a relationship between <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883035518320147?casa_token=sHEgsX810FYAAAAA:wp0or99pYl0A9Gb3E3qaEgfxFsujqdA2_57lpyxcPZbF5-jMrunYNLfF0p4credmKAig_egt">reading for enjoyment and reading comprehension</a>, a key content area literacy skill.</p>
<p><strong>Plans for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1741143220905036">identifying and supporting</a> students</strong> who are struggling with literacy. These plans should cover all schooling years and learning areas. Include plans for professional development of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2020.1775488">teachers who lack confidence</a> in supporting students’ complex literacy needs among the many competing demands of their role. </p>
<p><strong>Consideration of how to make the most of the literacy resources</strong> within the school. These resources include but are not limited to the <a href="https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/school-libraries-supporting-literacy-and-wellbeing/?K=9781783305841">school library and its staff</a>. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/music-can-help-lift-our-kids-out-of-the-literacy-rut-but-schools-in-some-states-are-still-missing-out-173908">Music can help lift our kids out of the literacy rut, but schools in some states are still missing out</a>
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<p><strong>Attention to writing</strong> – the majority of Australian schools’ policies did not mention <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-empower-students-with-effective-writing-skills-handwriting-matters-81949">handwriting</a>. Most of the UK policies did. Australian school policies also rarely mentioned typing. A whole-school literacy policy should include these skills, given their importance across the curriculum and the years of schooling. </p>
<p><strong>COVID-related literacy issues</strong> – school policies may also need to include strategies to overcome any negative impacts of pandemic-related <a href="https://www.iier.org.au/iier31/merga-abs.html">education interruption</a> on students’ literacy learning. </p>
<p>In general, Australian school literacy policies are <a href="https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.newcastle.edu.au/doi/10.1177/09610006211022410">typically far shorter</a> and less detailed than their UK equivalents. Australian schools and their students will benefit from more effective whole-school literacy planning. </p>
<p>Literacy is not just the responsibility of the English teacher. Every teacher is a literacy teacher.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184557/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Kristin Merga has received funding from the BUPA Health Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation, the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, Edith Cowan University and the Collier Foundation. She is the Patron of the Australian School Library Association and the Western Australian School Library Association. She also runs Merga Consulting, working with schools, Departments and professional associations to deliver parent seminars, staff professional development and planning advisory support.</span></em></p>A whole-school approach to literacy is far more effective for students, but few Australian schools have practical plans for building literacy across all subject areas.Margaret Kristin Merga, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Education, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1739082022-02-27T19:11:41Z2022-02-27T19:11:41ZMusic can help lift our kids out of the literacy rut, but schools in some states are still missing out<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448007/original/file-20220223-13-e4s8hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5724%2C3825&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The 2005 <a href="https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/9459/1/music_review_reportFINAL.pdf">National Review of School Music Education</a> found many Australian students missed out on music education, with massive disparities between states. In 2020, <a href="https://www.alberts.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Alberts_Music-Education-Report_A4.pdf">our research for the Tony Foundation</a> found the same issues, despite the fact that the <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/the-arts/music/">Australian Curriculum for Music</a> should guarantee some level of consistency.</p>
<p>We now have evidence that we should be concerned about music education not just for the sake of music itself, but also because of its impacts on language learning and literacy. Research about how participating in music affects the brain – a field known as neuromusical research – has taught us a lot about how the brain processes language. Significantly, it <a href="https://internal-journal.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00110/full">processes language in the same way as music</a>.</p>
<p>If we want to improve literacy, then, we need to ensure the <a href="https://mainemusicbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The_power_of_music_a_research_synthesis-1.pdf">cognitive foundations</a> our students need are in place.</p>
<p>In short, we need to view music education as a powerful complementary learning experience, and not a “nice but not essential” part of the curriculum.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/musical-training-can-accelerate-brain-development-and-help-with-literacy-skills-44946">Musical training can accelerate brain development and help with literacy skills</a>
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<h2>So what are states doing?</h2>
<p>We have yet to see this knowledge put into practice across Australia. </p>
<p>Before and after the 2005 review, Queensland has had strong music programs in state-funded primary schools since the 1980s. The state has a classroom music program for the whole school (where a teacher is available), and a low-cost instrumental music program for some students. A <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MusicForEveryChildEveryWeek">campaign is under way</a> in Queensland to preserve these programs and make sure every student gets a music lesson every week.</p>
<p>The same can’t be said for other states. Despite moves to improve music education in some states, there’s still inequity. </p>
<p>South Australia established a <a href="https://www.education.sa.gov.au/schools-and-educators/strategies-and-initiatives/music-education-strategy-and-innovation-fund/music-education-strategy-and-music-innovation-fund/">Music Education Strategy and Music Innovation Fund</a> in 2019. Victoria has developed a <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/arts/Pages/QMEF.aspx#link99">Quality Music Education Framework</a> to guide best practice. Tasmania, Western Australia and the ACT have music specialist teachers in some government primary schools. In New South Wales, general classroom teachers in government schools are responsible for teaching all of the curriculum, including music. </p>
<p>But how much does music really matter? </p>
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<h2>Music can deliver progress on literacy</h2>
<p>While music education has been found to improve a wide range of cognitive functions, let’s look at literacy development as an example. If literacy scores are lower than required or expected, it seems obvious the solution is to spend more time on literacy learning to improve those scores. That’s the approach taken over the past five years.</p>
<p>Yet we have not seen a significant boost in NAPLAN results. In fact, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/reading-progress-is-falling-between-year-5-and-7-especially-for-advantaged-students-5-charts-124634">dial has moved very little</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/reading-progress-is-falling-between-year-5-and-7-especially-for-advantaged-students-5-charts-124634">Reading progress is falling between year 5 and 7, especially for advantaged students: 5 charts</a>
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<p>So the obvious “more time” approach is not yielding higher literacy achievement. Might we then look to research outside the literacy field for the next steps in improving literacy in our schools?</p>
<p>The answer is yes. A field traditionally a few steps outside of literacy education – music education – has greatly enhanced understanding of how the brain develops understanding and application of language. </p>
<p>Neuromusical research has pinpointed the brain mechanisms and interactions that <a href="https://online.ucpress.edu/mp/article-abstract/29/2/165/62533/Effect-of-Music-Training-on-Promoting-Preliteracy">decode</a> language sounds to understand and develop the <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-211-75121-3_9">syntax</a> of language right through to the comprehension and creation of meaning through language. It has led to the enlightening finding that the human brain <a href="https://internal-journal.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00110/full">processes all language as if it was music</a>. </p>
<p>What does this mean for literacy education and the current measure of its effectiveness, NAPLAN? It means we may well be missing a fundamental underpinning of language development – the development of the auditory processing network to its highest levels so our students can <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735618756763">effectively interpret language</a> sounds. </p>
<p>Put simply, if a child cannot hear the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0138715">language sound</a> – that is, process the sound correctly through their auditory network – they cannot speak it. And if they cannot speak it, they cannot read it.</p>
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<img alt="Children in a line singing" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448012/original/file-20220223-25-ai9hy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Through music children are literally attuned to the sounds of language.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/music-engagement-and-achievement-predicts-higher-grades-in-math-science-and-english-119066">Music engagement and achievement predicts higher grades in math, science and English</a>
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<h2>The costs of inaction are high</h2>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/8755123313502346">The research</a> on the potential for music education to improve cognitive development is extensive and compelling. It clearly shows that consistent, high-quality music learning enhances students’ general learning. So music learning isn’t just for those who want to become musicians – it benefits everyone.</p>
<p>The cost of waiting, of not resolving the issues with music education across Australia, is high. This is an issue of equity. If the state a student is schooled in affects their fundamental cognitive development due to the lack of quality music education for <em>every</em> child, then every child is not receiving an equitable and effective education.</p>
<p>The longer we wait to address the inequity, the fewer qualified music educators we will have in Australia. In our report, <a href="https://www.alberts.co/music-education/">Music Education: A Sound Investment</a>, we identified that we are on a skills cliff of qualified music educators in this country. In addition to the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/profession-in-crisis-teacher-shortage-predicted-in-next-four-years-20190417-p51f2q.html">existing widespread teacher shortage</a>, there are now only a few universities offering a specialisation in primary music teaching. Urgent action is needed to make sure there are enough music teachers for all schools, so kids don’t miss out. </p>
<p>When it comes to education, politicians and policymakers ignoring the research evidence is hardly new. But the failure to see the bigger picture of every child’s development has lasting impacts. </p>
<p>The focus of education should be to provide the cognitive preparation for a full and productive life. And music is an integral part of providing students with the best possible foundation for their education.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173908/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rachael Dwyer receives funding from Alberts | The Tony Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anita Collins receives funding from Music Education: Right from the Start Initative and South Australian Department of Education. She is affiliated with the University of Canberra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Alberts | Tony Foundation, South Australian Music Education Strategy.</span></em></p>Research shows the brain processes language as if it’s music, which helps explain the link between music education and gains in literacy. Unfortunately, not all states have heeded the evidence.Rachael Dwyer, Lecturer in Arts and Teacher Education, University of the Sunshine CoastAnita Collins, Adjunct assistant professor, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1720502021-11-18T22:22:27Z2021-11-18T22:22:27ZYes, Australia’s PISA test results may be slipping, but new findings show most students didn’t try very hard<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432575/original/file-20211118-27-1jh8wfp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-high-school-students-doing-exam-704245237">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most Australian students who took part in the last OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) said they would have invested more effort if the test had counted towards their school marks.</p>
<p>This is a finding from a <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/snapshots/vol16/iss16/1/">recent report</a> issued by the Australian Council for Education Research. The data came from a questionnaire students filled out at the end of the two-hour PISA test in 2018. They were asked to rate how much effort they would have invested if they knew their results would count towards their school marks.</p>
<p>Some 73% of students indicated they would have put in more effort had that been the case.</p>
<p>While 56% of Australian students claimed to put in “high effort” in the PISA tests, this would have increased to 91% if the results were included in their school results.</p>
<p>We spend a lot of time focusing on debates about curriculum (what is being taught to students) and pedagogy (how it is being taught). Data from standardised tests such as PISA and NAPLAN are often used as evidence of declining standards, falling outcomes and failing teachers.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1204164407804084226"}"></div></p>
<p>But the above results show yet again that schooling is more complex than politicians like to advocate. Methods to lift standards such as going “<a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/alan-tudge-s-10-year-plan-to-get-schools-back-to-basics-20210413-p57ir9">back to the basics</a>” – as the then education minister, Dan Tehan, vowed to do after the last PISA results came out – or encouraging the “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/yes-minister-you-can-entice-our-best-and-brightest-into-teaching-you-will-have-to-pay-them-more-20210415-p57jib.html">best and brightest</a>” to become teachers – a goal of the current education minister, Alan Tudge – are too simplistic for the real world.</p>
<h2>What is PISA?</h2>
<p>Every three years, PISA tests how 15-year-old students in dozens of countries apply <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pisa-world-education-test-results-are-about-to-drop-is-australia-getting-worse-127011">reading, science, maths and other skills to real-life problems</a>.</p>
<p>PISA generates <a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-results-dont-look-good-but-before-we-panic-lets-look-at-what-we-can-learn-from-the-latest-test-69470">much attention</a> from policymakers and the media. It is often used as a proxy for making judgements about the quality of teaching and learning in Australian schools.</p>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-doesnt-define-education-quality-and-knee-jerk-policy-proposals-wont-fix-whatever-is-broken-128389">PISA doesn't define education quality, and knee-jerk policy proposals won't fix whatever is broken</a>
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<p>But there are important questions regarding what exactly the PISA tests measure and how useful the results are for informing policymaking and education debates.</p>
<h2>Is it knowledge or effort?</h2>
<p>The ACER report showed levels of effort in PISA were higher for female students, those attending metropolitan schools, non-Indigenous students and students from backgrounds of relatively high socioeconomic advantage. </p>
<p>But, when averaged out, nearly half of Australian students who sat the 2018 PISA test admitted they did not try their best. </p>
<p>These results are comparable with the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/04fd5153-en/index.html">OECD average</a> of 68% of students claiming they tried less on the PISA tests than they would if it counted towards their school grades. In contrast, students in the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/pisa-2018-results.htm">highest-performing education systems</a> of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (China) reported very high levels of effort. There could be several reasons why the same theory may be less applicable to these Chinese systems, such as them having a more strongly competitive academic culture. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pisa-world-education-test-results-are-about-to-drop-is-australia-getting-worse-127011">The PISA world education test results are about to drop. Is Australia getting worse?</a>
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<p>Educational psychologists <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014019710800122X">in Australia</a> have long studied the links between motivation, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00461520.1991.9653133">self-efficacy</a> (students’ beliefs they can perform at the level they need to) and <a href="https://aps.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00050060701405584">academic achievement</a>.</p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361476X99910159">expectancy–value theory</a>, to put it simply, suggests the lower the perceived value or usefulness of a task, the less motivated one potentially is to put in much effort.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Student running up some stairs that has a door at the top opening up to the sky." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432572/original/file-20211118-25-1sv82up.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Motivation to do the task is determined by its perceived value.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-high-school-student-running-on-571923439">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Perhaps one of the unintended side effects of assuring participating students that PISA is a low-stakes task — it does not count towards their school grades — is the potential for downward pressure on performance.</p>
<h2>The year 9 slump</h2>
<p>Another potential reason for the lack of motivation in students taking the PISA test is the well-documented slump in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/00346543064002287">engagement and motivation</a> during the <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/461740">middle years of schooling</a>.</p>
<p>NAPLAN data have consistently shown a pronounced drop in performance from year 7 to year 9, when students are 14–15 years old. For example, 9.1% of year 7 students didn’t <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.357583795641713">meet the national minimum standard</a> in the 2013 NAPLAN writing task. Two years later in the NAPLAN 2015 writing task, nearly twice as many (17.7%) year 9 students didn’t meet the minimum standard. </p>
<p>At the higher end of performance, the proportion of students above the national minimal standard dropped from 72.2% in 2013 to 59% in 2015.</p>
<p>The pattern is persistent. The results from the <a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-show-year-3-students-perform-better-than-year-9-in-writing-and-its-a-worrying-trend-122541">year 9 NAPLAN writing task in 2019</a> clearly demonstrate a dramatic drop in performance. The percentage of students in year 9 meeting or exceeding the national minimum standard was 82.9%, compared to 95% of the same student cohort in the 2013 year 3 writing task.</p>
<p>Research has shown the middle years of schooling is a challenging time for many students. Their bodies and minds are changing rapidly, the demands of high school and their social lives become more complex, and the level of disengagement and disaffection with school rapidly escalates. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-missing-middle-puberty-is-a-critical-time-at-school-so-why-arent-we-investing-in-it-more-150071">The missing middle: puberty is a critical time at school, so why aren’t we investing in it more?</a>
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<h2>What does this mean for school policy?</h2>
<p>Instead of policies such as going back to basics, student motivation and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13603116.2021.1956605">engagement</a> must be part of the education policy landscape.</p>
<p>This means paying closer attention to the lives, knowledges, experiences, hopes, fears, challenges and opportunities facing young people.</p>
<p>Educators and policymakers must consider complex factors of social, economic and educational disadvantage and advantage to meet the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration/resources/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration">Mparntwe Declaration</a> goals of educational excellence and equity. This includes the interplay of socioeconomics, location, culture and community, school resourcing and access for all young people to housing, health, economic and social stability, and quality schooling.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172050/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stewart Riddle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Motivation plays a large part in educational success. Of students who sat the PISA test in 2018, 73% indicated they would have put in more effort had the scores counted towards their school marks.Stewart Riddle, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Southern QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1667372021-08-25T06:43:56Z2021-08-25T06:43:56ZEarly NAPLAN results show promise, but we don’t know the full impact of COVID school closures yet<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417752/original/file-20210825-17-10nj6pv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/row-students-primary-interracial-classroom-afro-243585589">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://reports.acara.edu.au/NAP/NaplanResults">early NAPLAN results</a> for 2021 released today suggest the average impact of COVID school closures on literacy and numeracy in 2020 has been relatively small. </p>
<p>This was the first NAPLAN test since students moved to remote learning, and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-25/naplan-results-in-for-covid-year/100403702">involved 1.2 million students</a> in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. </p>
<p>The results show the national average for literacy and numeracy in 2021 has held up fairly well despite last year’s disruptions. There has been little change in the NAPLAN average results in 2021 compared to 2019 in all states and territories, including Victoria, which had the longest period of remote schooling in 2020. </p>
<p>To understand how well children are doing at school, it is important to look at the progress of students’ learning over time, not just where they are at any one point in time. </p>
<p>According to our <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/910-Mapping-Student-Progress.pdf">student progress</a> metric for NAPLAN, Victoria’s progress in literacy and numeracy is generally in line with the national average over 2019-21. We can also see progress at a national level for 2019-21 was similar to historical rates of progress. </p>
<p>These results are a testament to the hard work of students, parents, teachers and school leaders around the country. But it is too early to claim victory. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1430260737583194114"}"></div></p>
<p>We will have to wait until the full NAPLAN data is released in December to understand what the impact has been on vulnerable students, in particular. </p>
<p>It’s also important to remember that NAPLAN only tests literacy and numeracy. Gaps that may have emerged in other parts of the curriculum, such as science and the humanities, aren’t picked up in this data. </p>
<p>Nor do these results help us understand the impact of school closures on broader students’ social development and mental health. </p>
<p>They don’t change the fact governments should be carefully planning how to get kids back to class safely, and as soon as possible.</p>
<h2>Disadvantaged students may have fared worse</h2>
<p>Students around the country missed a significant amount of school in 2020, especially in Melbourne where some students missed around 21 weeks of school. In New South Wales, schools were closed for around seven weeks. </p>
<p>Many disadvantaged students are likely to have found remote schooling harder than other groups. Our <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/covid-catch-up/">2020 report</a> estimated the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students widens at up to triple the rate when kids are trying to learn at home rather than in regular class. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/disadvantaged-students-may-have-lost-1-month-of-learning-during-covid-19-shutdown-but-the-government-can-fix-it-140540">Disadvantaged students may have lost 1 month of learning during COVID-19 shutdown. But the government can fix it</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<p>Students most likely to be impacted by remote learning are those from low socio-economic families, Indigenous backgrounds or remote communities, as well as those with poor mental health, disabilities and special learning needs. </p>
<p>Students in the early years who are still developing foundational skills in reading and writing are also at risk of falling behind. </p>
<p>Emerging <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/eef-support-for-schools/covid-19-resources/best-evidence-on-impact-of-school-closures-on-the-attainment-gap/">international data</a> suggests COVID school closures have had significant negative impacts on student learning in some countries and that disadvantaged students have suffered most. The findings of different studies vary, but <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/ve4z7/">one study</a> from Holland estimates learning loss is 60% greater for struggling students. </p>
<p>Given the potential negative impacts for vulnerable students, the NSW and Victorian governments made significant investments in <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/covid-learning-support-program">new</a> <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/careers/teacher/Pages/tutors.aspx">tutoring</a> programs to help these students catch up. These programs have been in place since the start of 2021. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/victoria-and-nsw-are-funding-extra-tutors-to-help-struggling-students-heres-what-parents-need-to-know-about-the-schemes-153450">Victoria and NSW are funding extra tutors to help struggling students. Here's what parents need to know about the schemes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Opening schools safely should be a national priority</h2>
<p>The early NAPLAN data is promising, but our leaders need to stay focused on getting children back to school. </p>
<p>For disadvantaged students in particular, there may be other negative impacts on learning we don’t yet know about. </p>
<p>Academic performance aside, there are broader implications of sustained school closures. There are real concerns about the potential impacts on students’ mental health and social development.</p>
<p>Nor is it clear what the cumulative effects of school closures may be on students or teachers. As remote schooling continues in Victoria and NSW and now the ACT, fatigue is setting in. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Tired students at the desk at home." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417758/original/file-20210825-21-ihie8c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fatigue is setting in for many students learning from home.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tired-student-taking-online-classes-he-1966730875">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute has shown closures are associated with increased harm to <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/news/poor-mental-health-suicidal-thoughts-and-school-closure-stress-felt-among-teens-during-covid-19">children’s physical and mental health</a> – and welfare – due to social isolation, increased anxiety, neglect, or even abuse. These findings are reinforced by growing overseas evidence.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-the-kids-alright-social-isolation-can-take-a-toll-but-play-can-help-146023">Are the kids alright? Social isolation can take a toll, but play can help</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The COVID pandemic continues to upend the daily school routines for millions of young Australians, interrupting their learning, development and friendships. </p>
<p>The NAPLAN results give us reason to hope that with hard work from students, families and teachers – along with targeted supports when schools reopen – we can keep students’ learning on track, despite the odds. </p>
<p>But we must ensure the students who have struggled the most get the help they need to remain engaged in school and to keep progressing in their learning. Getting all children back to school, safely, should be a national priority.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/166737/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Grattan Institute received funding from Origin Energy Foundation to support our report Covid catch-up: helping disadvantaged students close the equity gap. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julie Sonnemann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The national average in literacy and numeracy has been unaffected by 2020’s disruptions. But will have to wait until the full NAPLAN data is released to understand the affect on vulnerable students.Julie Sonnemann, Fellow, School Education, Grattan InstituteJordana Hunter, School Education Program Director, Grattan InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1626102021-08-19T19:49:42Z2021-08-19T19:49:42Z8 out of 10 teachers think education news is negative and demoralising. Some have even left because of it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416896/original/file-20210819-25-1h74hdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/upset-confused-african-woman-holding-cellphone-1361068583">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For many teachers, news coverage of education seems to be unrelentingly negative. They say this is particularly noticeable in reporting of results of standardised tests such as NAPLAN and the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which seems to place most of the blame for perceived problems on them.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1201975917813223424"}"></div></p>
<p>Australian students have reportedly been <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/education/pisa-envy-matters-here-are-four-ways-to-improve-student-results-20210331-p57fkn">falling behind many other countries</a> in literacy and numeracy in the PISA tests, for years. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-results-dont-look-good-but-before-we-panic-lets-look-at-what-we-can-learn-from-the-latest-test-69470">results are nuanced</a>, but the reporting often isn’t. For instance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-results-dont-look-good-but-before-we-panic-lets-look-at-what-we-can-learn-from-the-latest-test-69470">Australia’s score in science</a> in PISA 2015 was 510, significantly above the OECD average of 493. But the reports tend to focus on areas where we have fallen behind than other countries, rather than where Australia may have done well.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-results-dont-look-good-but-before-we-panic-lets-look-at-what-we-can-learn-from-the-latest-test-69470">PISA results don’t look good, but before we panic let’s look at what we can learn from the latest test</a>
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<hr>
<p>There is <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/alarm-bells-australian-students-falling-behind-in-maths-science-and-reading-20191203-p53gho.html">constant anxiety</a> our education system is going downhill and needs urgent improvement.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1201814497205186562"}"></div></p>
<p>In <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1464884917743827">my interviews with Australian schoolteachers</a>, most of the participants accepted standardised testing was necessary. But they opposed the results of NAPLAN testing being released due to the inevitable comparisons of student progress and schools in the related news coverage.</p>
<p>A growing body of research from <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00131911.2021.1907317">Australia</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2332858417751694">overseas</a> suggests teachers’ perceptions about education news are justified. Education news focuses on student discipline, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/minister-says-quality-teaching-not-more-school-funding-key-to-better-results-20210426-p57mfl.html">teacher quality</a>, comparisons of testing results and standards. All these subjects tend to be framed negatively.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1285073196622864385"}"></div></p>
<p>While individual success stories of students, teachers or schools are celebrated, they are usually portrayed as the exception.</p>
<h2>What teachers say</h2>
<p>In my 2017 study, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1464884917743827">I interviewed 25 teachers</a> from around Australia about their perceptions of news reporting of education — 88% of participants considered it to be predominantly negative.</p>
<p>A teacher from a Queensland public school acknowledged that from “time to time” good news stories about schools did appear but said most the coverage was</p>
<blockquote>
<p>shock, horror, look at all these dreadful things that are happening in the school system. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The mostly negative portrayal presented in major metropolitan news outlets was unfair and inaccurate, according to the teachers, and the positive elements tended to be overlooked.</p>
<p>One used the reporting of testing results as an example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When the NAPLAN data was published our federal minister had quite a lot of material published about how we were slipping down the league tables, but when our 15 year-olds were rated the fifth top all rounders [in the PISA tests] […] that barely got a squeak.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1202313463919341568"}"></div></p>
<p>Several participants referred to the prevalence of news coverage that portrayed teachers as low achievers. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We continually hear about low entrance scores to get into teaching. We continually hear about teacher under-performance.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Some of those interviewed believed teachers were treated differently to other professionals in news coverage, and were subjected to greater scrutiny and pressure. “What I do each day is questioned at every level,” one teacher said. </p>
<p>A particular frustration related to news coverage that did not capture the true nature of contemporary teaching. A principal argued there was “an absolute failure” on the part of the news media to recognise the complexity of teachers’ work. She said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Teachers are not going to school, they are going to work and it’s highly complex and highly technological.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Other <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/aeipt.192850?casa_token=gaB624TTPpcAAAAA%3AzPZvYO__d-wsqd3iYA3ZtXeQUyMvZvHoBZW4afnQWJd36xBiPiDnPkgnWRATicO3-e5Nfxt4HhF09g">Australian research</a> has found some teachers have named misleading and negative reporting of education as a factor in their decision to quit teaching.</p>
<h2>Parents feel the same way</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/2/2/11">Our new research</a> has found some Australian parents share teachers’ views. Of the survey group of 268 teachers and 206 parents, 85% of teachers and 74% of parents considered news coverage of the Australian education system to be generally negative.</p>
<p>Half of the parents surveyed reported feeling demoralised by such reporting. For teachers, that figure increased to 81%.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-doesnt-define-education-quality-and-knee-jerk-policy-proposals-wont-fix-whatever-is-broken-128389">PISA doesn't define education quality, and knee-jerk policy proposals won't fix whatever is broken</a>
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<p>Significantly, we also found positive news can be inspiring. Around 64% of both teachers and parents reported they feel inspired “quite a bit” or “a lot” when they encounter a positive news story about teachers, schools or the education system.</p>
<p>All of this points to a need for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1326365X18805330">more balanced, contextualised and fair news coverage</a> of schools and teachers. </p>
<p>While it is not the role of reporters to appease teachers, the evidence about the predominantly negative nature of education news and teachers’ concerns about superficial and inaccurate coverage should be taken into account. And it can just be a matter of shifting the angle.</p>
<h2>Readers turned off by negative news</h2>
<p>There are also sound commercial reasons for rethinking the approach to reporting education. In covering education, news editors are aiming to appeal to the high numbers of parents among their audiences. </p>
<p>Our research suggests parents are interested in education news. But they may be less likely to engage the more negative it is. We know from <a href="https://www.digitalnewsreport.org/survey/2020/">other research</a> that the most common reason people avoid news is because it has a negative impact on mood. </p>
<p>So, if editors want to attract readers with education news, coverage that includes more positive elements could achieve more success.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162610/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathryn Shine does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A survey of 268 teachers found 85% considered education news coverage to be generally negative. And 81% found it demoralising.Kathryn Shine, Journalism Discipline Lead, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1555492021-02-18T04:05:32Z2021-02-18T04:05:32ZWhy the curriculum should be based on students’ readiness, not their age<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384907/original/file-20210218-17-17ekukj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/back-school-education-concept-girl-kids-1478660396">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>I handed down the <a href="https://nswcurriculumreview.nesa.nsw.edu.au/home/siteAreaContent/524abec1-f0f9-4ffd-9e01-2cc89432ad52">final report</a> of a two-year review of the New South Wales school curriculum in June 2020. One of the review’s key recommendations was to introduce what I called “untimed syllabuses”. This is where students who need more time for their learning are given it, and those ready to move on to the next stage are able to do so. </p>
<p>The NSW government has <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/schools-will-trial-untimed-syllabuses-before-ambitious-statewide-reform-20210216-p572v7.html">agreed to trial</a> this recommendation over the coming years.</p>
<p>I made this recommendation in response to a problem teachers had identified. They explained the current curriculum lacks flexibility. It expects every student of the same age to learn the same things at the same time. This sounds fair, and it might be if all students began the school year ready for the year’s curriculum.</p>
<p>In reality, as the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/uncategorised/resources/through-growth-achievement-report-review-achieve-educational-excellence-australian-schools">Gonski report</a> observed, evidence from <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/">testing programs</a> shows the most advanced students in each year of school are about five to six years ahead of the least advanced students. Instead of beginning on the same starting line, students begin each school year widely spread on the running track. </p>
<p>Despite this, they are all judged against the same finish line: the year-level curriculum expectations.</p>
<h2>Some students are behind, others ahead</h2>
<p>The differences we see in students’ performances mean many students begin each school year one, two or three years behind average for their year group and struggle. At the end of each year, they are required to move to the next curriculum, often not having mastered the content of the current curriculum. </p>
<p>For some, the year-level curriculum becomes increasingly beyond their reach and they fall further behind each year. The low grades they receive fail to reveal the progress they are making and reinforce their belief they are poor learners.</p>
<p>By 15 years of age, according to the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (<a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/ozpisa/34/">PISA</a>), one in five Australian students has failed to achieve even a minimally acceptable level of reading or maths. Another one in five has failed to achieve a “<a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/results-and-reports/how-to-interpret/standards">proficient</a>” standard (that is, a challenging but reasonable expectation) in these basics. Many of these students have struggled with year-level curricula throughout their schooling. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/aussie-students-are-a-year-behind-students-10-years-ago-in-science-maths-and-reading-127013">Aussie students are a year behind students 10 years ago in science, maths and reading</a>
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<p>Worse, the students most affected are those also disadvantaged by their socioeconomic circumstances.</p>
<p>At the same time, some more advanced students, who are ready for more challenging material, are prevented from advancing to the next curriculum until the allotted time has elapsed.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Students on a starting line on a race track." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=544&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=544&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384915/original/file-20210218-21-13lmmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=544&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Not all students start the school year on the same starting line.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/students-boy-get-set-leaving-starting-571351051">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>This is not an observation about teachers; they do the best job they can to meet the needs of individual students. But teachers work within the constraints of a timed, lock-step and sometimes crowded curriculum that expects them to deliver the same content to everybody.</p>
<h2>A 21st century approach</h2>
<p>The 21st century requires a more flexible and personalised approach. Learners of the future will learn anywhere at any time, progressing at their own rates, often with the support of technology. In this world, there will be no place for determining what individuals are ready to learn from their age.</p>
<p>My proposal is for a curriculum consisting of a sequence of levels through which every student progresses, but not necessarily at the same pace. This provides teachers with a frame of reference for establishing where individuals are in their learning and ensuring every student is taught and challenged at their current level.</p>
<p>Under this proposal, schools would continue to be organised into year groups and students in each year group normally would work in mixed-ability classes. The difference is that students in the same year group could be working at different curriculum levels.</p>
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<p>This is not the same as streaming. When students are assigned permanently to different instructional groups, they usually become “locked in” to those groups, with the result that ceilings are set on how far some students can progress. Under my proposal, every student progresses over time through the same sequence of curriculum levels.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/could-academic-streaming-in-new-zealand-schools-be-on-the-way-out-the-evidence-suggests-it-should-be-145617">Could academic streaming in New Zealand schools be on the way out? The evidence suggests it should be</a>
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<p>Rather than simply judging all students against the same finish line, this approach recognises and rewards the progress individuals make over the course of a year, regardless of their starting points. Every student is expected to make excellent progress every year.</p>
<h2>Is this backed by research?</h2>
<p>It has long been established — including through the work of American psychologist <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1968-35017-000">David Ausubel</a> and Soviet psychologist <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Mind_in_Society.html?id=RxjjUefze_oC&redir_esc=y">Lev Vygotsky</a> — that the way to maximise learning is to stretch or challenge learners in a way that is appropriate to the points they have reached in their learning.</p>
<p>Students do not learn effectively when given material for which they are not ready or material well within their comfort zones. However, this is the experience of many students in our schools.</p>
<p>A number of countries have recognised the importance of providing every student will well-targeted learning challenges. Some, such as high-performing <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/lessons-from-pisa-for-the-united-states/finland-slow-and-steady-reformfor-consistently-high-results_9789264096660-6-en">Finland</a> and Estonia have dedicated teachers or small-group teaching for students who slip behind in their learning. Others, such as <a href="https://education.gov.scot/education-scotland/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5/what-is-curriculum-for-excellence">Scotland</a> and <a href="https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/the-donaldson-report-an-at-a-glance-guide-8713671">Wales</a>, have restructured their curricula into levels or “steps” through which all students progress. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/estonia-didnt-deliver-its-pisa-results-on-the-cheap-and-neither-will-australia-128455">Estonia didn't deliver its PISA results on the cheap, and neither will Australia</a>
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<p><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ditching-unworkable-fantasy-cooked-up-by-out-of-touch-academics-a-win-for-students-and-teachers-20210215-p572k1.html">Arguments</a> against my proposed approach sometimes claim it is “fair” to hold all students to the same age-based expectations. But fairness is not achieved by treating all students equally — it depends on recognising individual differences and meeting each student’s current learning needs.</p>
<p>It is also often argued the best way to improve performance is to hold all students to the same standards. But this is what is currently done in Australian schools, with no evidence of improvement in either <a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-reveal-little-change-in-literacy-and-numeracy-performance-here-are-some-key-takeaway-findings-70208">NAPLAN</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/aussie-students-are-a-year-behind-students-10-years-ago-in-science-maths-and-reading-127013">PISA</a>. The best way to lift standards is to ensure every student is presented with appropriately challenging material. </p>
<p>My review recognised that restructuring the school curriculum would be a major undertaking that would require time to test and get right. As many teachers observed, increased curriculum flexibility is essential if every student is to learn successfully and achieve their potential.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/155549/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The Australian Council for Educational Research was funded to undertake the review of the NSW school curriculum.</span></em></p>The NSW curriculum review recommends students be assigned tasks based on their ability, rather than their age. This approach recognises the progress individuals make over the course of a year.Geoff Masters, CEO, Australian Council for Educational ResearchLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1523212021-02-09T19:06:47Z2021-02-09T19:06:47ZTo succeed in an AI world, students must learn the human traits of writing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383146/original/file-20210209-23-jfa8sb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C598%2C5256%2C2537&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/robot-concept-chatbot-human-hand-pressing-1195416745">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Students across Australia have started the new school year using pencils, pens and keyboards to learn to write. </p>
<p>In workplaces, machines are also learning to write, so effectively that within a few years they may write better than humans. </p>
<p>Sometimes they already do, as apps like <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/">Grammarly</a> demonstrate. Certainly, much everyday writing humans now do may soon be done by machines with artificial intelligence (AI). </p>
<p>The predictive text commonly used by phone and email software is a form of AI writing that countless humans use every day.</p>
<p>According to an industry research organisation Gartner, AI and related technology will <a href="https://robotwritersai.com/the-robots-cometh/">automate production</a> of 30% of all content found on the internet by 2022.</p>
<p>Some prose, poetry, reports, newsletters, opinion articles, reviews, slogans and scripts are <a href="https://robotwritersai.com/the-robots-cometh/">already being written</a> by artificial intelligence.</p>
<p>Literacy increasingly means and includes <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3313831.3376727">interacting with and critically evaluating</a> AI. </p>
<p>This means our children should no longer be taught just formulaic writing. Instead, writing education should encompass skills that go beyond the capacities of artificial intelligence.</p>
<h2>Back to basics, or further away from them?</h2>
<p>After 2019 PISA results (Programme for International Student Assessment) showed Australian students sliding backwards in numeracy and literacy, then Education Minister Dan Tehan called for schools to go <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tehan/focus-basics-lift-student-performance">back to basics</a>. But computers already have the basics mastered. </p>
<p>Three major reports — from the <a href="https://www.nswtf.org.au/files/18116_towards_a_new_digital.pdf">NSW Teachers’ Federation</a>,the <a href="https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/f58f0df9-31f8-43b3-862a-c8c4329c889e/thematic-review-teaching-writing.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=">NSW Education Standards Authority</a> and the <a href="https://naplanreview.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1222159/2020_NAPLAN_review_final_report.pdf">NSW, QLD, Victorian and ACT governments</a> — have criticised school writing for having become formulaic, to serve <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/">NAPLAN</a> (the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy). </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/too-many-adjectives-not-enough-ideas-how-naplan-forces-us-to-teach-bad-writing-133068">Too many adjectives, not enough ideas: how NAPLAN forces us to teach bad writing</a>
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<p>In some schools, students write essays with sentences fulfilling specified functions, in specified orders, in specified numbers and arrangements of paragraphs. These can then be marked by computers to demonstrate progress.</p>
<p>This template writing is exactly the kind of standardised practice robot writers can do.</p>
<h2>Are you scared yet, human?</h2>
<p>In 2019, the New Yorker magazine <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/14/can-a-machine-learn-to-write-for-the-new-yorker">did an experiment</a> to see if IT company OpenAI’s natural language generator GPT-2 could write an entire article in the magazine’s distinctive style. This attempt had limited success, with the generator making many errors.</p>
<p>But by 2020, GPT-3, the new version of the machine, trained on even more data, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/08/robot-wrote-this-article-gpt-3">wrote an article</a> for The Guardian newspaper with the headline “A robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human?” </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young boy at a typewriting, imagining what he will write." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/383166/original/file-20210209-21-hx3kgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Robots may have a voice, but they have no soul.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-writer-thinking-imagination-what-write-214049542">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>This latest much improved generator has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/science/artificial-intelligence-ai-gpt3.html">implications</a> for the future of journalism, as the Elon Musk-funded OpenAI invests ever more in research and development.</p>
<h2>Robots have voice but no soul</h2>
<p>Back at school, teachers experience pressure to teach writing for student success in narrowly defined writing tests. </p>
<p>But instead, the prospect of human obsolescence or “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00131857.2019.1608625">technological unemployment</a>” needs to drive urgent curriculum developments based on what humans are learning AI <em>cannot</em> do — especially in relation to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00131857.2019.1608625">creativity and compassion</a>.</p>
<p>AI writing is said to have voice but no soul. Human writers, as the New Yorker’s John Seabrook says, give “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/14/can-a-machine-learn-to-write-for-the-new-yorker">colour, personality and emotion to writing by bending the rules</a>”. Students, therefore, need to learn the rules <em>and</em> be encouraged to break them. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/im-in-another-world-writing-without-rules-lets-kids-find-their-voice-just-like-professional-authors-124976">'I'm in another world': writing without rules lets kids find their voice, just like professional authors</a>
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<p>Creativity and <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-robots-write-machine-learning-produces-dazzling-results-but-some-assembly-is-still-required-146090">co-creativity</a> (with machines) should be fostered. Machines are trained on a finite amount of data, to predict and replicate, not to innovate in meaningful and deliberate ways.</p>
<h2>Purposeful writing</h2>
<p>AI cannot yet plan and does not have a purpose. Students need to hone skills in purposeful writing that achieves their communication goals. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the NAPLAN regime has hampered teaching writing as a process that involves planning and editing. This is because it favours time-limited exam-style writing for no audience. </p>
<p>Students need to practise writing in which they are invested, that they care about and that they hope will effect change in the world as well as in their genuine, known readers. This is what machines cannot do.</p>
<p>AI is not yet as complex as the human brain. Humans detect humour and satire. They know words can have multiple and subtle meanings. Humans are capable of perception and insight; they can make advanced evaluative judgements about good and bad writing. </p>
<p>There are calls for humans to become expert in sophisticated forms of writing and in editing writing created by robots as vital future skills.</p>
<h2>Robots have no morality</h2>
<p>Nor does AI have a moral compass. It does not care. OpenAI’s managers originally <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2019/02/openai-gpt2-text-generating-algorithm-ai-dangerous.html">refused to release</a> GPT-3, ostensibly because they were concerned about the generator being used to create fake material, such as reviews of products or election-related commentary. </p>
<p>AI writing bots have no conscience and may need to be eliminated by humans, as with Microsoft’s racist Twitter prototype, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/3/24/11297050/tay-microsoft-chatbot-racist">Tay</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"712880710328139776"}"></div></p>
<p>Critical, compassionate and nuanced assessment of what AI produces, management and monitoring of content, and decision-making and empathy with readers are all part of the “writing” roles of a democratic future.</p>
<h2>Skills for the future</h2>
<p>As early as 2011, the <a href="https://www.iftf.org/futureworkskills/">Institute for the Future</a> identified social intelligence (“the ability to connect to others in a deep and direct way”), novel and adaptive thinking, cross-cultural competency, transdisciplinarity, virtual collaboration and a design mindset as essential skills for the future workforce. </p>
<p>In 2017, a <a href="http://www.fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/fya-future-of-work-report-final-lr.pdf">report</a> by The Foundation for Young Australians found complex problem-solving skills, judgement, creativity and social intelligence would be vital for students’ futures.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-my-students-taught-me-about-reading-old-books-hold-new-insights-for-the-digital-generation-127799">What my students taught me about reading: old books hold new insights for the digital generation</a>
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<p>This is in stark contrast to parroting <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/23/dear-gavin-williamson-could-you-tell-parents-what-a-fronted-adverbial-is">irrelevant</a> grammar terms such as “subordinate clauses” and “nominalisations”, being able to spell “quixotic” and “acaulescent” (words my daughter learnt by rote in primary school recently) or writing to a formula. </p>
<p>Teaching and assessment of writing need to catch up to the real world.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152321/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucinda McKnight receives funding from The Victorian Association for the Teaching of English. </span></em></p>Our children should no longer be taught formulaic writing. Writing education should encompass skills that go beyond the capacities of artificial intelligence.Lucinda McKnight, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy and Curriculum, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1512162020-12-13T19:04:41Z2020-12-13T19:04:41ZFrom power battles to education theatre: the history of standardised testing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/373763/original/file-20201209-17-9n1y1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Samara, Russia, 2017: students sit the state exam.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/samara-russia-june-9-2017-russian-1657424452">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-lifts-to-be-among-top-ten-countries-in-maths-and-science-150275">TIMSS</a>) 2019 testing round were released last week. They showed Australia had improved in Year 8 maths and science, and Year 4 science, from the previous testing cycles.</p>
<p>The TIMSS is a standardised, international assessment administered to check how effective countries are in teaching maths and science. Another international standardised test is the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (<a href="https://theconversation.com/aussie-students-are-a-year-behind-students-10-years-ago-in-science-maths-and-reading-127013">PISA</a>). PISA examines how well students in secondary schools across 36 OECD countries, and 43 other countries or economies, can apply reading, maths, science and other skills to real-life situations.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-lifts-to-be-among-top-ten-countries-in-maths-and-science-150275">Australia lifts to be among top ten countries in maths and science</a>
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<p>Standardised tests have been in place in a number of educational systems for nearly two centuries. They are rooted in reformers’ desire to regulate schooling and hold educators accountable, in the hopes of improving teaching and learning. But how did such exams gain momentum and why are they so controversial? </p>
<h2>What are standardised tests?</h2>
<p>Standardised tests are exams administered and scored in a standard, or consistent, manner. They are scored using particular scales of standards in knowledge and skills. </p>
<p>Such tests can be <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/evidence-based-education-needs-standardised-assessment">given to large groups of students</a> in the same area, state or nation, using the same grading system to enable a reliable comparison of student outcomes. The tests can be composed of various types of questions, including multiple-choice and essay queries. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Student filling out multiple-choice answer form." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374115/original/file-20201210-19-hmzndb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Standardised tests can be made up of various types of questions including multiple choice or essay-style questions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/students-hand-holding-pencil-writing-selected-1066845767">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>In Australia, for instance, 740 schools and just over 14,200 students <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pisa-world-education-test-results-are-about-to-drop-is-australia-getting-worse-127011">participated in PISA</a> 2018. The results were compared to those of students in other countries, but also between students inside Australia.</p>
<p>Another well known exam is Australia’s national standardised test, the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), intended for all <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/examplequestions-years-3-and-5.pdf?sfvrsn=2">Year 3, 5</a>, <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/examplequestions--years-7-and-9.pdf?sfvrsn=2">7 and 9</a> students across the country.</p>
<p>Similar testing programs to the NAPLAN can be found in other nations, including the <a href="https://www.gl-education.com/media/1757/guide-to-standardised-tests.pdf">UK</a>, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14767724.2015.1010438?journalCode=cgse20">Israel</a>, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/11/great-german-scool-turnaround/413806/">Germany</a>, <a href="https://www.fairtest.org/testing-craziness-mexico">Mexico</a> and <a href="https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/family/article/the-future-of-standardized-testing-in-canada">Canada</a>. </p>
<p>So how did it all begin and what makes countries take this approach? </p>
<h2>A history of one-size-fits-all student testing</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://ushistoryscene.com/article/rise-of-public-education/">17th and 18th centuries</a> saw English and American ministers preaching annual sermons to raise money to educate the poor. This appealed to the generosity of elites, while promoting policies that enforce tax support for charity schools.</p>
<p>The public expected to literally <em>see</em> the fruits of <a href="https://ushistoryscene.com/article/rise-of-public-education/">mass education</a> during the industrial revolution; creating a reality in which fundraising and the display of students went hand-in-hand. </p>
<p>As William Reese describes in his prominent book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Testing-Wars-Public-Schools-Forgotten/dp/0674073045">Testing Wars in the Public Schools</a>, “exhibitions” or “examinations” of learning became part and parcel of the US educational system. Such displays were used as a tool for citizens to judge teacher effectiveness and student accomplishment. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-doesnt-define-education-quality-and-knee-jerk-policy-proposals-wont-fix-whatever-is-broken-128389">PISA doesn't define education quality, and knee-jerk policy proposals won't fix whatever is broken</a>
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<p>Once the days of exhibition were announced, educators’, students’ and even parents’ preparations began. It highlighted their eagerness to impress the public with the childrens’ knowledge. </p>
<p>Often reported by the press to lift community pride and morale, such exhibitions brought a milieu of people, including politicians and members of the school committee, who distributed prizes for meritorious achievement.</p>
<p>Students were focused on the task-at-hand, memorising topics and orally reciting ideas to impress the crowd. Impressions did not only rest on their public performance, but teachers’ ability to successfully discipline them “on stage”.</p>
<h2>The rise of standardised testing in the US</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Photograph of Horace Mann" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=781&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=781&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=781&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=982&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=982&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374108/original/file-20201210-15-4rasaw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=982&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Horace Mann is considered by some to be the father of standardised testing.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Horace_Mann_MET_37.14.25.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>By the early 1840s, US reformers Horace Mann and Samuel Gridley Howe, among other reformers, became frustrated by the “theatricality” of education and aggravated by the cruelty of <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3122828?seq=1">corporal punishment</a> and <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=8XUh4SnqLrYC&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=American+school+exclusivity+1800s&source=bl&ots=whDu0kJjS9&sig=ACfU3U1p6YIVJgogvZzcRbeTHnqVybhwpw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizjsbaw7rtAhWLWisKHR5_DcM4ChDoATAEegQICBAC#v=onepage&q&f=false">school exclusivity</a>. </p>
<p>Mann and Howe had witnessed English reformers practising advanced statistics and debating the merits of competitive testing, which soon led to civil service reform and the appointment of inspectors to examine schools.</p>
<p>The two reformers grappled with fundamental questions such as “What makes one school better than others?” and “How can one identify changes in teacher practice and student learning over time?”. </p>
<p>They decided it was time to establish a more formal, consistent and critical testing program than a simple exhibition. They were in <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/360452?seq=1">favour of written</a> (rather than oral) exams in schools. </p>
<p>Materialising in various Boston grammar schools in <a href="https://wac.colostate.edu/docs/books/testing/chapter1.pdf">1845</a>, the reformers surprised students with a one hour test attached to a blank answer sheet. A reality of competitive, written, standardised exams that offer quantifiable configurations of teaching and learning had emerged. </p>
<p>Holding sensitive school data in their hands helped the reformers to control issues of teaching, teacher promotion and leave, as well as acceptance and graduation in secondary schools (and later on higher education settings).</p>
<p>A new power battle became the centre of a long-lasting debate about the politics and the meaning of assessment. </p>
<h2>What about Australia?</h2>
<p>Standardised tests are not new to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2012.758815">Australia</a>. <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/63662/1/Donna_Ward_Thesis.pdf">Research shows</a> that since the 1800s, and although not consistently, some Australian students have taken part in some form of standardised tests to determine their knowledge, regardless of age.</p>
<p>Large numbers of students, for example, participated in half-yearly exams in the 1820s, administered by Principal Lawrence Halloran at his Sydney school. Similar to the US, external inspectors were also involved for some time in monitoring student achievement on various sets of tasks in schools.</p>
<p>But the standardised testing similar to what we’ve seen in the US was introduced to Australia in 2008 by way of the NAPLAN. This was accompanied by the MySchool website, which lists results for Australia’s students. </p>
<p>Then Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard introduced NAPLAN to <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/naplan-winning-key-support-20190430-p51ipr">give accountability</a> and transparency to families and policymakers on student performance. </p>
<p>The message was very much familiar: let the crowd judge while we, the reformers, steer the schooling ship.</p>
<p>The tests drummed up similar <a href="https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/48454/80693_1.pdf;sequence=1">controversy</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/support-for-standardised-tests-boils-down-to-beliefs-about-who-benefits-from-it-86541">criticism</a> as <a href="https://www.holycross.edu/sites/default/files/educ/a_history_of_achievement_testing.pdf">in the US</a>. It was mostly around them being a political and negative control mechanism, and their distorted critique (of what goes on in schools), waste (with regard to classroom time spent teaching to the test) and misclassification (reflection of the students’ socioeconomic circumstances rather than learning). </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-year-without-naplan-has-given-us-a-chance-to-re-evaluate-how-we-gauge-school-quality-138603">A year without NAPLAN has given us a chance to re-evaluate how we gauge school quality</a>
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<p>These came alongside <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-things-we-wouldnt-know-without-naplan-94286">confidence</a> the tests can help diagnose learning gaps and keep parents, researchers and policymakers informed of students’ performance. </p>
<p>But NAPLAN’s cancellation during the 2020 COVID pandemic, as well the hiatus of standardised tests in other countries like the US, has made interested parties question whether it may be <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/06/21/it-looks-like-beginning-end-americas-obsession-with-student-standardized-tests/">the beginning of the end</a> of the obsession with the testing method.</p>
<h2>Where to now?</h2>
<p>Some successful education nations like Finland — which rank highly in international standardised tests like PISA — avoid external, national standardised tests. </p>
<p><a href="https://annenberg.brown.edu/sites/default/files/VUE24.pdf#page=17">Finland</a> has been a poster child for school improvement since finding its way to the top of the international rankings after emerging from the Soviet Union’s shadow. The country has magnificently shifted from a centralised education system, that celebrating external testing, to a more localised one in which highly trained educators provide more narrative feedback to students. </p>
<p>As the Finnish policy analyst Pasi Sahlberg <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-90-481-2660-6_19">explains</a>, Finland has made a conscious decision to avoid investing in standardisation of curriculum enforced by frequent external tests.</p>
<p>Instead, it focused on teacher education and providing time for teacher collaboration on issues of instruction. Student-free daily meals, health care, transportation, learning materials and counselling are also part of the package. </p>
<p>With the ongoing conversation about quality, <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-year-without-naplan-has-given-us-a-chance-to-re-evaluate-how-we-gauge-school-quality-138603">possible assessment alternatives</a> and new ways of schooling, only time will tell whether standardised testing programs continue shaping Australian and international education practices.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151216/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Standardised tests or exams have been in place in a number of educational systems for nearly two centuries. They are rooted in reformers’ desire to regulate schooling and hold educators accountable.Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1386032020-12-01T19:08:22Z2020-12-01T19:08:22ZA year without NAPLAN has given us a chance to re-evaluate how we gauge school quality<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/372145/original/file-20201201-13-xcil44.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/silhouette-three-happy-children-which-playing-454594336">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>This has been a year of schools closing and a rapid switch to online learning. It’s also been a year with no NAPLAN. The <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/naplan-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-some-parents-want-it-gone/12641570">cancellation of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy</a> due to COVID marked the first interruption of the <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1055&context=resdev">annual testing</a> cycle since 2008. </p>
<p>NAPLAN is a standardised test, conducted yearly for students across the country in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan">has been used by</a> teachers, schools, education authorities, governments and the broader community to see how children are progressing against national standards in literacy and numeracy — and over time.</p>
<p>After the changes COVID brought to education, policymakers have an opportunity to rethink our national “<a href="http://www.aera.net/About-AERA/AERA-Rules-Policies/Association-Policies/Position-Statement-on-High-Stakes-Testing">high-stakes” testing</a> system that focuses on literacy and numeracy skills. It often leads teachers to “<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/newscentre/news_centre/story_archive/2012/naplan_leading_to_a_teach_to_test_culture_major_study">teach to the test</a>”, rather than ensuring students leave school with a well-rounded set of skills.</p>
<p>NAPLAN scores are used to gauge the quality of schools. But the overemphasis on only literacy and numeracy scores stands in the way of providing a more holistic education. We need a system that delivers confident citizens and creative problem solvers. And that means re-evaluating what we mean by a good quality school.</p>
<h2>A history of NAPLAN and My School</h2>
<p>Over a decade ago, Australian leaders envisioned a national system that assesses school quality. In 2010, led by Education Minister Julia Gillard, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) launched the <a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au/">My School website</a>. </p>
<p>The move was influenced by countries such as the US and UK, which employ <a href="https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables">formal</a> and <a href="https://www.schooldigger.com/go/MA/schoolrank.aspx?level=3">non-formal</a> school rankings to show the quality of schools. My School did this by reporting NAPLAN data, accompanied by up-to-date information such as schools’ missions and finances.</p>
<p>Julia Gillard still <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/no-regrets-over-my-school-says-julia-gillard-20180608-p4zkcf.html">stands behind</a> her controversial decision, while acknowledging the system’s serious <a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-only-tells-part-of-the-story-of-student-achievement-86144">problems</a>. These include its overemphasis on the test, rather than a focus on the processes of learning and inquiry. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/anxious-kids-not-learning-the-real-effects-of-naplan-9526">Research</a> shows the “teach to the test” approach can narrow the curriculum focus and make it harder to cater for students’ various needs. It can limit opportunities for students to engage with the materials in ways that develop their learning and critical thinking skills.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/too-many-adjectives-not-enough-ideas-how-naplan-forces-us-to-teach-bad-writing-133068">Too many adjectives, not enough ideas: how NAPLAN forces us to teach bad writing</a>
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<h2>A change to the My School website</h2>
<p>While educators lamented the negative impacts of NAPLAN, parents have constantly complained the My School system left them <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/parents-say-my-school-website-leaves-them-feeling-confused-inadequate-20191202-p53g3g.html">confused</a>, feeling as if they were sitting in a test themselves. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) commissioned a <a href="http://www.educationcouncil.edu.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Reports%20and%20publications/NAPLAN%20Reporting%20Review/Final%20Report.pdf">review of NAPLAN</a>.</p>
<p>The very long review process consisted of public submissions, focus groups and interviews with stakeholders, parents and unions. The <a href="http://www.educationcouncil.edu.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Reports%20and%20publications/NAPLAN%20Reporting%20Review/Final%20Report.pdf">resulting report</a> showed a relatively unified confusion around the purpose of NAPLAN and My School. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1330457438319947776"}"></div></p>
<p>It also showed concerns about displaying test scores alongside the school’s socioeconomic index. This <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4261.3Main+Features32011">amplified the fact</a> students in the most disadvantaged areas were substantially more likely to score below the national minimum standard for each of the test’s three domains than those in more advantaged areas.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-all-parents-use-naplan-testing-in-the-same-way-and-it-may-be-related-to-their-background-145389">Not all parents use NAPLAN testing in the same way – and it may be related to their background</a>
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<p>ACARA <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/new-simplified-my-school-website-dumps-school-comparisons-20200317-p54b2j.html">simplified the website</a>, noting the <a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au/see-whats-changed">changes</a> agreed to by education ministers after the review’s report came out. </p>
<p>Before, it compared a school’s NAPLAN result against the average result of 60 similar schools. Now, a school’s results are benchmarked against the average NAPLAN score of all students across the country with a similar background.</p>
<p>The website seeks to provide a greater focus on student progress (using NAPLAN results), rather than on statistical comparisons. So, before entering My School, the user must accept a list of terms, which acknowledge:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the content on this site about the performance of a school on any indicator including the National Assessment Program ─ Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests is only one aspect of the information that should be taken into consideration when looking at a school’s profile.</p>
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<p>This statement is followed by another about the importance of speaking to “teachers and principals to get an understanding of what each school offers”. Both of these suggest there has to be more to a national system to provide meaningful information that supports transparency and accountability of Australian schools. </p>
<p>This notion is clearly reflected in other Australian education policies, including in the report from the <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/documents/through-growth-achievement-report-review-achieve-educational-excellence-australian-0">Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools</a> (also known as Gonski 2.0). The report urges the education system to be more creative in the curriculum, assessment and reporting.</p>
<h2>How can the system be improved?</h2>
<p>It would be foolish to say there is an easy silver bullet assessment solution. But it may be worthwhile to consider some international initiatives.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1330448685180858376"}"></div></p>
<p>All 50 US states have established educational measurement systems based on standardised testing. These have been heavily criticised for hurting schools and students. Criticisms include concerns over <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/us/verdict-reached-in-atlanta-school-testing-trial.html">widespread cheating issues</a> and <a href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/issue_papers/IP202.html">schools’ inflating test scores</a> to create the illusion of improved equity and school quality.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-school-good-its-about-more-than-just-test-results-114372">What makes a school good? It's about more than just test results</a>
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<p>US scholars lamented the nation’s <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2018/1/19/21104211/why-one-harvard-professor-calls-american-schools-focus-on-testing-a-charade">“testing charade”</a> and its measuring too little about schools and too much about families and neighbourhoods. They sought to look beyond a single test, suggesting a <a href="https://www.mciea.org/">novel assessment framework</a> that paints a more nuanced picture of schooling. </p>
<p>The framework explores what many would agree are crucial aspects of education. Aside from literacy and numeracy scores, they include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>student-teacher relationships</p></li>
<li><p>physical and emotional safety</p></li>
<li><p>a sense of belonging</p></li>
<li><p>student engagement and achievement</p></li>
<li><p>problem solving</p></li>
<li><p>relationships between the family and school </p></li>
<li><p>cultural responsiveness</p></li>
<li><p>social and emotional health</p></li>
<li><p>community involvement.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>These are measured through the use of tools such as administrative data and student and teacher surveys. One such alternative <a href="https://www.mciea.org/">system</a> can be found, among others, in Massachusetts, US. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320430265_Holistic_School_Quality_Measurement_and_the_Future_of_Accountability_Pilot-Test_Results">Research</a> on pilots of such a framework show a less deterministic relationship between school quality and students’ socio-economic status.</p>
<p>Standardised tests can be useful for educators and policymakers who seek to track some student progress and allocate resources. But these tools are limited in what they tell us and can be misleading. </p>
<p>Creating a new schooling framework that has a less deterministic relationship between school quality and students’ socio-economic status will be challenging. But it is possible and worthwhile in the long run.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/138603/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>NAPLAN scores are used to gauge the quality of schools. But the overemphasis on only literacy and numeracy scores stands in the way of providing a more holistic education.Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1481042020-10-18T19:06:22Z2020-10-18T19:06:22ZWriting needs to be taught and practised. Australian schools are dropping the focus too early<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363874/original/file-20201016-19-18pxmkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/indian-woman-student-education-writing-studying-126914486">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://naplanreview.com.au/">recently released report</a> of the NAPLAN review — commissioned by the New South Wales, Queensland, Victorian and Australian Capital Territory education ministers — found many young people are reaching Year 9 without being able to write properly. </p>
<p>The number of students below the national minimum standard is higher in regional and remote areas. The difference in performance between males and females is significant and has been evident each year since 2008. </p>
<p>The review says the NAPLAN data indicate writing has not improved since 2011.</p>
<p>When we talk about writing, we are not talking about the fine motor skills associated with forming letters or handwriting, gripping a pencil or typing. We are talking about writing to communicate meaning and the role of writing in how young people learn in the curriculum. </p>
<p>Being able to write is important for future success. In 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) <a href="https://www.gcedclearinghouse.org/sites/default/files/resources/190244eng.pdf">characterised writing as</a> a:</p>
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<p>… foundational skill required for communication, future learning and full participation in economic, political and social life as well as in many aspects of daily life. </p>
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<p>But while education systems have prioritised teaching reading, far less attention and expertise has been directed to teaching writing, beyond perhaps spelling. </p>
<p>We <a href="https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/e61c5e7e-d553-4a33-ab0d-7297c2709302/summary-report-of-the-australian-writing-survey.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=">surveyed more than 4,000 primary and secondary school teachers</a> in NSW to find out how often they explicitly teach writing, and what strategies they use. </p>
<p>Our data show there is an emphasis on basic writing skills in primary school. But once students enter secondary school, it appears teaching subject knowledge competes with a focus on teaching basic writing skills. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-show-year-3-students-perform-better-than-year-9-in-writing-and-its-a-worrying-trend-122541">NAPLAN results show Year 3 students perform better than Year 9 in writing, and it's a worrying trend</a>
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<p>The dangerous assumption, it seems, is that students have developed these skills in earlier years. For many students this is simply not the case. </p>
<h2>How often do teachers teach writing?</h2>
<p>Our survey was commissioned by the NSW Education Standards Authority. It was completed by 4,306 NSW teachers, across all sectors, stages of schooling and curriculum areas. </p>
<p>We asked the teachers how much time they spent on teaching writing in the past fortnight, and how often they used specific strategies. Some of these included:</p>
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<li><p>asking students to set goals for their writing</p></li>
<li><p>analysing good models of writing with students</p></li>
<li><p>modelling good writing </p></li>
<li><p>composing text together with students in their chosen genre</p></li>
<li><p>allocating time for students to practise specific writing strategies</p></li>
<li><p>explicitly teaching students how to plan, draft, revise and edit their work.</p></li>
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<p>Results show teachers in Years K-2 emphasise explicitly teaching writing. This peaks in Years 3-6, and dips significantly in Years 7-10. Following this decline, there is a noted increase in focus on explicitly teaching writing in Years 11-12. </p>
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<p>This could reflect the emphasis on writing in most subjects as teachers prepare students for the NSW Higher School Certificate.</p>
<p>For instance, 58.5% of teachers in Years 3-6 spent between one to five hours in the preceding fortnight teaching writing. But this fell to 48.3% in Year 7-10, and it went up again to 56.5% in Years 11-12.</p>
<p>In Years 3-6 nearly 25% of teachers taught writing for five to ten hours in the preceding fortnight, compared to only 6% of teachers in Years 7-10, and 7% in Years 11-12.</p>
<h2>What about the way they taught writing</h2>
<p>Our survey showed Years 7-10 teachers were less likely (never, or rarely) to use interactive, instructional practices compared to teachers in other year levels. These include asking students to set goals, and helping them analyse a model of good writing to identify what works and what may not.</p>
<p>In K-Year 2, nearly 50% of teachers said they spent most lessons modelling writing to children. This dropped to 25% in Years 3-6, 12% in Years 7-10 and 16% in Years 11-12.</p>
<p>Around 70% of teachers in K to Year 6 allocated time regularly or in most classes for students to practise writing strategies independently. But this fell to 38% in Years 7-10.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/too-many-adjectives-not-enough-ideas-how-naplan-forces-us-to-teach-bad-writing-133068">Too many adjectives, not enough ideas: how NAPLAN forces us to teach bad writing</a>
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<p>Allocating time for students to practise writing strategies with the support of the teacher, and then independently, is critical for student success.</p>
<p>Like other complex skills, if you don’t practise, how can you improve? </p>
<p>Research also suggests explicitly teaching writing strategies such as planning, drafting and revising is a <a href="https://doaj.org/article/51adc393547d432a9e62fe28ff7b55ca">particularly effective method</a> for improving writing skills of all students.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Young child learning to write." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363868/original/file-20201016-19-v9jw8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Teachers in the early years of school seem to spend the most time explicitly teaching kids to write.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-hands-practising-his-writing-skill-3495343">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>But while more than 50% of teachers in K to Year 6 explicitly taught students to do this regularly or in most classes, only 35% of teachers did so in Years 7-10. Exactly 50% of teachers did this in Years 11-12 regularly or in most classes.</p>
<p>Explicitly teaching these skills connects thinking and writing and makes such connections visible and meaningful for students.</p>
<p>We also found far less focus on sentence construction in secondary school.</p>
<p>While most K-2 and Years 3-6 teachers indicated they regularly or during most lessons engaged in teaching “sentence structure”, the focus dips in Years 7-10. Only 44% of teachers regularly engaged in the practice. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/im-in-another-world-writing-without-rules-lets-kids-find-their-voice-just-like-professional-authors-124976">'I'm in another world': writing without rules lets kids find their voice, just like professional authors</a>
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<p>Secondary teachers need a greater focus on teaching how to structure sentences and paragraphs as part of explicit regular teaching practice.</p>
<h2>Writing must be practised, continuously</h2>
<p>Teaching writing skills needs to be a baseline requirement for all students. The explicit teaching of these skills must be continuously revisited, building on student knowledge throughout their years of school. </p>
<p>Writing is a difficult skill to master and a difficult skill to teach. At the very least, secondary schools need to allocate more time to teaching this skill and for students to practise writing.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148104/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Claire Wyatt-Smith received funding from The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA for the study reported in this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Jennifer Jackson received funding from The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) for the study reported in this article. </span></em></p>A survey of NSW teachers shows there is an emphasis on explicitly teaching writing in the early school years. But the amount of time spent teaching writing dips in the middle years.Claire Wyatt-Smith, Professor of Educational Assessment and Literacy and Institute Director of the Learning Sciences Institute Australia, Australian Catholic UniversityChristine Jennifer Jackson, Senior Research Officer, Assessment, Writing and Reporting, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.