NAPLAN - National Assessment program - literacy and numeracy
- NAPLAN is a national high-stakes test currently undertaken annually in Australia
- NAPLAN is for years 3, 5, 7 and 9 and runs over 3 days in May
- NAPLAN began in May 2008
- NAPLAN was designed to assess student skills in literacy and numeracy
- NAPLAN contains four tests - language conventions, reading, writing and numeracy
- NAPLAN is managed by ACARA
- NAPLAN is used to report to families and schools
- NAPLAN assesses students against national minimum standards for their age group
(QCAA, 2014a)
"National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) - an assessment of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students in literacy and numeracy, the test results of which are used to compare student achievement against national standards" (Seely Flint, Kitson, Lowe & Shaw, 2014, pp. 496.).
NAPLAN Processes
naplan task timeline
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This document provides schools with specific procedures and the due dates for these to be completed in preparation for NAPLAN (QCAA, 2014c).
naplan handbook for year 5 teachers
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This document is provided to teachers of year 5 the week before the NAPLAN tests. It is an extensive 32 page document that informs teachers of which procedures they are to take. The document goes through preparation procedures as well as providing word for word instructions to be read aloud to students for each test. (ACARA, 2014e)
naplan handbook for principals
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This document is provided to staff up to 2 months prior to the NAPLAN tests. An expansive 56 pages, it covers protocols for the testing written by ACARA as well as procedures for administration and reporting written by the QCAA, who look after the test administration for Queensland schools. (ACARA, 2014b)
NAPLAN PROTOCOLS
There are strict scheduling rules for the NAPLAN tests to ensure that all students have equal access to the test without any students having a greater opportunity than others to complete them. On days where there are more than one test to be completed students must have at least a 20 minute break between tests. All tests must be completed by 1pm on the given test date. (Image retrieved from p16 of the Handbook for Principals. ACARA, 2014b).
The Handbook for principals provides protocols and procedures for every perceivable situation possible for the NAPLAN testing process. Following is a list of the topics covered in part A of the handbook:
National Protocols for Test Administration
Part B of the handbook provides more practical examples of the practices and procedures needed to complete the three days of testing. It includes information such as what to do when receiving and returning test books as well as how to complete the cover pages of the test booklets. Each of these procedures have designated times in which they need to be completed within, and these deadlines are available in the NAPLAN Task Timeline document. (ACARA, 2014b)
National Protocols for Test Administration
- Code of conduct
- Communication responsibilities for all parties
- Security and integrity of test materials
- Student participation cohorts
- Adjustments for students with disability
- Preparing students for the test
- Administering the tests
- Marking
- Breaches of test protocols
Part B of the handbook provides more practical examples of the practices and procedures needed to complete the three days of testing. It includes information such as what to do when receiving and returning test books as well as how to complete the cover pages of the test booklets. Each of these procedures have designated times in which they need to be completed within, and these deadlines are available in the NAPLAN Task Timeline document. (ACARA, 2014b)