Parents struggle to answer standard NAPLAN questions

As Queensland students prepare for next week’s NAPLAN testing, thousands of parents have struggled to answer some of the standard numeracy and literacy questions found in a mock quiz. Can you do any better? TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

A mock NAPLAN quiz aimed at parents has seen thousands of mums and dads struggle to answer standard numeracy and literacy questions, as Queensland students prepare for next week’s national tests.

Less than 4 per cent of the almost 4000 parents who attempted online tutoring service Cluey Learning’s quiz have scored a perfect 10 out of 10, with the multiple-choice options based on previous questions aimed at 8 to 15-year-olds.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN THE DUMMY QUIZ BELOW

Parents struggled most to answer a question on probability factor of a standard six-side dice rolling a factor of six, and a question on the correct punctuation of a sentence.

Cluey also conducted a national survey on the standardised tests, which found almost a quarter of parents would let their kids take a sick day if they were feeling too anxious about NAPLAN, and almost a third were considering withdrawing their kids.

Parents say they are prepared to let their children have a sick day if they feel too anxious about NAPLAN.

Cluey Learning’s Rick Molineux said becoming familiar with the style of NAPLAN questions was an important part of preparing students, and easing some of the pre-test stress.

“It’s important to dispel a lot of the mystery surrounding these tests,” he said.

“It can be hard, because part of the test is that it is an unknown, but becoming familiar with the style of the questions can really help (ease anxiety).

“Standardised testing might not be the most exciting tool, but it does tell us some very useful things about how well children are doing over longer periods of time.”

More than a million Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students across the country will take part in NAPLAN from next week, with the online testing window running from May 10 to May 20.

Students are tested in five subject areas: reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy.

But the standardised tests have not been without opposition.

The powerful Queensland teachers’ union has called for the national standardised test to be scrapped this year as they were in 2020, blaming the ongoing impact of Covid, but the move has been shut down by Education Minister Grace Grace.

A message from QTU president Cresta Richardson to members said the union would continue to advocate for “the removal and replacement of NAPLAN testing”, and accused the federal government of failing to understand the system’s “fundamental flaws”.

Queensland Teachers' Union president Cresta Richardson says the union is again calling for NAPLAN to be scrapped.

“Less expensive and more accurate assessment programs, designed by the profession, would provide much more insightful data on the health of the education system than national standardised testing,” she said.

Mr Molineux said it was “understandable” parents and teachers could become stressed about NAPLAN.

“But we look at it from a growth mindset – the skills we build to take a test like NAPLAN will be skills we use in life,” he said.

“For some kids, NAPLAN will be their first test experience.

“For students who may not have many other opportunities to develop time-management skills, sitting NAPLAN may be of benefit and is an opportunity for parents to talk to their children about managing their nerves.”

Full quiz: https://clueylearning.com.au/en/naplan-quiz-for-parents/