Every year the results of the annual NAPLAN tests are accompanied by a flurry of opinions about teachers and teaching, many of which are uninformed by research. It is reassuring that Sally Larsen’s article draws on research that shows the sky is not falling, there is no ‘epic fail’. Increasing numbers of our students are not failing to meet standards. The sky is not falling but our view of the sky has changed. Her research shows that the most disadvantaged students have always been over-represented in the lowest groups, and this unfortunately remains unchanged. However students were previously assessed and categorised into ten bands, which have now been reduced to four proficiency levels, resulting in more students in each category including the lowest. NAPLAN results are therefore an annual reminder of how social and economic realities impact on the lives of individual students and their learning. This short article provides a lot of food for thought about both teaching and assessment as well as the importance of critically analysing data.
Reference: Sally Larsen. (2024, Aug 14). Are the latest NAPLAN results really an ‘epic fail’? The conversation.
Touchstones: 1, 6, 8
Link: https://theconversation.com/are-the-latest-naplan-results-really-an-epic-fail-236782