Thursday, January 22, 2015

NAPLAN writing test enhanced to include two prompts


This year’s NAPLAN writing assessment will have two writing prompts – one for Years 3 and 5, and a different prompt for Years 7 and 9 – instead of the previous single prompt for all year levels.

“NAPLAN is an evolving assessment and ACARA continually works to identify improvements to the assessment model,” says Dr Stanley Rabinowitz, General Manager of Assessment and Reporting at ACARA.

For several years ACARA has been looking at the success of setting one writing task for all students from Year 3 to Year 9 (from 8–9-year-olds to 14–15-year-olds). The change has been made following consultation with content and assessment experts, as well as with states and territory representatives and other educators and researchers.

These experts looked at data from the last few years, including the 2014 data when we saw a downward trend in persuasive writing achievement, compared to 2011 and to 2013, and concluded that the NAPLAN writing assessment would be better served by two writing prompts, one for Years 3 and 5 and a different one for Years 7 and 9.

“Having two prompts will enable better questions to be set. More age-appropriate writing prompts will better ensure all students have the opportunity to produce their best writing,” says Dr Rabinowitz.

The move to two prompts should have no impact on how teachers prepare their students for the NAPLAN writing test, with students still required to write the same sorts of responses. Both writing prompts will be on the same type of text – either narrative or persuasive – students will not have a choice of genre. The genre will be revealed on the day of assessment. The curriculum requires students to learn about imaginative, informative and persuasive texts. Through these types of texts students learn to write to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue.

This enhancement is complemented by the move to NAPLAN online from 2017, which will provide better assessment, more precise results and a faster turnaround of information.

For more information, visit the National Assessment Program (NAP) website.

 

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Prepare for NAPLAN 2015

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

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NAPLAN Super Specials

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Monday, December 22, 2014

ACARA Update December 2014

Welcome to the December issue of the ACARA Update.

Earlier this month, we published the 2014 NAPLAN National Report, which provides nationally comparable data on the 2014 results for each NAPLAN test domain: numeracy, reading, writing and language conventions (spelling, and grammar and punctuation).

The report showed us that overall student achievement has remained stable for each year level and most domains. You can read more about the key findings here.

This information is important. Those students who completed the inaugural Year 3 tests in 2008 have now completed their last NAPLAN assessments as Year 9 students this year – this means parents of these children have four years’ worth of information about their children’s progress in the fundamental areas of literacy and numeracy.

Following the conduct of NAPLAN in May this year, data on student achievement in the important areas of literacy and numeracy have been the subject of conversations in schools, in homes and in the broader community. Given the importance of literacy and numeracy to young people’s learning and success beyond school, it is good to know that the data are being put to great use – celebrating success or focusing on areas for improvement.

We’ve heard from various schools that NAPLAN data gives teachers a better understanding of the abilities and achievements of classes and cohorts of students. We’ve heard of data being used for forward planning, to corroborate the great work being undertaken by schools, as a year-to-year measurement tool or as a way to determine where resources are most needed.

The 2014 NAPLAN data will next be seen on My School when the website is updated next year. Publishing these data on My School contributes to accountability and discussion about school improvement. Such open and transparent provision of data helps parents to see how the school their child attends, or plans to attend, is performing academically relative to other schools in their local area. It also helps them to compare their school’s performance with others of a similar level of socio-educational advantage, no matter where that school is in the country.

ACARA is also focusing on improving what we do. We know that NAPLAN can be improved and we are working to do that. We have made changes to the NAPLAN writing assessment and, in moving NAPLAN online, we will be able to provide students with a better assessment experience and provide parents and educators with more precise results much more quickly.

As we head toward the end of the year, I hope the data we have collected and distributed to parents, schools and the community this year has been, and continues to be, of great value.


http://www.acara.edu.au

Friday, December 12, 2014

NAPLAN 2015

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  • Did you know that Kilbaha has produced new and original NAPLAN Trial Tests with detailed answers and responses every year since 2009?
  • Year levels covered are 3, 5, 7, 9
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  • Kilbaha is the only source of new and original NAPLAN Trial Tests each year. 
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Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Report on NAPLAN 2014

ACARA has just released the following report on NAPLAN 2014

2014 NAPLAN National Report shows stable student achievement
across most areas

The 2014 NAPLAN National Report has been published, confirming the initial findings of the summary information released in August that overall student achievement has remained stable for each year level and most domains.

The 2014 NAPLAN National Report provides nationally comparable data on the 2014 national and state/territory results for each test domain: numeracy, reading, writing and language conventions (spelling, and grammar and punctuation). School-by-school results will be available on the next version of the My School website, to be published in March 2015.


The 2014 NAPLAN National Report’s key findings include:


Stable student achievement – relative to 2008 and 2013, student achievement has remained stable for each year level and most domains.


Moderate increases in reading achievement – relative to 2008, there has again been an increase in Year 3 and Year 5 reading performance.


Moderate decrease in persuasive writing performance – the 2014 writing achievement was not substantially different from that of 2013 for each year level; however, there has been a moderate decrease in persuasive writing achievement relative to 2011 for Years 3, 5 and 7 at the national level.


Participation rates remain relatively stable – there is very little change in the percentage of exempt or absent students from previous years. There is, though, a slight increase in the percentage of withdrawn students nationally.


ACARA’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Randall is on the whole pleased with how students are progressing: “Overall, we have again seen student achievement to be steady in comparison to previous years. We do know, however, that there are some great examples of sustained effort and improvement in school level results, which will be evident when we update My School in 2015.


“This year’s snapshot shows that there have been some moderate increases in some areas, particularly in reading for Year 3 and Year 5 students. However, the results for persuasive writing have shown a moderate decrease from 2011, but they are not substantially different from 2013.


“NAPLAN online will be implemented from 2017 and will provide better assessment, more precise results and faster turnaround of information,” said Mr Randall.


Participation rates in NAPLAN remain high, although ACARA is concerned about any increase in the number of student withdrawals from NAPLAN.


“NAPLAN provides valuable information for parents, teachers and schools to see how their children are progressing in the key areas of literacy and numeracy,” added Mr Randall.


“Parents who withdraw their children from NAPLAN tests are choosing to not benefit from a second set of eyes on how well their children are doing, relative to other students of their age across the country. Every student should know how well he or she is doing – against national standards and in comparison with his or her peers,” Mr Randall said.


Report of 2014 NAPLAN test incidents


ACARA has today also released the NAPLAN Test Incidents Report 2014 (PDF 91 kb). Test incidents can include cheating, security and other general breaches. There were 51 test incidents substantiated in 2014 across 9,500 schools, of which seven were cheating, 10 were a security breach and 34 were a general breach.


“The number of reported test incidents is extremely small and does not affect overall NAPLAN results,” Mr Randall concluded. “There were substantiated breaches in less than 0.5 per cent of all schools conducting the assessments”.

Read the full 2014 NAPLAN National Report                                    

Read ACARA’s media statement (PDF 52 kb)                                    



Thursday, November 6, 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

NAPLAN and the Australian Curriculum

"With the Australian Curriculum for English and mathematics, as well as the general capabilities (numeracy and literacy) being implemented from Foundation to Year 10 around Australia, ACARA is working to redesign NAPLAN assessments. 

This will ensure alignment with the Australian Curriculum and we anticipate changes being in place for NAPLAN in 2016"

Professor Barry McGaw AO, PhD
Chairman   ACARA

Friday, October 31, 2014

New Resources

Attention: Head of Curriculum (Please forward)

(1) Australian Curriculum Tests (Years 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)


(2) Detailed answers to the 2014 ACARA NAPLAN Tests (Years 3, 5, 7, 9)


(3) Free electronic copy of the new 48 page Mathematics Workbook for Year 6 and Year 7

     "In the Running for the Olympics" (more detail here)

To receive your free copy of this Mathematics Workbook, reply to this email.


More information attached.



Best wishes,

Bill Healy BSc BA Dip Ed
CEO
Kilbaha Multimedia Publishing (Est 1978)
PO Box 2227
Kew Vic 3101
Australia
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f: 03 9817 4334    
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Saturday, October 25, 2014

NAPLAN Online

ACARA welcomes the move to better and faster assessment
The Chairman of ACARA, Professor Barry McGaw AO, welcomed today’s announcement by the Commonwealth Minister for Education, the Hon. Minister Pyne, of a commitment from the Australian Government of $24.7 million to move NAPLAN online.
 
“ACARA looks forward to moving NAPLAN online as soon as possible – to provide better assessment, more precise results and faster turnaround of information,” said Professor McGaw.
 
“When students take NAPLAN online, they will get test items that are matched to their level of performance. They will not get items that are too difficult or too easy for them,” Professor McGaw said. “The computer will tailor the test to the students’ achievement level by marking their responses as they work through the items in the tests.”
 
“The same NAPLAN achievement scale will be used, but students’ achievements will be measured more precisely, particularly for students in the high- and low-achieving categories, and results will be returned much more quickly than at present. NAPLAN test items will reflect the Australian Curriculum in English and mathematics, meaning that the best preparation for NAPLAN is for teachers to focus on teaching the curriculum.”
 
Professor McGaw said, “In recent research, funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, ACARA confirmed that online delivery of tests, tailored by the computer to students’ level of achievement, works well and is more engaging for students“. 
 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Free Mathematics Workbook


Free copy of "In the Running for the Olympics" mathematics workbook.

Send email to kilbaha@gmail.com.

More detail here.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Hurry! Only 2 days to go

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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

VCAA VCE Exams start in 2 weeks


The 2014 VCAA VCE English Examination is 2 weeks away.

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Monday, October 13, 2014

2014 VCE Trial Examinations

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Friday, October 10, 2014

Answer to NAPLAN Maths Question


Solution:

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

NAPLAN Maths question


Try this maths question on fractions:

On Monday, 64 customers came to Mr Smith's hamburger shop and 7/8 of them bought a hamburger. On Tuesday, 64 different customers came to Mr Smith's hamburger shop and 2/4 of them bought a hamburger.

What fraction of all customers bought a hamburger on the two days? (Answer: Friday Oct 10)

Friday, October 3, 2014

NAPLAN 2015


(1) Detailed answers to the May 2014 ACARA NAPLAN Tests.

(2) 2015 Kilbaha NAPLAN Trial Tests


Download the order forms here.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

2015 NAPLAN catalogue now available

Download the 2015 NAPLAN catalogue here.

Best wishes,

Bill Healy BSc BA Dip Ed
CEO
Kilbaha Multimedia Publishing (Est 1978)
PO Box 2227
Kew Vic 3101
Australia
t: 03 9018 5376     +613 9018 5376
f: 03 9817 4334     +613 9817 4334
m: 0413 425 374   +61413 425 374
skype: kilbaha
e: kilbaha@gmail.com
w: http://kilbaha.com.au
w: http://naplan.com.au
ABN: 47 065 111 373
Providing Quality Trial Examinations to Schools since 1980

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Answer

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