Practising for the NAPLAN writing test
The chief executive of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority is reported as saying that randomised writing tasks will be used in future to deter schools from excessive (NAPLAN) practice for the NAPLAN tests (“NAPLAN pain in the arts”, 5 May).
In the past, schools have known in advance what type of writing - narrative or persuasive - students will be required to produce in the 40 minute writing component. While no doubt well intentioned, keeping the text type a secret (the move) is quite likely to see schools devote even more time to practice so that all possibilities are covered.
The fundamental problem is that the NAPLAN tests have been made (are) high stakes for schools.
Until that changes, the program will continue to do more harm than (it will) good to the overall education of the country’s young people.
Garry Collins
President, Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE)
Tags: Assessment |
May Masterclass 2021THE CHALLENGE OF TEACHING ANALYSIS: DO WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR PRACTICES? Teaching the process of analysing texts in order for students to produce a spoken or written response remains amongst the most exciting and difficult challenges we face as a community of English teachers. Most recently, the high-stakes nature of unseen examinations fo... |
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JCU SpectacularJoin Dr Claire Hansen for a two-hour session on teaching Macbeth. We'll dive into an exploration of the language of Macbeth and teaching strategies to engage students with Shakespeare's Scottish play. The workshop will also explore learning activities for Macbeth created by the Shakespeare Reloaded project. This session will... |
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Grammar DayA grammar workshop will be held at Elanora State High School on Saturday 29 May 2021 to assist attendees to develop their understandings of grammar in order to fully comprehend and to effectively teach the Australia Curriculum: English (AC:E). Also highly relevant to Years 11 & 12. This will be an updated re-run of the activity ... |
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Teacher event - external assessmentThe second series of pre-external examination events will be held for teachers on Saturday 31 July as a face-to-face event and online. Recorded materials will remain available to all participants online until the examination week in October. Date Claimer giving further information is available for download ... |
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Student event - external assessmentFlexible modes of delivery will allow you and your students to engage with the materials at a time that suits you. Once again this event will be fully online to cater for all members and their students. This year the materials will come to you live in the afternoon of Wednesday 8 September and again in the morning of Saturda... |
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