HARD AT WORK: Jessica Robinson, Jack Daintith, Dominic Brown and Alice Aumuller study hard for the NAPLAN tests.
National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing provides only a snapshot of a child’s literacy and numeracy level and lacks context according to principals of two Orange high schools.
Students will sit the first of the literacy and numeracy tests today and Kinross Wolaroi principal Brian Kennelly said he was concerned the tests do not reflect the overall learning experience of a child.
“As a snapshot the NAPLAN tests are very useful however it is limited to just literacy and numeracy,” he said.
Mr Kennelly said the results of the NAPLAN tests should be made available to individual schools and not be used for media purposes or publicity.
“It is really good for assisting us about individual student learning progress in those areas but some of the data usage is inappropriate,” he said.
“I am totally against comparing schools.”
Mr Kennelly said he was concerned the results for the tests would not be made available to schools for several months.
“There is a big problem in the delay of results because we can’t implement learning strategies based on the results for months,” Mr Kennelly said.
James Sheahan Catholic High School principal Mark Pauschmann said he thought the NAPLAN tests do not reflect a child’s whole learning experience and parents need to consider school reports and interviews for a more accurate representation of their child’s ability.
“It is really only one source of information and doesn’t show the context of what is really happening with a student,” he said.
“The NAPLAN test results are diagrams on a piece of paper and can be misinterpreted.”
Mr Paushmann said some students excel in humanities subjects and that is not reflected with the NAPLAN testing.
nicole.kuter@ruralpress.com