The NAPLAN Learnings from 2021 paper – Adverse Effects

The 2021 NAPLAN examination was the most recent yet successful edition of the paper. We all know that schooling was interrupted for around 18 months due to the pandemic. However, these months were game-changing for the students. For those unaware of the NAPLAN examination, it was started by the Australian Government around 13 years ago. The main objective of the examination is to test the numeracy and literacy skills of the students. Now, several countries have adopted this to test students’ skills. Additionally, some have adopted it as a National examination. But, every year, a large number of students in Australia take part in this examination. 

This NAPLAN examination takes place for students of either 3, 5, 7, or 9 years of age. It helps the student’s teachers as well as their parents to understand their areas for improvement. Every year, this examination tests skills in four areas. These are reading, writing, numeracy, and language conventions. Parents have been working on preparing their students for the subsequent NAPLAN examination. They bring out the NAPLAN sample papers to ensure that their child’s practice goes from time to time. 

After looking at the success that NAPLAN has achieved in Australia, the ministries of many other countries have also started examining their regions. But the popularity of the examination is still witnessed in Australia. There were many restrictions around 13 years ago when the examination took place for the first time. However, as the parents and teachers understood the aim of the exam and learned its benefits, they started preparing the kids for it. Thus we can conclude that the popularity of the NAPLAN examination is increasing day by day. 

NAPLAN 2020 

COVID-19 was considered to be one of the worst pandemics of all time. Owing to this pandemic, many examinations were restricted, and some were not even conducted. And due to the same restrictions, examination authorities of NAPLAN did not conduct the examination. Moreover, parents were also scared to send their children for the exam when their life was at stake. This, in turn, has many severe outcomes for the learning of the Australian students of that particular batch. The NAPLAN papers have a severe effect on the learning of the children. 

Many parents and teachers are now questioning what we have learned from the NAPLAN examination. Undoubtedly,  NAPLAN is being conducted to ensure that the teachers can build rapport with each and every student in terms of their skills and capabilities. Thus, knowing what NAPLAN had promised to the children is essential, along with what it delivers.  

NAPLAN 2021 

After the 2019 edition of NAPLAN, the students were primarily unhappy. Moreover, the teachers and the parents started questioning the authorities. There is still uncertainty about the conduct of the exam and whether it can give the lesson that was promised back when it was introduced in 2008. Owing to this reason, the 2019 edition of the NAPLAN examination got many adverse outcomes and reviews from the teachers. Some teachers even said that the NAPLAN examination just turns the parents against the schools. 

So, this was the most heated debate in the entire teaching community. Because of this, whether the students should practice the NAPLAN past papers, 2021 or not, have been questioned. NAPLAN had promised many things to the students and teachers, but the main question is whether it has been able to fulfill the promises it had made or not. There are many things or changes they made due to which some people started taking out the adverse effects of the NAPLAN examination. All the examinations are perfect until or unless they are taken forward for comparison. 

Why did the NAPLAN examination have adverse effects? 

Let us now examine why the NAPLAN examination has adverse effects on children. In 2010, it was officially revealed that the results of the NAPLAN examination would be uploaded on the My School website. When this was started, the schools and other students started comparing each other’s results. This would be beneficial for one student and disadvantageous for the others. The comparison, which took place, even demotivated most students. This is because they thought they couldn’t score well in such examinations. 

So, this harmed the main aim of the NAPLAN examination. We all know that this examination is conducted to ensure that every student becomes a better individual and improves his learning skills. And it is known that all students are different, having different learning capabilities. So, comparing results basically did not make any sense until or unless the student was comparing his previous results with the current ones. This would help the students know how much they have improved from the past examination. 

Has it affected the student’s well-being? 

Considering all these negatives of the examination, parents started to question the well-being of their children. A survey was conducted during the past few years. This was done among the 38 wealthiest countries of the world to know which country has a good level of mental and physical health for the students. Unfortunately, the levels that came out for the Australian students were among the lowest in the entire survey. This shows that the NAPLAN examination had severe outcomes for the students’ lives. 

So, to help this situation, many top schools and teachers of the Australian community came out to discuss the same. After all the discussions, it was concluded that mental health is essential for each and every child. Due to this reason, many things regarding the NAPLAN examination have been changed. And these changes were made to reduce the adverse effects of the examination on the students. 

The Final Thought 

This is all about the NAPLAN learnings from past years. You must have noticed that initially, parents were insisting their child take the exam. However, gradually they understood what was actually right. Moreover, along with them, authorities also look after this problem and try to make changes in order to prioritize the student’s health.