One third of Australian children this year didn’t meet “challenging but reasonable” expectations in literacy and numeracy according to the latest NAPLAN results. This concerning trend has persisted over recent years and even more alarming, 10% of students are so far behind that they’ve been flagged as needing significant additional support just to catch up with their peers.

So, what does this mean for Australian students and their families?

Mr. Glenn Fahey from the Centre for Independent Studies stated:

“This is a code red for your students’ achievement in school. Children who start behind and underachieve in NAPLAN have little to no chance of achieving at year level expectations by the time they finish school.”

This may sound daunting but there’s a silver lining. NAPLAN results aren’t just a score; they’re a roadmap. When read correctly, they highlight the specific areas where your child is struggling and allow you to take meaningful action now before it becomes a long-term academic gap.

What You Can Do to Help Your Child Improve

1. Identify the problem areas

Look at the NAPLAN results report and try to find a pattern. The report shows results for different domains of assessment such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy, and compares your child to the national benchmarks.

• Is he behind in reading?
• Has she got low marks across several domains of numeracy?

Once you identify the exact issue it can be solved.

2. Consult the class teacher

You may ask his class teacher for feedback about your child’s behaviour and performance. Let the teacher know about your concerns and ask if there are other things you can do to help him at home. Sometimes, the teacher can recommend that the child attend classroom intervention or tutoring sessions.

3. Conduct regular revision at home

It will be of help for your child to carry out short-duration (15-20 minutes) revision lessons of weak areas in a consistent manner daily. At Global Education Academy, our method of structured revision involves:

4. Create a positive learning atmosphere

Generate a nurturing learning environment It is essential to encourage young children to participate in an atmosphere where they feel calm and at ease and have opportunities for practice without the fear of failure or tests.

5. Get expert help when needed

If your child is way behind where he should be, then a focused and structured intervention would be needed. At Global Education Academy, we use teaching methods that are evidence-based to help children overcome learning deficits and bridge gaps, rather than focusing solely on the what, but also on the why of learning struggles. We deliver customised literacy and numeracy programmes, based on the Australian curriculum, delivered by qualified and experienced educators who understand teaching for understanding.

The Key Takeaway

NAPLAN should be looked at as an indicator of your child’s particular learning patterns and not just as an indicator of where he stands in relation to his peers at a national level. If your child hasn’t done well on the NAPLAN, don’t be alarmed; take proactive steps and there will surely be an improvement.

We need to look at it as a stepping stone toward further development both for the school and in the home.

Looking for a hand to decipher your child’s NAPLAN results and make a significant improvement?

Book your consultation with one of Global Education Academy’s Education Specialists today. You can Call us or Visit our website www.globaleducationacademy.com.au.