Freeman, Leonard (2018) NAPLAN: A Thin Veil of Fairness – Excerpt from Senate Submission into the effectiveness of NAPLAN. TESOL in Context, 23 (1 & 2). pp. 74-81.

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Abstract

Having worked in remote indigenous communities in the Northern Territory for the past 9 years, initially as a teacher, subsequently in leadership roles, I have seen first-hand the detrimental impact the focus on NAPLAN results has had on indigenous students. Students from remote communities who begin English when they start school have difficultly accessing the Year 3 and 5 NAPLAN tests due to having had insufficient time to master English and western cultural norms on which the tests rely. Despite varied levels of literacy and numeracy among a group of students, all are seen to have failed equally for not reaching the NAPLAN benchmarks, which are based on the achievement standards of native English speakers. Major policy decisions, including the choosing of teaching programs, are now being based on NAPLAN tests; tests which do not accurately gauge the literacy and numeracy levels of ESL students.

Item ID:	86508
Item Type:	Article (Scholarly Work)
ISSN:	1030-8385
Keywords:	NAPLAN, Indigenous students; bilingualism; literacy; Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Study (LLANS); English as an additional language/dialect (ESL/D) learners
Copyright Information:	© 2013 ACTA
Date Deposited:	13 Aug 2025 00:42
FoR Codes:	39 EDUCATION > 3902 Education policy, sociology and philosophy > 390201 Education policy @ 50% 39 EDUCATION > 3904 Specialist studies in education > 390402 Education assessment and evaluation @ 50%
SEO Codes:	16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1603 Teaching and curriculum > 160301 Assessment, development and evaluation of curriculum @ 60% 16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1602 Schools and learning environments > 160201 Equity and access to education @ 40%
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