Freeman, Leonard, and Wigglesworth, Gillian (2021) Fair vs. Useful: Evaluating the fairness and validity of interpretations and uses of remote Aboriginal students’ NAPLaN reading test performances. In: LTRC: 42nd Language Testing Research Colloquium: Program Book. From: LTRC 21: 42nd Language Testing Research Colloquium, 14-17 June 2021, Virtual.

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Abstract

The data gathered from administering the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLaN) is one of the primary measures used by Australian policy makers, educators, parents and the wider community to make decisions about the educational outcomes of Australian school students. The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) stated that ‘extensive processes’ have been put in place to ensure NAPLaN data is a ‘valid and reliable measure’ of literacy and numeracy skills for all Australian students. Despite ACARA’s assurances, concerns regarding the fairness and usefulness of using NAPLaN data to make decisions about the literacy achievements of remote Aboriginal students who are Standard Australian English language learners (ELLs) continue to grow in both the public discourse and academic literature.

The appropriateness of test score interpretations and uses depend upon the quality of a network inferences and assumptions which are inherent in the proposed score interpretation and use. In this presentation, data from the test performances of sixty-five Year 3 Aboriginal students from different language backgrounds and Kane’s Assessment Interpretation/Use argument framework are used to evaluate the fairness and validity of using NAPLaN data to make judgements in the culturally and linguistically diverse context of Australia’s Northern Territory.

Statistical analyses investigate the relationship between students’ English language and literacy skills, working memory, school attendance rates and their NAPLaN reading test scores. Qualitative analyses of interviews with teachers and school leaders are presented to evaluate educators’ perspectives on the usefulness of NAPLaN as a measure of and for students’ learning.

Item ID:	89561
Item Type:	Conference Item (Abstract / Summary)
Date Deposited:	18 Nov 2025 00:32
FoR Codes:	39 EDUCATION > 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy > 390108 LOTE, ESL and TESOL curriculum and pedagogy @ 50% 47 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 4704 Linguistics > 470401 Applied linguistics and educational linguistics @ 50%
SEO Codes:	16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1699 Other education and training > 169999 Other education and training not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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