NATIONAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM – LITERACY AND NUMERACY NAPLAN 2012 Briefing for Test Administrators

What is NAPLAN?  The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an assessment program for Australian students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.  NAPLAN 2012 will be conducted across Australia from Tuesday 15 May to Thursday 17 May  The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is responsible for the implementation of the NAPLAN in Victorian schools.

What is NAPLAN?  All Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students across Australia will undertake NAPLAN testing. The results will provide information that may be used to plan new programs and provide a useful source of feedback and guidance to students, parents and teachers.  The NAPLAN 2012 will assist teachers in identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses in Literacy and Numeracy and enable teachers to adjust their teaching strategies to provide appropriate support.

What is NAPLAN? (Year 3 and Year 5)  The Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN 2012 will involve: Language Conventions Test Multiple choice / short answer questions covering Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. Writing Test Persuasive Writing based on a common prompt. Reading Test Multiple choice / short answer questions based on texts provided in a reading magazine. Numeracy Test Multiple choice / short answer questions covering Number; Algebra, Function and Pattern; Space; Measurement, Chance and Data. Calculators are NOT permitted in this test.

What is NAPLAN? (Year 7 and Year 9)  The Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN 2012 will involve: Language Conventions Test Multiple choice / short answer questions covering Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. Writing Test Persuasive writing based on a common prompt. Reading Test Multiple choice / short answer questions based on texts provided in a reading stimulus magazine. Numeracy Test (calculator allowed) Multiple choice / short answer questions covering Number, Algebra, Function and Pattern, Space, Measurement, Chance and Data. Calculators ARE permitted in this test. Numeracy Test (non-calculator) Multiple choice / short answer questions covering Number, Space, Measurement, Chance and Data and Structure. Calculators are NOT permitted in this test.

Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN timetable TestDate 2012 Test Session Time Introduction and Practice Questions Test Time Allocation Language Conventions Tuesday 15 May Before recess10 minutes40 minutes Writing Tuesday 15 May Before lunch10 minutes40 minutes Reading Wednesday 16 May Before recess10 minutes 45 minutes (Yr 3) 50 minutes (Yr 5) Numeracy Thursday 17 May Before recess10 minutes 45 minutes (Yr 3) 50 minutes (Yr 5)

Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN timetable Test Date 2012 Test Session Time Introduction and Practice Questions Test Time Allocation Language Conventions Tuesday 15 May Before recess10 minutes45 minutes Writing Tuesday 15 May Before lunch10 minutes40 minutes Reading Wednesday 16 May Before recess10 minutes65 minutes Numeracy (calculator) Thursday 17 May Before recess10 minutes40 minutes Numeracy (non-calculator) Thursday 17 May Before lunch10 minutes40 minutes

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities Each Test Administrator must be familiar with:  the National Protocols for Test Administration, particularly the Code of Conduct, which is outlined in Part A of the 2012 NAPLAN Handbook for Principals.  the Test Administration Scripts that are contained in the 2012 NAPLAN Test Administration Handbook for Teachers.

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities During all tests, you MAY:  Read and clarify general instructions  remind students of the response types, e.g. shade a bubble  advise students to leave a question if they are unsure of the answer and move on to another question  advise students to return to any unanswered questions if they have time at the end  Provide students with general encouragement to continue. During the Numeracy tests ONLY, you MAY:  Read the questions to individual students, but you must not read the numbers or symbols within the questions.

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities During all test, you MUST NOT provide the following assistance:  give hints or examples  explain, paraphrase or interpret questions  indicate to students whether answers are correct or incorrect  remind students about related work completed in class  provide extra time. During the Language Conventions test, you MUST NOT:  read or sound out the spelling items to the students  read any of the test questions  write any spelling words for students, on the board or elsewhere.

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities During the Writing test, you MUST NOT:  discuss the Writing test  provide any structure or content, whether orally or in writing  prompt students  write for a student (except where a disability adjustment has been granted). During the Reading test, you MUST NOT:  read anything from the magazine  read any test questions. During the Numeracy tests, you MUST NOT:  read the numbers or symbols  explain the meaning of any symbols, numbers or mathematical terms  interpret any graphs or diagrams.

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities Before the Test  On the morning of the test, collect the test materials for each student from the NAPLAN Coordinator. Test materials include: Test books Writing stimulus sheet for the Writing test Reading magazine for the Reading test Printed Student Attendance forms if the administrator is not using the Test Administration website during test days to record student attendance. It is important that Test Administrators understand their responsibilities before, during and after the test.

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities Recording Student Attendance For NAPLAN In 2012, all student attendance information will be collected online, via the NAPLAN Test Administration website For each test session, test administrators are required to either:  complete a printed Student Attendance form so that student attendance information can be recorded on the Test Administration website at a later time, or  record student attendance information directly into the Test Administration website. All information relating to student attendance, exemptions, withdrawals and withholding results must be recorded on the website by close of business on Thursday 24 May 2012.

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities For pre-enrolled students – using a printed Student Attendance form  STAGE 1 – Attendance: Shade the “Present” bubble for all students to whom a test book was given. Shade the “Absent” bubble for all other students unless the student has permanently left the school. In this case shade the “Left School” bubble.  STAGE 2 – Exemption/Withdrawal: in addition to shading a participation bubble, please shade the appropriate bubble for any student who is exempt or withdrawn. For these students you will need to complete the appropriate form(s) through the Test Administration website. Students recorded as exempt or withdrawn will NOT receive a test result.  STAGE 3 – Disability Adjustments: If a student has been granted disability adjustments for this test session, please indicate the type of adjustment(s) in the series of bubbles to the right of each candidate. A student may have more than one adjustment for an individual test session. There is space to describe ‘Other’ adjustments which do not fall into the pre- defined categories where entering attendance information onto the website

Test Administrators Responsibilities For non pre-enrolled students For any student who does not have a personalised test book, the test administrator should:  use one of the test books with school details only provided. Under no circumstances should a student complete the test using another student’s personalised test book.  use a 2B or HB pencil to write the name, date of birth and VSN of the student in block letters on the front cover of the test book.  If the student is not already listed on the Student Attendance form use a 2B or HB pencil to write the name and date of birth of the at the end of the Student Attendance form.  follow STAGE 1 to STAGE 3 (as for pre-enrolled students), to indicate the student’s participation status, and to record any disability adjustment.

Test Administrators Responsibilities Test Session Report The Student Attendance Form includes a Test Session section at the end of the form, where test administrators should indicate any incidents or irregularities that occurred during the test. Further elaboration regarding disability adjustments can also be included, if required. Request to Withhold Results In exceptional cases, a school may request that an individual student’s test result be withheld. This applies on occasions where a student has unavoidably left a test session early, and has not completed the test. A request to withhold a student’s results can be only be made for one of the following reasons:  student illness during the test session  parental withdrawal during the test session

The NAPLAN Administration Website ( can be used to record student attendance directly during test sessions instead of using paper attendance forms. Requirements In order to use the website during test sessions each test administrator requires:  Internet connected computer with web browser.  A user name and password for the website. Individual accounts can be generated for each test administrator from the ‘Test Administrators’ page on the website. Test administrations should check that they are able to access the website prior to test sessions on the computer they intend to use. Test Administrators Responsibilities Using the website to record attendance during test sessions

Using the site during test sessions A one page reference sheet for this process is included in the test package and is available at the end of the website instructions.website instructions  Log onto the website ( with your username and password.  Select the appropriate ‘Year Level’, ‘Test’ and ‘Home Group’ from the selection box displayed on the screen, along with the test administrator name: Test Administrators Responsibilities Using the website to record attendance during test sessions

Using the site during test sessions  Student names displayed in pink will require a blank book for the test.  Update the Attendance information for each student in the list. Students are present by default. The rules for completing attendance are the same as those when using the printed forms (see previous slides).  Indicate any disability accommodations that have been utilised during the tests. Test Administrators Responsibilities Using the website to record attendance during test sessions

Using the site during test sessions  A test session report can be recorded, if necessary in the space provided.  It is important to click ‘Save and Submit’ to store the updated attendance information after making changes. If the website is left unattended it will automatically log out and any changes will be lost if they have not been submitted. Test Administrators Responsibilities Using the website to record attendance during test sessions

Test Administrators’ Responsibilities During the test session  Ensure that students are seated to work independently and cannot see each other’s work.  Posters, displays or teaching materials that might help students to answer questions covered, reversed or removed from the room.  Distribute test materials to students.  Ask students to check that they have the correct pre-printed test book.  Read the Test Administration Script: - Ensure students print their name in the correct place on the front cover of their test book. - Introduce the test and work through the practice questions with the students. - Ensure all students begin the test at the same time. - Display and mark off time at regular intervals. - Warn students when there are 5 minutes of time left. - Supervise students closely during the test and make sure that they are on task and doing their own work. - Instruct students to put their pencils down at the conclusion of the test.

After the test  Collect all test materials immediately after the test. Test materials should not be left in classrooms.  Check that ALL test booklets are accounted for, including those for students who did not sit or complete the test.  Check that the Student Attendance information and Test Session Report have been accurately completed.  Return all test materials and any Student Attendance forms to the NAPLAN Coordinator. (Where printed forms are used, Coordinators must ensure that these details are then entered into the website.)  Under no circumstances should student responses be copied or transcribed, either during or after the test. Test Administrators’ Responsibilities

For further information … NAPLAN Coordinator Resources  2012 NAPLAN Handbook for Principals  2012 NAPLAN Test Administration Handbook for Teachers – Years 3 & 5  2012 NAPLAN Test Administration Handbook for Teachers – Years 7 & 9

For further information … VCAA NAPLAN Helpdesk  A telephone service operates to assist schools with queries about all aspects of NAPLAN testing. This service operates from 8.30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday. Freecall Fax(03) VCAA Website  NAPLAN Test Administration Website  ACARA NAPLAN Website 