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This post considers the online NAPLAN writing test using the public demonstration test . In this example the year 5, 7 and 9 writing tests for the narrative and the persuasive are the same question for all years. The main consideration for student success for an online writing test is their typing speed. Regardless of year level students must be able to type as fast as they can write. As they get older their typing speed must increase with writing speed. This means students should be taught to type from lower primary to ensure they have an acceptable typing speed and technique. Word processing skills are mentioned in the English curriculum documents across the country from years 1 to 4. Familiarity with using punctuation is also crucial for the writing test. Students must be able to locate and use: touch typing at the speed they can write - or faster capital letters full stop (which can be activated by pressing space twice) get to a new line using the enter or return key exclamation ma...

This post considers the digital literacy skills required by year 5 students to complete the Numeracy NAPLAN test. Skills for year 5 numeracy navigate numbers to enter their 8 digit ID number enter numbers or text into an answer box click and drag pictures, objects and lines use a trackpad (if you don't have touch screen computers) or mouse turn the timer on and off use the play button to narrate the question show and hide the narration tool mute the narration tool adjust the volume of the narration tool show and hide the ruler use the ruler to perform measurements tilt the ruler identify radio buttons for a single choice identify check boxes for multiple choices use a drop down box and select a response be able to deselect an incorrect choice answer questions with a table or matrix of multiple answers use a zoom tool and turn it off understand the difference between highlight and a selection understand a selected answer is indicated by a double line around a section of screen be ab...

This post considers how to improve performance in NAPLAN ( National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) by ensuring your students have the digital literacy skills to sit an online test. This post considers the year 3 reading test.  In year 3 the writing test is still paper based and the rest are online. From year 5 all tests are online including the writing test that is now typed. This introduces a standardised test that is inadvertently testing digital literacy and the question is...is your school teaching the skills your students need to answer the questions and have a fair go? For the year 3 reading test students need the following skills: navigate numbers to enter their 8 digit ID number enter numbers or text into an answer box click and drag pictures, objects and lines use a trackpad (if you don't have touch screen computers) or mouse turn the timer on and off identify radio buttons for a single choice identify check boxes for multiple choices be able to deselect an in...