NAPLAN 2025 is approaching, and parents are scrambling to find effective resources to help their children.
If you're a parent preparing your child for the NAPLAN exam, you've probably come across the official past papers available online. It’s tempting to download them, hoping they’ll give your child a competitive edge. After all, what better way to practice than by going through actual exam questions? However, there are a few key reasons to take these past papers with a pinch of salt.
The Shift from Paper to OnlineFirst, let’s consider the format. The past papers available for download only go back to 2016, when NAPLAN was still administered as a traditional pen-and-paper test. Since then, NAPLAN has transitioned online, with a digital testing platform that offers students a different experience. Online assessments can adjust question difficulty based on a student’s answers, and they include interactive elements that paper exams simply can’t replicate. This means that practising with paper-based questions does not fully prepare students for the way questions are presented in the current online format.
Changing Standards and FocusAdditionally, the NAPLAN standards have evolved over the years. Today’s NAPLAN is designed not only to test basic literacy and numeracy skills but also to gauge higher-level proficiencies. For example, the numeracy and reading sections now reflect more complex problem-solving skills and advanced comprehension tasks. These changes align the exam with a broader and more contemporary educational framework. Can you imagine a Year 9 student tackling a question like this one with a calculator? Do you reckon this is good enough to test their numeracy skills?
The past papers from 2016 and earlier, while still valuable for basic practice, don’t reflect these newer standards or the types of questions your child is likely to encounter in a modern NAPLAN exam. |
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Past Papers: Useful but limited
While using past papers might help familiarise your child with general NAPLAN topics, relying on them exclusively may leave big gaps in preparation. The NAPLAN exam has evolved, and so should the way we prepare for it. As such, past papers should be part of a more comprehensive preparation plan, ideally including digital practice tests, online tools, and exercises designed to meet current proficiency standards.
Conclusion: Take It with a Pinch of Salt
In the end, past NAPLAN papers provide a starting point for revision but shouldn’t be relied on too heavily. They reflect an outdated format and standards that may not fully prepare students for today’s exam. Parents looking to support their child’s NAPLAN journey should consider using a variety of resources to ensure a well-rounded approach to preparation.
So, while past papers have their place, let’s remember that preparing for NAPLAN today requires looking beyond what worked in the past.
Where are they available: Click here
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