Using NAPLAN Items to Develop Students' Thinking Skills and Build Confidence

The focus of this paper is the use of National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) items to develop students' competence in reading mathematical text, to promote thinking strategies including estimation, and to evaluate alternative solutions for errors and misconceptions. Showing students test items and discussing strategies for thinking about questions and responses promotes student confidence and resilience, and enables a greater sense of student control over their learning. Teachers best carry out assessment as they talk to and observe their students. For teachers who feel the pressure to prepare their students for the tests, the author is recommending the use of NAPLAN items as discussion starters to promote thinking. (Contains 7 figures and 1 table.)