Impact of NAPLAN Tests on Curriculum and Pedagogy

This article discusses the impact of NAPLAN tests on curriculum and pedagogy in Australian schools, focusing on the narrowed curriculum, fragmented knowledge, and restricted pedagogy. It also explores the effects on disadvantaged students and the emphasis on literacy and numeracy testing.

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Contemporary issues in education
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Introduction
Generally, NAPLAN stands for National Assessment Purpose-Literacy and the Numeracy. The
aim of NAPLAN was to determine if the educational policies have been achieved by both
teachers and learners in Australia. In addition results obtained by the NAPLAN are to be
submitted to the Australian government so as determine how educational curriculum in Australia
is applied in different schools within the nation.
The paper will analyze how the teachers have been emphasizing on the issue of test thus leaving
behind other curriculum issues in learning centers. NAPLAN since 2008 has been testing the
four components in learning centers. The main components analyzed by NAPLAN include; the
reading comprehension, the writing skills, the language conventions and also the issue of
numeracy. Reports have indicated that NAPLAN helps to prepare students on handling
educational concepts in different ways. Students are encouraged to exhibit features of persuasive
writing. The NAPAN emphasizes on test readiness. NAPLAN reveals data related to
individual results and also the overall school performance. Through the data results the
NAPLAN is in the position to identify weaknesses and strengths thus helping the learners in
schools. NAPLAN results are argued to be really impactful as well as divisive as far as
Australian education is concerned. There are some other stakeholders that believe NAPLAN has
had some really negative consequences in the Australian education sector and brings really bad
experience to young Australian scholars (Carter, 2013). There are others as well who strongly
believe that NAPLAN has been very beneficial in the sense that it tends to promote transparency
coupled with a high level of accountability as it measures some of the basic skills that are taught
in class. In addition to this, a publication of the final results through the school Website provides

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parents and guardians with some really vital information that is required to make decisions
regarding their children’s education (Creagh, 2016).
This is usually so because teachers employ the so-called ‘one-size fits all' pedagogy approach
when teaching the students. As mentioned earlier, teachers are usually forced into employing
such approaches of teaching due to pressure on results after the end of a certain period. In most
cases, some of the students that underperform in such tests are usually those from extremely
disadvantaged backgrounds. Some of the disadvantaged students comprise the indigenous group
of students, those with disabilities and those from poor families in general. Various scholars
argue that the resident of a student and the location of their school is in a position to determine at
a very great extent the results of their NAPLAN tests.
This shows that most of the Australian rural schools are facing huge challenges which have
reduced the overall performance of students in schools. In situations whereby the NAPLAN
findings emphasized on school performance, the overall strategy was that there was reduced
sensitivity on pedagogical response to students in Australian schools. In addition, some of the
effects have been noticed on the teachers in schools as observed in the NAPLAN findings in
different schools. The results also explain how the erosion of teacher autonomy in schools has
reduced emphasize on other curricula. This, in turn, affects the self-efficacy which causes the
teachers to judge their performance as they continue to have reduced confidence when
emphasizing a new curriculum in school. In addition during the NAPLAN survey, some teachers
reported some ethical dilemmas which were relating to the issue of teaching-to-the-test pedagogy
It is as well important to mention that NAPLAN is some kind of policy in the Australian
education sector that was obtained and/or borrowed from other countries such as the United
Kingdom and the United States of America that was aimed towards trying to improve student’s

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level of engagement in class as well as their overall achievement. In addition to this, it is also
believed that this policy is designed in such a way that it creates data that will be in a position to
improve the overall performance as well as achievement of students. This will, in turn, improve
the country’s capacity in terms of economic productivity because aspects of accountability and
transparency are natured with the use of such policies. Moreover, the results on NAPLAN that
are usually posted on My School Website provide the general public with information about the
performance of various schools across the countries and as such national standards on
performance can be easily set (Elliott, Davies, Kettler, 2012).
Despite the fact that NAPLAN and the set of data generated from this policy may try to improve
the quality of learning in Australia through enhanced transparency and accountability, it is as
well important to note that there are always losers and winners in this policy. This is so because
teachers who are a very key aspect of this particular policy and the entire education sector in the
country reported that they spent considerable time teaching to the test and this results in less time
being spent on other curriculum areas (Freeman, 2013).This is a really big concern because if the
learning curriculum cannot be satisfactorily completed then the results of NAPLAN no matter
how impressive they might be doing not qualify to present a student as a person who has
satisfactorily completed a certain course. Moreover, various international studies conducted have
shown that the aspect of accountability through testing has had some really little effect as far as
the achievements of students is concerned and in addition to this, they might as well have
opposite effects as per what is actually expected.
This write-up is meant to provide a review of the NAPLAN tests in Australian schools not form
any other perspective but from the teachers perspective. What is of concern here is that teachers

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spend more time teaching about the test and this often results in less tie being spent on other
curriculum activities.
Based on the response of 1000 teachers that were involved in this study, in terms of the overall
response as well as the impact of NAPLAN on curriculum, a majority of these teachers
suggested that it caused teachers to spend more time teaching to the test rather than concentrating
on the curriculum. As a result of this teachers had less time to finish the proposed curriculum.
We clearly see that the response of a majority of these teachers is in unison with some of the
results obtained by international bodies regarding the same issue. The international body
suggested that in most cases high-stake numeracy and literacy tests often results in some really
negative consequences one of them being a limited focus on the curriculum.
This write-up is going to provide detailed literature regarding the issue of the NAPLAN tests but
entirely from a teacher’s perspective.
Literature review
In Australia, all students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are usually expected to sit for their NAPAL tests.
There are, however, some certain instances where students can be exempted from sitting for the
tests. Exemptions are usually granted to students for students that have a language background
that is not English and also to students that are challenged physically. It is, however, important to
note that in both of these cases, the various schools are usually expected to have a discussion of
the proposed exemption with the student as well as the student’s parents (Hill, 2011). This is
usually done with the aim of seeking permission from the parent about the exemption in the first
place.

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Despite the numerous advantages associated with the NAPLAN perspective, Australian teachers
have a totally different perspective regarding the entire effects and/or impact that the policy has.
In order to understand some of the impacts that the NAPLAN policy has been directed towards
various elements. Some of the impacts that will be discussed here comprise of; the curriculum,
pedagogy, and students from a disadvantaged context.
Impact on curriculum
A narrowed and an incomplete curriculum is one of the effects of some of the high-stakes testing
as NAPLAN. Studies conducted have suggested that there has been a very drastic reduction in
terms of subject diversity that had been coupled with a decreased emphasis on specialization and
subjects that are not being ranked based on the standard test. In addition, there are certain cases
where the teachers go an extra mile into modifying the curriculum in such a way that it addresses
only the tests that will be tested in the standard test (Gable & Lingard, 2016).
It is also believed that the compressed and narrowed curriculums have some numerous negative
effects. It is suggested that it leads to reduced diversity and creativity in class environments, well
this tends to damage the student's creativity and also reduces their learning opportunities. A
mentioned earlier, there are instances when teachers go an extra mile into removing the subjects
that are not tested in the final standard tests. Well, studies have revealed that the subjects which
are most removed by the teachers from the curriculum are those that mostly support students
learning and development. Moreover, other studies have also revealed that there is a very high
correlation between the overall student's achievements in standardized tests and their overall
level of creativity and engagement in class. With increase loss of creativity and engagement due
to situations or tampered curriculums, this will lead to an overall low students achievements in
some other test in their studies.

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Consequently, another impact of a narrowed curriculum is the issue of fragmentation of
knowledge. Various studies conducted in the United State and In the United Kingdom as well as
in Australia have revealed that curriculum planning is really vital and as such it can be in a
position to lose its long term coherence. This may happen in such a way that the themes, as well
as the knowledge, are broken down into some really small themes and random knowledge that
are of a ‘test-size’ with the sole purpose of preparing students for the test. In the United
Kingdom, there have been reports which suggest that schools often make conduct testing practice
and also teach on the highly tested sections as a daily and normal routine (Perso, 2011). It was
also revealed that teachers always want their students to perform better in class because it is with
the performance of the students that a teacher’s performance can be rated.
Impacts on pedagogy
In order for users to understand some of the effects that high-stake tests such as NAPLAN have
had on pedagogy, it is best that we first understand the concept of pedagogy in detail. Well,
pedagogy is often referred to as some kind of academic discipline that entails of how the study of
knowledge, as well as skills, are exchanged within a context that is entirely educational.
Pedagogy usually considers some of the interactions that usually happens in a classroom between
the students and the teacher. The argument here is that because the high-stake tests usually test
students for some really basic skills such as literacy and numeracy, then the students, as well as
the teachers, will try as much as possible to do their best in these tests and as such there will be
no effort made in trying to have an interactive class that facilitates student development. It is also
assumed that schools in various form of disadvantaged context usually perform poorly in such
tests. This is usually so based on measures of education equality in the sense that the quality of
teaching in such schools is usually low. In regard to Australia, it is usually assumed that

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NAPLAN was formed based on political agendas by bureaucrats with the aim of improving the
quality of education (Ragusa & Bousfield, 2017).
Moreover, teachers usually feel that some of their powers are restricted. For instance, teachers
usually feel that their ability to pick a certain pedagogy approach is somewhat restricted. This is
usually so because of the pressure that they have in a need to address more on the areas that are
likely to be tested rather than focusing on areas that facilitate earning an actual student
development. As mentioned earlier, studies have clearly indicated that there is some really
negative impact in terms of the time allocated to students for actual learning and development
and the time allocated to for focusing on areas that are tested in the high-stakes tests.
Finally, in most case, the disadvantaged students are usually those that are disengaged in most
cases. This happens because the students are usually overlooked by the teachers and seen as
students that cannot perfume very well in class. It is for this reason that extra attention coupled
with more time is given to students who are believed that they will be in a position to perform
better.
Impact on disadvantaged students
Despite the fact that NAPLAN was developed as a means of improving educational equality, it is
believed that in general high-stake testing could have some really opposite effects. This is so
because of the fact that NAPLAN often tends to widen the gap between the high performing
students and the low performing students. This is usually so because teachers employ the so-
called ‘one-size fits all' pedagogy approach when teaching the students. As mentioned earlier,
teachers are usually forced into employing such approaches of teaching due to pressure on results
after the end of a certain period. In most cases, some of the students that underperform in such

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tests are usually those from extremely disadvantaged backgrounds. Some of the disadvantaged
students comprise the indigenous group of students, those with disabilities and those from poor
families in general. Various scholars argue that the resident of a student and the location of their
school is in a position to determine at a very great extent the results of their NAPLAN tests. In
addition to this, the indigenous students in Australia are a group of students that are the most
disadvantaged because of the fact that NAPLAN usually tests knowledge that is usually
culturally assumed and such students only speak a non-standard version of the English language.
The emphasize on literacy and numeracy testing in the nation
Basically, the NAPLAN policies emphasize literacy and numeracy teaching in almost all
schools in Australia. This perspective has resulted in reduced academic performance in the
nation. The focus has been in practice for more than 20 years. The major aim of the practice is to
teach on numeracy and literacy concepts as the basic skills for education in most of the schools
(Angelo, 2013). Through this analogy, the other activities related to academic have been left
behind thus affecting the entire education system in Australia. Some of the researchers have
indicated that the aim of the education system in Australia is to impart diverse knowledge to the
students but through the NAPLAN the case seems different. Most of the officials in Australia
have been calling for equity in the education system. Through the ministry of education, a large
number of voices have raised issues on how to encourage teachers to induce new concepts to the
students in school. The early policy development in Australia aimed at encouraging equality in
the education system.
Student self-direction and the issue of learning.

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The NAPLAN findings indicated that there was little attention to students and that's why some of
the teachers emphasized on how teachers concentrate more on the test thus leaving behind the
other curriculum. The NAPLAN results clearly show that teachers have not been encouraging
students in school to read other concepts on their own but instead, they emphasize on the test
concept only. The overall impacts of NAPLAN findings therefore induced increased attention to
teacher's attention for emphasizing on the test but no other curriculum.
The changes in teachers and teaching process.
Different researchers have clearly indicated that NAPLAN findings have resulted in pedagogy in
the entire education system (Blackmore,2014). The results reveal that NAPLAN is entirely
emphasizing on the performativity orientation. The result shows that differences of opinion about
how the subject matter relates to the entire topic have both positive and negative impacts on the
entire population. The positive impacts are related to how teachers have given more attention to
literacy and numeracy created through NAPLAN. In addition, the negative impacts of the
NAPLAN findings are on the side whereby the NAPLAN changes are centered thus inducing
changes in the entire curriculum. Most of the NAPLAN changes shows how teachers have less
engagement in the school curriculum.
The important insight at this level shows how the limited resources in schools have resulted in
the problems in schools (Buchanan, Holmes, Preston & Shaw, 2012). This shows that most of
the Australian rural schools are facing huge challenges which have reduced the overall
performance of students in schools. In situations whereby the NAPLAN findings emphasized on
school performance, the overall strategy was that there was reduced sensitivity on pedagogical
response to students in Australian schools. In addition, some of the effects have been noticed on
the teachers in schools as observed in the NAPLAN findings in different schools. The results

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also explain how the erosion of teacher autonomy in schools has reduced emphasize on other
curricula. This, in turn, affects the self-efficacy which causes the teachers to judge their
performance as they continue to have reduced confidence when emphasizing a new curriculum
in school. In addition during the NAPLAN survey, some teachers reported some ethical
dilemmas which were relating to the issue of teaching-to-the-test pedagogy. The NAPLAN at
this level accounts for issues related extra time which is needed to induce new strategies which
will aid in emphasizing on the teaching of other curricula in schools. Different researchers have
revealed how the NAPLAN policies have induced a new challenge to the principals in schools
who are experiencing complex and difficulties related to NAPLAN findings and accountability
pressures in schools (Clarke, 2012).
The NAPLAN findings indicate how there is push back strategies related to the pedagogy level
in schools. The results show how the teachers and students in schools are experiencing
difficulties thus a need to come up with an educational program which will improve the
educational plans and demands for the NAPLAN. The main issue should be emphasized on how
teaching should be handled without making it a test orientation service in schools.
The inequity issues in NAPLAN
Different researchers have tried to reveal the equity issue related to academic services in the
country. In general, the teachers consider that there is a lot of inequity as a result of the
NAPLAN. The inequity is seen through different forms as discussed by some authors. Some of
the processes which account for inequality in the education system include;
There is reduced attention lower performing students in most of the schools (Cumming &
Dickson, 2013). This scenario to the subject of the study whereby the study shows how teachers

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have employed much effort on the test thus leaving behind the other curriculum activities in
school. Also, the results have indicated that most of the teachers in the school are giving more
attention to male students as compared to females. There is that belief that females are more
challenged by the technical subjects such as engineering course, mathematics and science
concepts in class.
In addition, the other form of inequality is evident through the strategic exclusions of lower
performing students in most of the schools in Australia. The NAPLAN findings clearly articulate
on how teachers have failed to consider the performance of academically challenged students in
schools.
Also, the NAPLAN inequality issues are evident in how teachers have been emphasizing on
some concepts which cannot be done by students in schools. The reports indicated that most of
the teachers in the schools were teaching difficult concepts outside the standard syllabus
approved by the ministry of education. Teachers were accused of introducing a vexed concept to
students. This, in turn, resulted in poor performance in schools since students could not master
any single content taught by the teachers in the class (Guenther, 2013).
The other concept which outlines the issue of inequality in teaching strategy in most of the
schools is through failure to articulate on the cultural practices and other literacy skills in the
school. In general, the reports explain the issue of "silent assessors "in most of the concepts
taught by the teachers in schools. There is reduced emphasize on the cultural skills and literacy
knowledge as the teachers are more on the test and other ideas related to testing in academics.
The inability to emphasize literacy content and cultural skills in schools has paved paths for
limited consideration of students with needs and disabilities in school (Hardy, 2013). The

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teaching practices, in general, have failed to concentrate on apt methods to participate in those
practices which will aid in supporting the special needs students in the school.
In addition, the assumptions that indigenous students in Australia are not able to perform well in
class by the teachers results to more emphasize on the test. The NAPLAN findings indicate how
a large number of teachers in schools argue on academic weakness associated with the
indigenous students. Through this analogy, it becomes difficult for the students to venture in the
cultural practices since they are demoralized by the teachers who assume that indigenous
students are incapable of mastering the academic concepts in class (Heffernan, 2016).
The views and value of the NAPLAN
The issue of NAPLAN has affected a large number of stakeholders in the schools. The parents
have intervened the matter and they are eagerly wanting to induce a new change. There were two
categories of parents who raised different views about the NAPLAN policy on emphasizing on
the test. There were those parents who supported the NAPLAN strategies used by some of the
teachers while other section of teachers had zero concern to the NAPLAN emphasize. The
statistics show that half of the parents argued that NAPLAN had no value to the students while
the other section of parents said the NAPLAN policies had positive impacts on both government
and the students in the country,
Some of the parents in the country which was almost the minority section revealed that
NAPLAN on its own had some reasonable concepts about the academics but the way it was
executing its policies raised much concern to both parents and students in the school (Keating &
Klatt,2013). The execution of NAPLAN policies was poor and therefore there was increased
participation on those concepts which were related to test thus leaving behind other curriculum

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strategies in schools. The parents, therefore, they argued that there was the need to check those
strategies which will aid in improving the performance in school and at the same time reducing
the teacher's pressure to teach on other curricula.
On another hand principals and teachers have argued differently on the importance of NAPLAN
strategies in the Australian education system (Lingard & Lewis, 2016). Some of the teachers
have been supporting the NAPLAN policy while others have been opposing the NAPLAN
teaching policies. Some of the teachers argue that NAPLAN policy should ensure there are
subject attention and increased identification of student capabilities in different fields. On
another hand, teachers said that concentration on the test will basically prepare students for
academic skills.
Discussion on how this problem or issue appears or should appear in my own work or
professional field.
The section reveals how the NAPLAN issue should appear in my profession. In this section, I
have revealed how the issue can appear and how I can handle it. According to my point of view
NAPLAN issue should emphasize the incorporation of other subjects and other skills in my
professional field. My main agenda on handling NAPLAN issue is to encourage the teachers to
teach other concepts such as co-curricular activities in the school (Lingard, Sellar & Baroutsis,
2015). Therefore some of the ways which can help teachers to incorporate other subjects and
skills in the education system include;
The integration of a key dimension in the education system.
The process on its own will encourage the teachers to incorporate key concepts in the education
system. This means that students in the school will be required to gain apt knowledge from

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different subjects such as sciences and engineering concepts which are vital for their lives. The
integration of the key strategies needed in teaching subjects such as sciences and engineering
concepts should be encouraged thus improving the level of literacy in the nation. The NAPLAN
strategy on encouraging teachers to concentrate on test and leaving behind the other curriculum
leads to academic drainage within the nation (McCuaig, Coore & Hay, 2012). Not all students in
the school can perform better on literacy and numeracy testing. There is a need to come up with
appropriate methods which will focus on the integration of the different subjects in the schools'
curriculum. Every subject in the school should be having more than one goal thus preparing
students fully. This will encourage the issue of education diversity whereby students will learn
different concepts at the same time thus subjecting them to concentrate on different lines of duty
after the school.
Emphasizing on the importance of teaching different skills in school.
Basically, the education system in almost all governments encourages the teaching of different
subjects to the students (Mockler, 2013). This means that the knowledge obtained from teaching
multiple subjects in school is more important as compared to the use of a single subject to the
students. The NAPLAN analogy to teach more on the test reduces the skills and knowledge
needed by the learners to pursue their different careers. We have students who can perform to
their best in the field of sports. This, therefore, means that encouraging teachers to teach more on
the test may subject the teachers to create little time to teach on other educational services which
are vital for the development of learners academically. The main issue here according to me is to
ensure that the nation ought to understand the importance of equality in all subjects thus
improving the knowledge of students in the class (Partington & Beresford, 2012).

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The other process which will aid in handling the issue is through the use of equality and diversity
principles which will reduce narrowing of the education system in the country. According to the
literature review, there were those teachers who were reported to be not considering the special
needs of students in the schools. This at all corners it is inhuman and therefore those teachers
who ignore the disability students' needs to stop that mannerism and come back to principles of
equality. In addition, the assumption that indigenous individuals should not be allowed to take
part in different concept should be halted and all the students need to be allowed for equal
opportunities in the school. Teachers ought to understand that no need to demoralize the
capability of students by dismaying their identity. Indeed the teachers should be in frontline
encouraging the learners to exercise their talents and authenticity when in school (Pugh & Foster,
2014). Through the incorporation of cultural activities in the academic syllabus it will be easy to
pass different knowledge to students thus opening their mind early enough. Integration of co-
curricular activities in the education system is vital in modern life. Students nowadays are not
fully performing on one subject thus need to encourage education diversity in the school
curriculum.
An example of ‘workplace'/professional domain policy reform that concerns this problem
or issue.
Professional domain policy by: The Australian Education Data Analysis Committee.
The section reveals the use of professional domain policy in Australia to handle the NAPLAN
issue in the education system. The Australian Education Data Analysis Committee has been
selected to reveal how it can interpret the findings revealed by the NAPLAN in Australia. The
committee should aim in interpreting the findings and data results revealed by the NAPLAN in
the nation (Ragusa & Bousfield, 2017).

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The Australian Education Data Analysis Committee has been pinpointing those academic
practices which may tend to differ with the standardized Australian Education curriculum. The
mandate of the professional domain will be to analyze the data revealed by any researcher about
the strategies to be used when handling academic concepts in the school. Therefore in order to
improve the learning process in Australia, the NAPLAN should encourage teachers to emphasize
on other curriculum but not the testing strategy for literacy and numeracy in Australia (Rice,
Dulfer, Polesel & O’Hanlon, 2015).
Therefore some of the recommendations from the Australian Education Data Analysis
Committee in handling NAPLAN strategies include;
 Encouraging diagnostic support that will aid in improving the education system in
Australia.
 There is a need to ensure professional development that will assist in encouraging
teachers to support the students in school.
 Teachers ought to understand the dangerous effects of narrowing education system in
Australia. The issue advocated by the committee is that teachers should ensure students
are able to access other skills in school but not concentrating on common thing in school.
 In addition, the committee also advocates for education equality in Australia meaning
there is a need to encourage the teachers to teach different subjects which will aid in
improving the general knowledge needed by the students in school (Savage, 2013).
Conclusion
Based on the literature presented above, it is clear teachers perceive the NAPLAN has had some
impact on their curriculum as well as their pedagogical choices. It is important to note that this

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impact is both presents in class as well as in school as an overall. In general, teachers perceive
the NAPLAN has specifically required them to maximum prepare for the tests, change some of
their teaching techniques in the sense that they had to adopt those that had a more teacher-
centered approach and also not an improve level of literacy and numeracy among students. In
addition to this, teachers perceived the NAPLAN as an approach that greatly undermined the
level of student’s motivation as well as their engagement and in that cases creates a class
environment that is less inclusive especially on the student's side especially those that come from
the disadvantaged group of children.
It can, therefore, conclude in the testing regime, quite a number of issues need to be considered
before choosing a testing approach that needs to be adopted. In as much a certain testing
approach plays a very crucial role in determining and promoting the equity of educational
outcomes, it should also be made a priority that the chosen testing approach also facilitates
students learning and development. This is to say that it should be in a position to broaden the
overall learning experiences of the students.
The conclusion advocates for future research that is needed to investigate the problem in schools.
In general, the paper has explained clearly how the NAPLAN policy has affected the education
system. The literature review has clearly indicated how different stakeholders have responded to
the NAPLAN findings. The Australian academic system should emphasize on improved
transparency by encouraging the teachers to improve the quality of education services offered in
the schools. The major concern is to ensure all schools are teaching different subjects and at the
same time creating time for other co-curricular activities in the entire education system in the
country (Shine, 2015).

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From the findings revealed by the NAPLAN, it's clear that teachers are not supposed to
concentrate on teaching the test but they should work towards teaching the entire curriculum.
This shows that there is a need to create awareness in the entire education system. The purpose is
to improve the education system in Australia by encouraging teacher to allow student
engagement in class. The narrowed education curriculum should not be accepted in any school in
Australia. Narrowing education as discussed in the literature review reduces education diversity.
Students ought to learn different disciplines so as to have multiple skills which will help in
handling different fields when outside the school. In addition, the education system should come
up with appropriate procedures which in turn will improve the motivation of students to pursue
in different fields. Supporting the talents of students in school is better than narrowing the
education system as this would lead to academic drainage in the country (Wyatt-Smith &
Jackson, 2016). Therefore, teachers and other stakeholders in Australia should understand the
NAPLAN policy and work to what is best but not following the poor execution received from the
NAPLAN policy. The issue is to eradicate the narrowing of the education system in the country
and then come up with diverse strategies which will incorporate implementation strategies in the
entire education curriculum in the country.

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References
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