As NAPLAN testing begins across Australia, many families feel pressure around how they should prepare their children. An RMIT education expert encourages parents to focus less on performance and more on emotional support.
Dr Elise Waghorn, education expert
"NAPLAN can create unnecessary stress if it is framed as a high-stakes test and for many children, the anxiety surrounding NAPLAN does not come from the test itself, but from the pressure they feel from adults around them.
"Parents can help by normalising the experience and talk about NAPLAN as simply another school activity rather than something children must 'perform' well in.
"Instead of asking children how they think they performed on the test, focus conversations on effort. Questions like 'Did you try your best?' or 'How did you feel about the questions?' can reduce anxiety and keep the focus on learning rather than results.
"Parents should also maintain normal routines during testing periods. Ensuring children get enough sleep, eat well and have time to relax after school can significantly reduce stress.
"Parents should remember that NAPLAN is designed as a snapshot of literacy and numeracy skills at a particular point in time, it is not a measure of a child's intelligence, potential or future success.
"Standardised tests cannot capture creativity, curiosity, kindness, persistence or the many other qualities that make children successful in life."
Dr Elise Waghorn has expertise in early childhood development. Her research focuses on exploring the everyday life of children in Australia and their connection to policy and educational experiences in Hong Kong and Singapore.
***
