The standardised Naplan tests are back and surprise, surprise, it shows a decline in writing standards.
Many will be scratching their heads and asking why?
Below are 3 theories I have to explain the decline.
- Kids hate writing – It’s a struggle to get kids to write. They detest it. And don’t even bring up a second and third draft. No way are kids amenable to fixing up their already “perfect” first attempt. Teachers, in their bid to engage the class often keep writing lessons to a bare minimum. This of course has a major impact on the quality of their writing.
- Technology – There is a technology race among schools. Schools are constantly trying to outdo each other by embracing cutting edge technology. Technology does next to nothing to improve “bricks and mortar” skills like writing.
- Teachers Choose What Writing Genre to Focus on – Teachers are often given the choice as to what writing genre to focus on. They often choose the easy ones and the ones they are most comfortable with. Recounts and procedural writing are popular mainstays in classrooms. Instead of finding out the genres the students have already covered in previous years, teachers are only to happy to revise the same old tired genres for no other reason that they are easy to teach, write and mark. In the meantime, more difficult genres are hardly ever looked at.
Click on the link to read You Can Blame Me for My Students’ Standardized Test Scores
Click on the link to read Teacher Writes Truly Inspirational Letter to Her Students
Click on the link to read Redirect Your Frustrations About Common Core
Click on the link to read Perhaps There Should be a Standardized Test for Teachers
Click on the link to read Reasons Why I am Forced to Teach to the Test
Tags: Literacy, naplan, Naplan writing, Reasons for decline in writing skills', Standardised Testing, Writing skills
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