NAPLAN tests skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed over time through the school curriculum. Excessive test preparation using previous tests is not necessary or useful.
NAPLAN tests identify whether all students have the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for their learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community. Students are assessed using common national tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
NAPLAN tests broadly reflect important aspects of literacy and numeracy in the Australian Curriculum adopted by each state or territory.
Types of questions
The types of test formats and questions are generally familiar to teachers and students across Australia. From 2017, the NAPLAN paper tests will include some new types of questions, such as questions with multiple choices. Students may also be asked to answer questions that require them to look at two reading texts on the same topic.
Two example question booklets are provided, along with the example reading texts, which show the range of question types in the tests.
Note: the above example question booklets are for the purpose of showing question types only. As such there is one suitable for use with Years 3 and 5 students, and one suitable for use with Years 7 and 9 students. However, actual NAPLAN tests for numeracy, reading and language conventions are different for each year level.
ACARA also provides example tests so that teachers and students can get a sense of the ‘look and feel’ of the tests and understand what types of questions are asked.
NAPLAN tests are not tests students can cram for. Students should continue developing their literacy and numeracy skills through their school curriculum because the tests contain content identical to what is undertaken in regular classroom learning and assessment.
Year 3 example NAPLAN tests
Year 5 example NAPLAN tests
Year 7 example NAPLAN tests
Year 9 example NAPLAN tests
Past NAPLAN test papers
ACARA has also released a range of past NAPLAN test papers. Releasing these previous test papers forms a part of our response to Freedom of Information Act requests received by ACARA. The NAPLAN tests are subject to copyright restrictions and are for personal use only.
ACARA would like to stress that we do not believe in the value of excessive preparation for NAPLAN beyond teaching the Australian Curriculum and familiarising students with the NAPLAN process. These tests should not be used for drilling students for future NAPLAN tests. See the ACARA website for more information about past NAPLAN test papers.