Teachers' use of national test data to focus numeracy instruction

With increased accountability attached to students’ results on national testing in Australia, teachers feel under pressure to prepare students for the tests. One approach is to use evidence from school and student results to identify areas for targeted teaching strategies to improve students’ understanding. Using NAPLAN results lower secondary mathematics teachers in one school implemented mental computation and estimation approaches as well as a strategy to address the literacy demands of typical test items to support student learning before and after the NAPLAN test. An analysis of the professional learning identified approaches to enhance both students’ learning as well as teaching practice.