❓ The Minister for Education provides an update on the implementation of on-entry assessments for pre-primary students in Western Australian public schools, highlighting the initiative's importance in identifying and addressing learning gaps early.
AnsweredQoN 169Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PREPRIMARY STUDENTS — ON-ENTRY ASSESSMENT
Can the minister please update the house on the commitment to conduct on-entry assessment for preprimary students in public schools? Dr E. CONSTABLE
Can the minister please update the house on the commitment to conduct on-entry assessment for preprimary students in public schools? Dr E. CONSTABLE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kingsley for her question. I am delighted to update the house on this government’s very important initiative. Last year I announced that in 2010 we would put in place on-entry assessment for children entering preprimary school. This year, 50 schools were selected to implement the testing of children in preprimary school for the first term. It is interesting to note that 235 schools put up their hands to be part of the initial 50 schools. That shows how important schools consider this initiative to be and how important it is to their programming when working with young people. It is clear that it is very important to work at the earliest possible stages to identify young children who might need extra help, particularly in numeracy and literacy. This testing allows teachers to work with children individually. The test was developed in Victoria but has been licensed to us to use. A teacher sits down with a child in front of a computer and when they are online and the teacher administers the items in the test, using a number of books and other materials. It is important to note that the teacher gets immediate feedback and the results of the assessment can be used with the child instantly. Identifying the gaps that a child might have in early pre-literacy and numeracy skills allows teachers to make an individual program for those children. The idea for this comes out of a review undertaken by the previous government in 2006 by Bill Louden, who recommended that this testing be put in place. We consider this to be a very important tool to work with young children. This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: I thank the member for Kingsley for her question. I am delighted to update the house on this government’s very important initiative. Last year I announced that in 2010 we would put in place on-entry assessment for children entering preprimary school. This year, 50 schools were selected to implement the testing of children in preprimary school for the first term. It is interesting to note that 235 schools put up their hands to be part of the initial 50 schools. That shows how important schools consider this initiative to be and how important it is to their programming when working with young people. It is clear that it is very important to work at the earliest possible stages to identify young children who might need extra help, particularly in numeracy and literacy. This testing allows teachers to work with children individually. The test was developed in Victoria but has been licensed to us to use. A teacher sits down with a child in front of a computer and when they are online and the teacher administers the items in the test, using a number of books and other materials. It is important to note that the teacher gets immediate feedback and the results of the assessment can be used with the child instantly. Identifying the gaps that a child might have in early pre-literacy and numeracy skills allows teachers to make an individual program for those children. The idea for this comes out of a review undertaken by the previous government in 2006 by Bill Louden, who recommended that this testing be put in place. We consider this to be a very important tool to work with young children. This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
I thank the member for Kingsley for her question. I am delighted to update the house on this government’s very important initiative. Last year I announced that in 2010 we would put in place on-entry assessment for children entering preprimary school. This year, 50 schools were selected to implement the testing of children in preprimary school for the first term. It is interesting to note that 235 schools put up their hands to be part of the initial 50 schools. That shows how important schools consider this initiative to be and how important it is to their programming when working with young people. It is clear that it is very important to work at the earliest possible stages to identify young children who might need extra help, particularly in numeracy and literacy. This testing allows teachers to work with children individually. The test was developed in Victoria but has been licensed to us to use. A teacher sits down with a child in front of a computer and when they are online and the teacher administers the items in the test, using a number of books and other materials. It is important to note that the teacher gets immediate feedback and the results of the assessment can be used with the child instantly. Identifying the gaps that a child might have in early pre-literacy and numeracy skills allows teachers to make an individual program for those children. The idea for this comes out of a review undertaken by the previous government in 2006 by Bill Louden, who recommended that this testing be put in place. We consider this to be a very important tool to work with young children. This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: I thank the member for Kingsley for her question. I am delighted to update the house on this government’s very important initiative. Last year I announced that in 2010 we would put in place on-entry assessment for children entering preprimary school. This year, 50 schools were selected to implement the testing of children in preprimary school for the first term. It is interesting to note that 235 schools put up their hands to be part of the initial 50 schools. That shows how important schools consider this initiative to be and how important it is to their programming when working with young people. It is clear that it is very important to work at the earliest possible stages to identify young children who might need extra help, particularly in numeracy and literacy. This testing allows teachers to work with children individually. The test was developed in Victoria but has been licensed to us to use. A teacher sits down with a child in front of a computer and when they are online and the teacher administers the items in the test, using a number of books and other materials. It is important to note that the teacher gets immediate feedback and the results of the assessment can be used with the child instantly. Identifying the gaps that a child might have in early pre-literacy and numeracy skills allows teachers to make an individual program for those children. The idea for this comes out of a review undertaken by the previous government in 2006 by Bill Louden, who recommended that this testing be put in place. We consider this to be a very important tool to work with young children. This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
I thank the member for Kingsley for her question. I am delighted to update the house on this government’s very important initiative. Last year I announced that in 2010 we would put in place on-entry assessment for children entering preprimary school. This year, 50 schools were selected to implement the testing of children in preprimary school for the first term. It is interesting to note that 235 schools put up their hands to be part of the initial 50 schools. That shows how important schools consider this initiative to be and how important it is to their programming when working with young people. It is clear that it is very important to work at the earliest possible stages to identify young children who might need extra help, particularly in numeracy and literacy. This testing allows teachers to work with children individually. The test was developed in Victoria but has been licensed to us to use. A teacher sits down with a child in front of a computer and when they are online and the teacher administers the items in the test, using a number of books and other materials. It is important to note that the teacher gets immediate feedback and the results of the assessment can be used with the child instantly. Identifying the gaps that a child might have in early pre-literacy and numeracy skills allows teachers to make an individual program for those children. The idea for this comes out of a review undertaken by the previous government in 2006 by Bill Louden, who recommended that this testing be put in place. We consider this to be a very important tool to work with young children. This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
This year, 50 schools in term 1 have been involved. In term 4, all other schools will be testing children so that from the beginning of year 1—the beginning of the compulsory schooling years—year 1 teachers will have access to this information. In the following year and in years to come, all children will be tested at the beginning of preprimary so that the teachers who work with children in the pre-compulsory year of preprimary can give the children the best start they possibly can by analysing and working out what gaps the children have. The teachers can then put in place early intervention measures. It is very useful information also for children who have advanced numeracy and literacy skills because help can then be provided to develop extension programs for them. This tool is part of a whole package of initiatives that the government is putting in place to assist teachers and children in the early years, recognising the importance of learning literacy and numeracy skills at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work in that area to give children the very best start we can give them.
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