The 2020 NAPLAN may have been cancelled due to COVID-19, but the 2021 exam will surely come around May.
Politicians and regular citizens can argue about the assessment’s effects, but as a parent, you only want your child to do great.
A great option is that your child can undergo NAPLAN tutoring to unlock his true potential. The best tutoring services usually offer a detailed report of your child’s curriculum, assess your child’s skills across all curriculum, and less stressful on your child’s mental health.
The next question is, what can you do as a parent?
Here are ways you can help your child through NAPLAN.
First, Know Your Child’s Personality
Before you can decide your game plan, you may need to assess your child’s personality.
If your child is confident and relaxed, you may have an easier road and a less hands-on approach. But if your kid is a little bit shy, anxious, and is not adaptable to change, you may need to be more proactive as this would be a more stressful time for him or her.
One this is for sure, though. You must assure your child that they will be alright no matter the results of NAPLAN and no matter what they think of their performance. The NAPLAN tutoring they undergo will help with this assurance.
NAPLAN Stress
Stress may be inevitable for some kids undergoing NAPLAN, and that includes yours. Signs of NAPLAN stress will include erratic behaviour.
You may notice more frequent nightmares, early waking, or sleeplessness. The tricky part about handling this kind of stress is that children cannot easily release it verbally. Instead, they’ll feel more physical manifestations of stress like stomach aches or chest pain.
Stress is also different for age groups. If your child is as young as a 3rd-grade student, stress will most likely come from the hectic schedule of three straight examination days. If your child is already in the 9th grade and a NAPLAN veteran, the stress will probably come from the pressure of achieving high scores, as this will be his or her last chance.
Being Proactive
So, what can you do? You must be proactive and be keen on watching for signs of your child’s NAPLAN stress.
Encourage Communication
Try to ask what is bothering your child and let them talk without interruption. You can guide them but never take control of the conversation. You must not pressure them into talking.
Even asking them things that are not NAPLAN related is great. You can ask them how their day went or about the best thing they did that day. Constant communication can go a long way.
Ensure Their Physical Well-Being
It is very important that your child is well-rested, eating a nutritious and well-balanced diet, and has enough physical exercise.
You already know how harmful sleep deprivation can be in any performance, school, or work. You also know that physical activity can greatly reduce stress. Let them play (not with gadgets) outdoors, and you are all set.
Be NAPLAN Prepared
You also must study about NAPLAN, but not like how your child studies. You need to empower yourself with knowledge of everything NAPLAN so that you can answer your kid anytime he or she asks a question.
You can ask a little help from your child’s teacher. A great NAPLAN tutoring service should be able to provide you with reports on how your child is doing, academically and even emotionally. Ask them how you can help your child, and they should be able to assist you.
