NAPLAN Week

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy otherwise known as NAPLAN starts tomorrow and goes until the 17th of May. Last week I wrote of the fact that we had been asked to fill out an exemption for Riley, which we had done. We have since withdrawn that exemption and Riley will be sitting the tests. We really agonised over this decision, because the tests will be really hard for him, as he is dyslexic. 

I have spoken to him of the tests and tried to explain that they are not important, I have also written the following on a piece of paper and he is going to write this on the tests when he gets to the point where he can do no more,  "I can't do this test because I am dyslexic and it discriminates against me". I hope he does not get into trouble for this, but have explained to him that his teacher might not like it, but it would really be me she is angry at not him.

I feel a bit guilty, as I am technically using Riley as a tool in a political message I want to send, but I can't think of a stronger way to get the message across. I realise now that if Peter Garrett does use these tests to identify areas of need for funding and programs, then all dyslexic chilren should sit the test, maybe that way the government will see what a need there is to recognise dyslexia as a learning disability and put in the appropriate support in place for dyslexic children.

I don't know if what I'm doing is right, but at least I feel like I am doing something. Hopefully by the time he is in Grade 5 they will do away with the whole idea of standardised testing, like many other nations have already done.