This downloadable PDF resources has been written in response to requests from teachers for material to help their students practise for NAPLAN* (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) tests well in advance of the actual tests in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Many teachers would like the opportunity to familiarise their students with the format and likely content of the tests the year before their students take the test. Students who have had this preparation are more likely to succeed, and find the test less stressful, than if they have had little or no pre-test preparation.

This downloadable PDF resource for Year 9 focuses on teaching and consolidating the skills required to complete the Language Conventions and Writing components of the annual national literacy test program called NAPLAN*. The activities are designed to help develop and refine skills in reading comprehension, general literacy, text analysis, logic and problem solving, and the higher order abstract reasoning that has become a feature of the official test papers. All answers are provided, along with expert advice and generous hints from specialist English teachers.

The annotated sample questions contain the following helpful teaching features:

• HINTS – explain what the question is really asking students to do.
• TRICKS – offer shortcuts to use in determining the correct answer.
• TRAPS – highlight the red herrings among the answer options presented.
• THINGS TO KNOW – outline key facts, definitions and techniques students need to learn before sitting tests.

This resource also includes one complete practice test paper to help students to prepare for the NAPLAN* tests.

* This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Blake Education independently of Australian Governments.