Does Standardised Testing Accurately Measure Student Intelligence and Potential?
Standardised testing is used in schools throughout Australia, and most students will participate in a number of standardised tests across their schooling. While it’s been a standard process for many years, there has always been debate around the benefits of standardised testing, the way it is carried out, and how well it measures performance.
For many parents there is a lack of clarity around what the results are used for and whether or not it accurately reflects the intelligence or performance of their children. It’s important to understand the reasoning behind standardised testing and the difference between a standardised test result and an intelligence test.
What Is Standardised Testing?
Standardised tests are assessments that are administered and scored in a consistent, predetermined manner, ensuring that all students are evaluated under the same conditions. They are used to test key competencies like literacy and numeracy, provide a snapshot of how well students are performing in these areas, and help identify strengths or areas that may need improvement.
In Australia, the most common standardised test example is the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), which tests students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9 on their literacy and numeracy skills.
The more students who participate, the more accurate the overall results. The results are used by schools to tailor teaching strategies, monitor student development, and make comparisons between schools and regions. They can also be used by governments to influence decisions around funding.
Is It Accurate For Testing Intelligence?
This is where people can often get confused. Standardised tests like NAPLAN are not designed to test an individual child’s intelligence or potential. They are designed to assess their skills in certain areas and measure how well they are performing compared to their peers. It is as much an assessment of the school or education system as it is of the child, and does not evaluate overall intellectual ability.
What it will show is if your child is deemed to be measuring above, below or on par for their education level. (It’s important to remember though that, as with any test, there can be variables that impact your child’s performance on test day).
Students at either end of the spectrum might be offered options by the school, including extra support to bring them on-par with their peers or more advanced work to keep them engaged and learning if they are ahead.
What Is The Best Measure Of Intelligence?
If standardised testing doesn't test intelligence, then what is the best way to test intelligence of students? If you’re looking to understand what level your child is at and their academic potential, then it's probably the wrong question to ask.
What an intelligent test tells us is IQ, which isn’t necessarily a marker of academic success. While people with high IQs can often excel in certain areas, a high IQ isn’t a prerequisite for ‘smartness’ or high academic performance.
Success is usually a combination of natural ability, hard work and the quality of education received.
How To Improve Your Child’s Academic Outcomes & Potential
Instead of focussing on how to test for intelligence, the focus should be on how to continuously improve academic outcomes. While standardised testing can help you understand how your child is tracking throughout their schooling journey, it won’t necessarily help them improve their results. If your child is tracking below or on par for their level and you want to help them excel (or they have a certain academic goal in mind), engaging an online tutor is one of the best ways to improve their outcomes and potential.
Tutoring can take into account their standardised testing performance and customise learning programs to help strengthen skills in key areas. Tutoring doesn’t just provide another level of teaching, but helps students learn to focus on goals, confidence and key capabilities that will help them excel throughout their schooling life.
You can engage a tutor at any point during primary school or high school to help with general learning, as well as for specific educational goals, including:
NAPLAN
Private Online Tutoring in Sydney
If you are interested in helping your child lift their academic performance and potential through tutoring, Little Geniuses can help. We offer customised, private online tutoring for children of all ages and academic levels to help them excel through their schooling and build the skills and confidence they need to achieve academic success.
For more information on how we can help your child improve their skills, lift their testing scores or gain acceptance into prestigious schools, get in touch with us.