To help students feel more confident and at ease when taking part in Naplan, Ex-teacher and Education Expert at Matific, Brent Hughes, provides his 5 top tips to help relieve your child’s exam pressure:

Help Your Child Nail NAPLAN Tip 1: Let them know they are not alone

Thousands of students across Australia will be sitting down and taking the test, so remind them that they are not alone. Your support and encouragement are important to help children develop their own motivation and confidence when tackling challenges, which may occur later in life.  

Help Your Child Nail NAPLAN Tip 2: Create a well-rounded routine

Teaching your child effective study techniques and test-taking skills can help anxious children cope in the lead up to exam period, but ensure you leave time for rest and relaxation. Include unstructured play, reading, outdoor physical activity and even good screen time (see next tip). Screen time may be a little controversial, but the truth is your child will grow up into a world where confidence with technology is a requirement for survival. Having a balanced and well-rounded routine can help avoid burn-out and ease anxiety, whilst still ensuring they are fully prepared for the exams.

Help Your Child Nail NAPLAN Tip 3: Put screen time to good use

We know how much kids love their devices, but luckily this love of technology can be harnessed for good use as there are an array of apps and games that help reinforce and teach maths concepts that are aligned to NAPLAN. Matific Galaxy is an award-winning online resource for kids from Kindergarten to Year 6, which uses gamification to make maths fun and engaging. This type of preparation will ensure that kids aren’t putting excessive pressure on themselves months out from the actual tests. It can also help to ease stress with subjects they may feel more anxious about.

Help Your Child Nail NAPLAN Tip 4: Help teachers help you

Teachers and parents are two of the most influential people in a child’s life, and it’s important that the two remain on the same side as much as possible. Rest assured that teachers will be teaching based on contemporary research methods. If you or your child are confused at any stage, then make an appointment with the school and ask the teacher to help you understand. In this way, you can best support your child from home.

Help Your Child Nail NAPLAN Tip 5: Get involved, show an interest in their work without taking over

One of the biggest issues with parents and their child’s education occurs when a parent tries to help but inadvertently takes over. If your child asks for help, certainly point them in the right direction but let them try to resolve problems and tackle their revision on their own. This will enable them to become independent thinkers and improve confidence in their own learning journey.

Interviews or further quotes from Brent Hughes from Matific are available on request – please contact Tiffany Yuen at Polkadot Communications on 02 9281 4190 or [email protected]

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Matific is part of global educational technology company whose founders include top Australian businessman Leon Kamenev, who has launched a number of high-profile online companies including Menulog and HotelClub.

The aim of Matific is to make maths fun and engaging for all students. The new Matific Galaxy App will launch in May 2018 to introduce a new, fun, and simple way of approaching maths that simultaneously helps young students develop a lifelong appreciation for the subject and its applications.

The Matific resource, which is currently in 45 countries and translated into 26 languages, has been getting excellent results and making inroads in both the New Zealand and Australian education systems, following the 2014/2015 TIMSS findings which revealed both countries’ primary maths standards were slipping, sitting at 491 and 517 respectively.

Given the decline in numeracy standards in New Zealand and Australia, highlighted by PISA and TIMSS, Matific is committed to supporting primary school teachers in the classroom and helping them get students engaged in maths at an early age.