Clear goals for Year 9 NAPLAN English and numeracy

A good plan begins with clear goals. These are the outcomes you are working toward over the next two months.

For English
1. Your child identifies the main idea and supporting points in longer texts.

2. Your child explains tone and purpose using simple evidence from the text.

3. Your child plans writing with a short outline and builds clear paragraphs.

4. Your child edits for grammar, punctuation, and spelling with care.

For numeracy
1. Your child reads a question carefully and names what is being asked.

2. Your child chooses a method and explains each step aloud.

3. Your child checks answers with a quick sense check.

4. Your child works with fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, algebra, measurement, data, and probability at a steady level of accuracy.

These goals match the skills that Year 9 NAPLAN makes visible. They also build habits that help in Years 10 to 12.

Eight-week preparation roadmap

This roadmap uses short sessions that fit real life. Aim for four short sessions a week—two for English and two for numeracy. Each session is about twenty to thirty minutes. If a session runs well, stop on a high note.

Week 1. Set foundations and lower pressure

English

1. Read one article and one short story across the week.
2. Ask your child to tell you the main idea in two sentences.
3. Write a single paragraph response to a simple prompt.

Numeracy

1. Revise number sense with fractions, decimals, and percentages in real contexts.
2. Complete six to eight questions with full working shown.
3. End with a quick reflection on one error and how to avoid it next time.

Week 2. Add structure and language accuracy

English

1. Practise a three-step plan for writing: Plan → Write → Edit.
2. Read an opinion piece and name the tone with one proof from the text.
3. Edit one earlier paragraph for punctuation and spelling.

Numeracy

1. Focus on ratio and proportion with everyday examples.
2. Practise setting up ratios correctly before solving.
3. Keep an error log with one line per error and a fix.

Week 3. Grow depth in reading and algebra confidence

English

1. Read a longer text and mark three key sentences that drive meaning.
2. Write a short response that explains the author’s purpose.

Numeracy

1. Work with algebra expressions and simple linear equations.
2. Write the plan for each question before calculating.
3. Check by substitution where possible.

Week 4. Paragraph craft and geometry thinking

English

1. Build a paragraph with a clear topic sentence and two proofs.
2. Practise linking words that guide the reader with flow.

Numeracy

1. Explore angles, triangles, and symmetry with neat diagrams.
2. Explain reasoning in full sentences under the working.

Week 5. Evidence in English and measurement fluency

English

1. Read two different texts on a similar theme and compare ideas.
2. Write a short comparison paragraph using clear linking.

Numeracy

1. Work with perimeter, area, volume, and units.
2. Convert units before solving. Record units in every step.

Week 6. Timed taste and data sense

English

1. Write one response in a gentle, timed setting to feel the pace.
2. Edit with a simple three-line checklist for clarity, punctuation, and spelling.

Numeracy

1. Read tables and graphs. State what the data shows and what it does not show.
2. Practise probability language such as certain, likely, and unlikely with simple fractions.

Week 7. Consolidate and address patterns of error

English

1. Revisit the error log. Choose two patterns to fix.
2. Practise one short write with a strong opening and a stronger ending.

Numeracy

1. Choose the two weakest areas from earlier weeks and redo ten mixed questions.
2. Explain each method aloud to yourself or on paper.

Week 8. Light rehearsal and calm confidence

English

1. Read one new text and write one focused paragraph with clean edits.
2. Review the best pieces of the last two weeks and note what is working.

Numeracy

1. Solve a short mixed set that includes number, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data.
2. End with a brief reflection on one good decision made in a question.

This eight-week plan is short by design. It avoids fatigue and builds confidence through repetition of clear steps.

English detailed plan: reading, writing and language

This section explains what to do inside each English session so every minute counts.

Reading that builds insight

Preview

• Ask your child to scan the title and first paragraph. Ask what they expect to learn. This sets a purpose for reading.

Read in small parts

• Pause after each section. Ask your child to say the main point in one or two lines. If that is hard, the section needs a slower read.

Prove the point

• Ask for one sentence from the text that supports their summary. This trains evidence use.

Tone and purpose

• Ask how the writer wants the reader to feel. Ask why. The why must quote a word or phrase.

Language moves

• Pick one strong word or image. Ask what effect it has on the reader. Keep it short and specific.

Compare and connect

• Once a week, read two short pieces on a related theme. Ask how the two writers agree or disagree.

Writing that shows control and flow

Plan quickly

• Write three or four dot-free lines that list the main points in order. Name the goal of the piece in simple words. Keep the plan short.

Build paragraphs with purpose

Use this three-line pattern.

• The first line states the point.
• The second line explains the point.
• The third line gives a proof or an example from reading or life.

Openings and endings

• Teach one strong opening that names a clear idea. Teach one strong ending that returns to the idea with a final thought.

Link ideas clearly

• Use simple linking words such as however, also, because, therefore, and finally. These keep the reader on the path.

Edit like a checker

• Read aloud. Mark one comma that helps the meaning. Correct one spelling. Check one sentence for clarity. Small edits win.

Voice and register

• For arguments, keep the voice steady and formal. For reflections, keep the voice personal and clear. Match voice to purpose.

Language conventions that keep writing clean

Sentence sense

• Check that every sentence has a subject and a verb and makes full sense.

Punctuation for meaning

• Use full stops to end ideas. Use commas for lists and for gentle pauses that help the sense.

Spelling patterns

• Keep a list of three new words a week. Write them, say them, and use them in a sentence. Review last week before adding new words.

Grammar choices

• Review tense control in short bursts. Past events. Present for general truths. Keep one tense in a paragraph unless there is a clear reason to change.

Common trouble spots

• Watch for sentence fragments, very long sentences that need a split, and missing capitals for names and places.

These small actions make your child a clearer reader and a cleaner writer. That is what markers see.

Numeracy detailed plan, reasoning and problem solving

Numeracy success in Year 9 is about steady reasoning. Your child must read the question, choose a path, show working, and check the result. The steps below make this natural.

Number and percentage with confidence

Translate the story

• Under the question, write one short line that names the task. For example, find the increase or find the fraction of the amount.

Set the structure

• Write the calculation before the numbers go in. This stops guesswork.

Percentage with sense

• Use fraction thinking. Ten per cent is one tenth. Twenty-five per cent is one quarter. Say the fraction aloud to guide the method.

Check the size

• After solving, ask if the answer is too big or too small. A ten per cent discount should not look like half the price.

Ratio and proportion that match real life

Keep units aligned

• Write units each time you write a number. This prevents mix-ups.

Use tables for clarity

• Two columns for the two quantities. Write the proportional steps down the table.

Scale in one move

• Find the single multiplier rather than many small steps where possible. It is cleaner and easier to check.

Algebra that feels logical

Show each move

• Line up terms and show the step that moves a value to the other side. Keep equals lines neat.

Check by substitution

• Put the answer back into the original equation to confirm. A quick check builds trust in the method.

Word to algebra

• Underline clue words such as total, difference, product, and per. Translate them to symbols in a small side note before solving.

Geometry that explains why

Name the facts

• Write the angle facts you use. For example, angles on a straight line or base angles in an isosceles triangle. Naming the fact earns credit.

Draw with care

• Straight lines and clear labels reduce errors. A neat diagram is a thinking tool.

State the reason

• For each found angle, write a three-word reason. For example, opposite angles are equal.

Measurement that uses units wisely

Convert first

• Put all lengths into the same unit before calculating. This avoids mistakes.

Formula choice

• Write the formula before numbers. For example, area equals length times breadth. This is a simple habit that prevents slips.

Sense checks

• Area should be in square units. Volume should be in cubic units. Label the final answer with the correct unit.

Data and probability that tell the truth

Read the labels

• Name the variables and units. Trends are easier to see when you know what the axes show.

Describe not guess

• Say what the graph shows and what it does not show. Keep language simple and exact.

Probability language

• Use simple terms such as certain, likely, and unlikely. Write probabilities as fractions or decimals that make sense in the context.

These steps make working neat, thinking visible, and errors easy to catch. That is how your child grows in confidence.

Practice sessions and calm review method

Practice is useful when it is short and reflective. It is not useful when it is long and rushed. Use this pattern twice a week at most.

Set up the session

• Choose one short reading set or one short numeracy set.
• Set a light time frame that feels comfortable.
• Remind your child that the goal is clarity.

During the session

• Read each task slowly and mark key words.
• Plan a path in one line.
• Write clearly with space.

After the session

Wait until the next day for review. A fresh mind learns more.

Review in three steps

Start with strengths

• Point to one thing done well. For example, a clear plan line or a strong topic sentence.

Name one pattern

• Choose the single most common error. For example, skipping units or missing a step in solving.

Fix with one action

• Agree on a small change for the next session. For example, write the unit in every line or read the question twice before starting.

Keep a short learning log

Create a small page with two columns. On the left write the error in one short line. On the righ,t write the fix. Read this page once a week. This keeps learning active and calm.

Stop on a win

When your child does a task well, end the session. Confidence grows when success is noticed.

Resources used

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan
Clear information about test areas and the national approach.

Western Australia curriculum overview
https://www.education.wa.edu.au/curriculum
Outlines learning content that builds Year 9 skills.

NAPLAN sample question styles
https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/whats-in-the-tests
Shows the style of reading writing and numeracy tasks.

Research on reading comprehension in adolescence
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10573569.2021.1923100
Explains how deeper comprehension develops in the teen years.

Study on mathematical reasoning and problem solving
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059318300984
Discusses practices that support reasoning in secondary maths.

Research on writing development in early secondary years
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815033920
Covers planning paragraphing and clarity in school writing.

Helpful links

NAPLAN parent information
https://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan
A clear summary for families about the purpose and approach.

WA support for students
https://www.education.wa.edu.au/support-for-students
Services and guidance that help with learning needs.

Public NAPLAN practice papers
https://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan/naplan-2012-2016-test-papers
Older public papers that show question types and length.

WA resources for students
https://www.education.wa.edu.au/resources-for-students
Subject resources that support day to day learning.