Developing students' reading and numeracy skills remain key goals of contemporary schooling. In Australia, the National Assessment Program -- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests have assessed these skills since 2008. Previous research found a significant gender gap in favour of females for the NAPLAN writing test, yet no study has examined…

Acquiring mathematical literacy requires students to apply mathematics in various real-world contexts. However, mathematics classes often provide brief, content-focused descriptions of reality-based tasks and tasks that describe the situation as more complex, closer to reality, are still lacking. Students with different sociodemographic…

This position paper examines the phenomenon of the McNamara Fallacy to analyse flawed conceptions of "success" in mathematics learning, normalised assessment structures and their implications for mathematics education. The established presence of the McNamara Fallacy and the ramifications of this statistical fallacy provide a foundation…

Using IEA's TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 2019 data, this brief examines gender differences in parental involvement with their child's education measured through participation in early home learning activities. We find that engaging children in home learning activities before entering primary school is associated…

In Australia, a substantial proportion of students start secondary school with literacy and numeracy skills that are 3 or more years below those of their peers. Evidence suggests that low literacy and numeracy skills hinder students' access to the curriculum and can result in poor progress or educational failure. These students are also more…

The study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of mother tongue instruction on the achievement of primary five (V) pupils in literacy and numerical skills in Osun state. It also examined the moderating effect of gender. The Cummins interdependence theory provided the framework, while the pre-test/post-test control group quasi experimental…

Over the past three decades Australia has developed an increasingly advanced national system of student assessments, results from which have been used to identify areas of growth, stagnation or decline in student learning. For the most part, trends in different standardised assessments have been considered in isolation. By examining literacy and…

Analysis of recently-released NAPLAN tests reveals that the tests cover year levels well below the nominal year and that some aspects of the mathematics curriculum are underrepresented. A high level of untested curriculum content descriptions was found.

Internal and external assessment instruments, such as the Vanuatu Standard Test of Achievements (VANSTA) and the Pacific Island Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA), reveal that mathematics achievements in the Republic of Vanuatu remain below the minimum standard. This study drew on the constructivist grounded theory approach to explore…

The early years from birth to age 8 are a crucial period for children's learning and development. High-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) and continuity from ECEC into school provide children with a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Understanding how language and cognition skills develop during this period of a child's life…

This document summarises key findings and recommendations from an analysis of Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data conducted by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) in 2022. AERO's report marks the first time that the skills considered through the Language and Cognitive Skills (school-based) domain in AEDC have been…

This study focuses on the relationship between students' early academic skills and academic achievement. In this context, it is aimed to examine the predictors of students' early literacy and numeracy skills on their later math and science achievements across countries. A quantitative research approach using a correlational survey design was…

The Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to balance a commitment to education in general, and girls' education more specifically, and additional challenges brought about through cyclical conflict. The Valorisation de la Scholarisation de la Fille project aimed to improve literacy and numeracy by providing scholarships, tutoring, and…

The Program for International Student Assessment Young Adult Follow-up Study (PISA YAFS) is a new study that allows research into the characteristics, cognitive skills, and other life outcomes of young adults as they transition from high school to postsecondary life. This Research and Development report provides a snapshot of outcomes at the…

This paper examines the mediating role of parental literacy and numeracy involvement before the child entered school in the relationship between family socio-economic status (SES) and students' interest in reading and mathematics. Causal mediation analysis is applied to international assessment data from the Trends in International Mathematics and…