For many of our students, tools like NAPLAN and the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions, also known as the progressions, may be less inclusive and relevant because they assume early language skills not covered by these tools. In order to provide effective support. The Inclusive Assessment Program aims to understand and describe what learning looks like for students who need help establishing a strong first language.

The Literacy and Numeracy Precursors are a set of indicators that were developed to be precursors to the progressions. These indicators describe the skills students may need to establish a strong first language and access the literacy and numeracy skills described in the progressions. Developed in collaboration between NSW schools, Centre for Education, Statistics and Evaluation, Inclusion and Wellbeing, Educational Standards and other parts of the department.

These indicators are for students who need support, developing their early language and learning skills, particularly those who may be non-verbal and or pre intentional in their communication, have language skills below their expected age, be working towards level 1 of the progressions. A broad cross-section of students can be supported by the Literacy and Numeracy Precursors, ranging from students entering school needing support with language skills, those in SSPs or support classes and even primary and high school students in a mainstream class.

The department has developed and trialled the Literacy and Numeracy Precursors to support educators to understand where their students are at and what their next steps should be. Research and validate their Literacy and Numeracy Precursors as a way to track learning outcomes and progress made by students for whom other assessment tools may not be appropriate. The purpose of this assessment tool is for educators to assess their relevant students using the Literacy and Numeracy Precursors and the early levels of the progressions.

Educators will be supported to assess students via an online data collection app. The Literacy and Numeracy Precursors app an online learning module containing short professional learning videos, student vignettes, demonstrating different indicators and how to observe students’ skills for these indicators. The Literacy and Numeracy Precursors app will include the newly developed precursor indicator, indicators from the progressions. Version 3 early levels E1A, E1B, and E1C, indicators from the progressions version 3, levels 1, 2 and 3.

The indicators from the progressions have been included to help educators see when a student progresses from the precursors to the progressions. Support research to validate the literacy and numeracy precursors and ensure they link to the progressions.

Thank you for interest in this program and your continued commitment and passion to making a difference for all learners in your school and across the state.