Ellalong Public School
HOMEWORK
POLICY
(Revised September 2009)
Aims
Homework should be set by teachers in order to:
 communicate to the child that learning takes place outside of School as
well as inside;
 promote organisational and study skills, and positive work habits;
 strengthen the link between School and family;
 promote positive attitudes about School and learning; and
 consolidate in-School learning.
The Effectiveness of Homework
A common rationale for the provision of homework is to improve achievement.
While improved achievement does correlate with homework in the later years
of schooling, research suggests that such benefits are not significant in the
primary years, (ie. K to Year 6).
A review of the research literature concerning homework revealed the
following main points about the effectiveness of homework in raising
achievement at primary school (K to Year 6) level.
It appears that homework has more effective outcomes as children get older.
Homework has limited value in the primary school years.
Homework does not translate to higher achievement until secondary school.
Michael Carr-Gregg (2004), an adolescent psychologist, says that homework
is not a means to ensure success and there is no evidence to support the idea
that it lifts standards.
Cooper’s (1994) review of homework studies concludes that 'in elementary
school, homework had no effect on achievement' and that 'the mean
correlation between time spent on homework and achievement was almost
zero'. Elementary students’ performance did not improve when they spent
more time on homework. In fact, after two hours, there is a negative effect on
achievement.
Types of Effective Homework
There is a role for some regular homework to help students to develop sound,
self-disciplined, study habits. Homework set should always pertain to one or
more of the following categories:
 practice and review of lessons previously taught
 simple introduction to material to be included in upcoming lessons (eg
current affairs topics, HSIE, Mathematics or Science topics)
 activities that help to establish study habits and learning skills
 planning activities for more complex tasks to be done in class.
Other Characteristics of Suitable Homework
Homework should always:
 be stimulating but not too complex
 have a clear goal, and be well explained and clearly understood
 show variety over time, (ie tasks could be physical, creative, verbal, not
just reading and writing tasks) clearly differentiate between voluntary
and mandatory homework tasks.
Teachers should be setting a minimum level of mandatory tasks, but with
optional voluntary tasks for students who wish to take a topic or activity further
be reviewed and marked in class, where appropriate, so that the student
receives quick feedback while it is still fresh in his mind, be suited where
possible, to individual needs.
In addition, project-type homework can clash with what has already been set
by the class teacher, and may cause undue stress and anxiety. Such work
can too easily be taken over by parents, so that the teacher is unsure of
whose work it really is.
Homework Time Limits
It is common for teachers to underestimate the amount of time needed to
complete particular homework tasks. The amount of time to be spent doing
homework should typically not exceed the following guidelines for tasks:
 K and Year 1 10 - 15 minutes 4 nights per week literacy only
 Year 2 10 - 20 minutes 4 nights per week literacy only
 Years 3 - 4 20 - 30 minutes 4 nights per week (40% reading, 40%
Mathematics, 20% other)
 Years 5- 6 30 - 40 minutes 4 nights per week (30% reading, 30%
Mathematics, 40% other).
Kindergarten-Year 2
Homework at this level should predominantly be literacy-related, particularly
reading-related. Students could read the nightly reader or sight words to
parent. In Years 1 and 2 students can read other books they may love or have
borrowed from the Library. They can also revise spelling words that fit a
pattern learnt at school and read books. In Year 2 students may also write
some simple sentences or be asked to listen to the news.
Years 3-4
Homework should be mostly literacy-related. Students could be asked to read
widely from sources like, the school or public library. Other literacy based
activities related to class work, like revising spelling or word usage exercises
may also be included.
For mathematics, students could be asked to revise tables, complete
exercises related to class work, complete mental arithmetic or carry out
practical or problem solving activities that help students see Mathematics at
work in their world. Simple investigations involving other KLAs could further
reinforce learning through the use of everyday contexts.
Years 5-6
Homework should be mostly literacy-related and Mathematics, with an
additional focus on the development of study skills. Students could be asked
to read books, read and take notes from a set factual passage, complete a
section of a data chart, revise spelling words, revise work for an up-coming
test using guidelines from the teacher and suggest possible solutions to a
mathematics problem.
Projects
By the term 'project', we mean a written assignment, that:
 is primarily completed in class
 is set on a specific topic
 involves research from books or the internet, note-taking and
presentation of that information in a formal fashion often accompanied
by pictures.
Projects can often cause consternation for families which results in work, in
some cases, that has clearly been largely completed by parents or tutors.
There is little benefit for the student if this occurs. Therefore, while some
preparatory aspects of such assignments, such as research (eg data chart
preparation) may be set as mandatory homework, these assignments should
be largely completed in class. In so doing, the teacher is in a much better
position to properly assess each child’s progress and development, and
intervene with appropriate instruction and/or task differentiation, as required.
Potential Homework Pitfalls
Teachers should remain aware of the following potential pitfalls with regard to
homework.
Homework that is poorly conceived and set can be onerous, stressful, timeconsuming and disruptive to family life. It can indirectly contribute to lack of
exercise, obesity, depression and low self-esteem.
'Busy work', such as colouring-in, title pages, numerous worksheets and
needless repetition of examples does not achieve the School’s aims for
homework and should not be given as mandatory homework.
Homework that is of an inappropriate level, or that has not been adequately
prepared for, or explained, in class can lead to difficulties for the student and
his parents.
Setting work that should be done at School as homework can make a
student’s homework burdensome, especially if he is a slow worker.
Homework that requires many resources to be taken home from School or
acquired elsewhere can be unreasonable.
The Role of Parents
While most students should not need the help of parents when they complete
homework, parents do have a role to play. They should:
 create a home environment that facilitates the student’s homework and
study
 encourage and offer help only when such help is clearly required
 offer moral support and be positive
 report any difficulties to the teacher, including difficulty of work and
excessive time taken
 allow their child ample time to play and engage in other informal
activities vital for each child’s healthy development


remember that learning the balance between work and play is a lifelong skill.
access websites if they wish to provide their children with extra
homework tasks
Homework and Children with Special Needs
The positive effects of homework for children with special needs should be the
same as those for other children. However, the following needs to be
considered.
Homework should be differentiated, where possible, to suit individual needs,
emphasising the reinforcement of skills and class lessons rather than the
integration and extension of class work.
Teachers must ensure that children with special needs understand homework
tasks well before attempting them.
Parental involvement is advisable and should be on-going, rather than
intermittent.
Websites
There are many websites available to parents wishing to provide extra
activities for their children. Some of these include:
www.smartkiddies.com.au
www.teachingonline.org/homeworkindex.html
www.daisymaths.com.au
www.promtheanplanet.com
www.abc.net.au/countusin
www.nzmaths.co.nz
www.copacabana-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
www.coolmaths4kids.com
www.mathsisfun.com
www.apples4theteacher.com
www.tale.edu.au