Performance level descriptors and high impact indicators Tools for the Classroom

Objectives: Refresh the “big ideas of the GED® test Uncover PLDs and HIIs

GED® test TEST TIME NOTES Reasoning through Language Arts 150 minutes (1 hour, 30 min) This includes a 10 min break and the 45 minutes for the extended response Mathematical Reasoning 115 minutes (1 hour, 55min) Part 1 = no calculator Part 2 = calculator Formula sheet Social Studies 70 minutes (1 hour, 10 min) Science 90 minutes ( 1 hour, 30 min) 2 short answer questions included within the time given

GED® Performance Levels Pass/High School Equivalence GED® College Ready GED® College Ready + Credit 145 – 164 165 – 174 175 - 200 Scores at or above the GED® test Passing Standard Scores indicative of College and Career Readiness Scores indicative of skills taught in some beginning college-level courses

RLA – OVERVIEW Content- Integrated reading and writing Close reading Clear writing Editing and understanding the use of standard written English in context Source texts – 75% nonfiction; 25% fiction Passage length – 400-900 words Range of text complexity, including texts at the college and career- ready level Technology-enhanced items and extended response

Mathematical Reasoning Test – Overview Content - 45% - Quantitative Problem Solving * Number operations * Geometric thinking - 55% - Algebraic Problem Solving Texas Instruments – TI 30XS Multiview ™ (calculator allowed on Part 2) Integration of mathematical practices Formula page, symbols, and calculator page provided

SOCIAL STUDIES TEST- OVERVIEW Content - 50% - Civics and Government - 20% - United States History - 15% - Geography and the World Themes - Development of Modern Liberties and Democracy - Dynamic Response in Societal Systems Social Studies Practices – analyzing , thinking, reasoning Technology - enhanced question items

SCIENCE TEST – OVERVIEW Content - Life Science - 40% - Physical Science – 40% - Earth and Space Science – 20% Themes Themes - Human Health and Living Systems - Energy and Related Systems Science Practices – reasoning and thinking scientifically Question types – Technology – enhanced items and two short answers

PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTORS (PLDs) What are they and how do they help? PLDs - are precise descriptions of individual skills contained within an assessment target Tells us what the student needs to work on Helpful too for the classroom Explain in detail the skills students need to demonstrate to pass test

Two Formats Official Versions Test-taker Version Figure out what words and phrases mean using clues from the context of a written source. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining connotative and figurative meanings form context. Official Versions Test-taker Version

Use PLDs to: Assess student’s current skill level Determine when students are ready to test Shape learning activities Add perspective to lesson plans

WHAT ARE HIGH IMPACT INDICATORS? Important skills that are widely used throughout the test May generally receive light coverage during GED® test preparation Lend themselves to straight forward instruction Based on research

PLDs + HIIs = RELATIONSHIPS Assist instructors in creating instructional plans that address the maximum number of skills Assist students in applying skills in multiple ways and in a variety of contexts

Reason from data or evidence to a conclusion HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF APPLYING A SKILL IN MULTIPLE WAYS AND IN A VARIETY CONTEXTS RLA Order sequences of Events in texts SOCIAL STUDIES Identify the chronological structure of a historical narrative and sequence steps in a process SCIENCE Reason from data or evidence to a conclusion Mathematics Search for and recognize entry point for solving a problem and plan a solution pathway

Performance Level Descriptors www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/pld Four Performance Levels Below Passing HSE GED® College Ready GED ® College Ready + Credit What skills are demonstrated at each level What skills need development to advance to the next level

High Impact Indicators A complete list—all content areas available: http://www.gedtestingservice.com/uploads/files/38c313c646bfdb3afbbffb6330ddf209.pdf Demonstrate interconnectedness across content areas Developed skills available for use across a range of learning contexts

Resources http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/pld http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/2014testresources http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/professionaldevelopment http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/resources-educators