RE: [ContentStandards 212] Questions on CASAS Basic Skills ContentStandards ProjectDonna,
Sounds as though you my have had some middle school experience.  This is precisely the manner in which we have found WORKS!
Additionally, incorporating writing in math class is another 2 fold benefit:  writing skills improve, understanding improves when you have to articulate the process (and it's a life skill, not just a pass the test skill).
One of the most difficult problems, as I see it, is being able to join the 21st century - changing methods and materials.  Congratulations in making that change!
Ann Burruss
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Donna Chambers 
  To: The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List 
  Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 11:56 AM
  Subject: [ContentStandards 272] Re: Teaching beyond the GED?


  Ajit and All,

  I agree with Ajit that we must push for the alignment of knowledge measured whatever the students goal may be. Preparing a learner for a college entrance test should not be any different from preparing a learner for work and or life.  A changing society and economic system requires a continual redefinition of the context of literacy. As I referenced in my August 31 message as adult educators we must adapt to the change and be aware of developing conceptual thinking skills to position the learner  to advance in his/her education if they so choose. This requires faith in a learners ability to acquire whatever skills are necessary even if it means  changing the way we have been teaching for years. 

  For example, I am currently working in Rhode Island with a groups of adults who entered our program to get their GED.  Since my work is primarily with the External Diploma Program, a competency based assessment system, I  tend to focus on a learner understanding concepts and being able to apply the learning in a number of different situations.  Placement testing showed that these individuals had low level math skills and they all declared that they "were not good in math".   I told the group that we were not going to work in GED books, except maybe to do some practice work, but that I would help them learn math in a way that was different and this may mean learning math beyond what they needed to know to pass the test.  Our work would include understanding numbers and operations and how they relate to each other and that once they had this understanding, they should be better prepared for the math that they would encounter on any test, not just the GED.  

  They all agreed and so we began using colored popsicle sticks and other manipulative to see, touch, and understand what it means to add, subtract, divide and multiply numbers.  Before long we were discussing fractions, percents, and even ratio proportion with a clear understanding.  The learners in my class now know what a variable is and can not only show an example of an algebraic expression using the manipulative, but can also write and solve simple algebraic equations. They may be able to pass the GED without knowing algebra, but this understanding has lead to a true understanding of 20% of 300; 4800 by 8 or 80;  and 1:2 as 2:4, 3:6, etc which will help them to pass the test.  It didn't take long for the learners to start saying, "I get it" and "this is fun".  

  Using a hands on approach for math and getting away from going page by page in a workbook takes some planning, but the benefits are tremendous.  How can we challenge an adult's thinking and help them become critical thinker?  The answer to this question may mean looking at what we are doing differently. Developing activities centered around developing thinking skills, critical reading, separating fact from fiction and making predictions will help prepare our learners for the real world.  ,Looking at and working toward this big picture better prepares students for success as they exit our programs. Exactly how we all do this and make it all relevant is what I see as the great challenge.  change is not easy, but often necessary.  Let us begin to look at a bigger picture beyond the GED and develop a list of standards to measure the  concrete and abstract knowledge and skills that are needed for life. 

  I invite anyone and everyone to chime in here.  

  Donna Chambers


  ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Ajit Gopalakrishnan 
    To: 'The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List' 
    Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:26 AM
    Subject: [Content 267] Re: Teaching beyond the GED?


    I am glad that this discussion on teaching beyond the GED has continued into the next week. Let me jump back in!

     

    I don't see the skills to enter college/work that are needed in addition to those required for passing the GED as "beyond the basics". To me, they are still basic skills that all high school graduates (whether K-12 or adult ed) should be proficient in prior to graduation.

     

    That said, it is not good enough for me to simply accept that some of these skills (a few of which may be highly abstract) are necessary only to pass "gatekeeper" postsecondary entrance examinations and have no relevance for life or work. Instead of simply accepting this, I believe that we should push for the alignment of knowledge measured in such entrance exams with the student's proposed course of study and interested profession.

     

    The relevance is absolutely there but needs to be made explicit. In the CASAS system for example, higher level reading/math test items don't become abstract but retain their connection to relevant priority competencies. However, few students including GED graduates achieve these higher levels of proficiency.

     

    People also tend to forget abstract knowledge if there is not some application. Computer training is a classic example. Millions are spent on teaching people how to utilize every feature within Microsoft products and three weeks later, the individual may remember 20% of the content - often the 20% that is used regularly.

     

    The transition ability gap is real and can be bridged with both rigor and relevance.

     

    Ajit Gopalakrishnan

    CT

     

     

     


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kohring, Aaron M
    Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 9:53 AM
    To: The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List
    Subject: [ContentStandards 246] Re: Teaching beyond the GED?

     

    Donna,

     

    You raise some interesting points about the GED and whether the focus of instruction and assessment should go beyond preparation for the GED.  It sounds like you believe that metacognitive skills - reasoning/thinking/analyzing skills- are also very important.  I know there is some level of tension in the field when you have learners and/or programs stressing achievement of the GED in as short a time as possible as the ultimate goal vs. "preparing the adult learner for today's economy" as you have suggested.  What do others think about this?  What is our role as instructors?

     

    Aaron

     

     


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Donna Chambers
    Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:53 AM
    To: 'The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List'
    Subject: [ContentStandards 239] Re: Questions onCASASBasicSkillsContentStandards Project

    Ajit,

     

    Thanks for your very thoughtful response.  You and Jane both clarified your comment. I see that states who are dealing with adult high school completion programs should also look at the content standards that must be measured for K12 requirements for the individual state. These may be in addition to CASAS standards.

     

    As you mentioned, the GED as an goal/outcome for many learners can be achieved without the learner having mastered skills that are measured by the Level D CASAS assessment.  This poses a concern when the individual learner's need is to become more gainfully employed and go to college or any other  postsecondary training.  Must we then prepare the individual to go beyond the GED?  This may mean that the focus of instruction and assessment  be on reasoning/thinking/analyzing skills so that  the learner understands concepts such as in math, not just manipulating formulas. 

     

    The quandary arises from the definition of "basic skills".  My work in adult education has always lead me to focus on what adults need to know and be able to do to survive.  What math, reading and writing skills must a learner need to adequately function as a parent, citizen and worker?  However, my recent work has required that I look closer at what adults need to know and be able to do and this closer look changes the picture somewhat.  The list of skills I would have come up with five years ago, today becomes the very basic skills.  What adults need to know today goes beyond these basics.  When the question  becomes "What does an adult need to know in order to pass a test that the employer requires or the Accuplacer Test in order to move into credit bearing college classes, etc?" the list changes.  Why does an adult GED student need to know how to demonstrate the symbolic manipulation of polynomial expressions or analyze properties of three dimensional geometric shapes when they can pass the GED without knowing this?  The answer is simple, even if we know that all students are not going to college. Because developing these concepts helps a student develop necessary reasoning/thinking skills and positions the student to advance in his/her education if they so choose.  Looking at and working toward this big picture better prepares students for success as they exit our programs.

     

    My work in RI and Massachusetts has caused me to look  closely at current K12 standards and align these standards with ABE/ASE instruction since both states require competency determination in the K12 standards to earn a high school diploma.  Rather than focusing on the lower levels to move forward,  we as instructors are looking at the whole picture.  What understanding of number sense must the student have from the beginning level that will prepare that student to understand the number sense concepts at the higher level?   We are looking across all levels in introducing content standards that begin to develop good thinking skills  and  integrating all the content areas.  This does not necessarily change the content standards, but does require that we look at the instruction differently.  How can we integrate the instruction to assure that concepts are learned in a way that can be applied to any life and/or academic situation. If we see our job as preparing the adult learner for today's economy, we must consider all students at every level capable of developing the thinking skills necessary to meet whatever goal they want to achieve.  

     

    Thanks, 

    Donna Chambers

     

     

    ----- Original Message ----- 

      From: Ajit Gopalakrishnan 

      To: 'The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List' 

      Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 11:09 PM

      Subject: [ContentStandards 228] Re: Questions on CASASBasicSkillsContentStandards Project

       

      Hi Donna,

       

      It is nice to hear from you. I can see how my email would have led to your question. I accidentally hit the send button before I had fully finished composing my email!

       

      I said:

       

      >>I would imagine that many states will adopt them while others may need to reference 9-12 high school standards especially for their adult high school diploma programs.

       

      I would have added "also" after "may" in the above sentence. I meant to say that reference to 9-12 high school standards may also be necessary in addition to the basic skill content standards.

       

      The basic skills of reading, writing, math, listening, and speaking are the focus of most adult education efforts. In addition to helping learners improve their basic skills, the adult credit diploma programs also help learners to earn high school credits toward graduation. The curricula in these programs tend to mirror that of the regular high school. Therefore, in addition to the basic skill content standards, adult credit diploma programs may be expected to have additional content standards in areas like science, social studies, arts (visual/performing), world languages, etc.

       

      I hope this clarifies my comment. The content standards that CASAS is developing most definitely address the expectations for secondary levels functioning with respect to the basic skills. CASAS assessments also measure student abilities well into the adult secondary levels. The High Adult Secondary NRS level for reading and math begins at 246 on the CASAS scale. Level D CASAS assessments measure student performance into the high 250s (may be even a little higher). As an aside, the GED test which is a goal/outcome for many learners is attainable to those functioning at lower NRS levels i.e. the ABE High Intermediate and the Low Adult Secondary levels. Many of these learners squeak through the GED with minimal pass scores but then face challenges with postsecondary entrance/success. I would anticipate that students with higher abilities (i.e. the High Adult Secondary level - CASAS scale 246 and higher) are even better prepared to enter/succeed in postsecondary situations.

       

      You raise a whole other topic with high school exit testing. It raises questions about:

      (i)                 which of the standards are measured on these exit tests (i.e. just basic skills or also science, social studies, etc.);

      (ii)               how they are measured (e.g. selected response versus constructed response; problem solving-applied performance focus versus non-contextual/abstract academic subcomponent focus); and 

      (iii)             the level of mastery that is expected (10th, 11th, or 12th or even 9th grade standards).

       

       Ajit

      Ajit Gopalakrishnan 

       

       


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      From: contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Donna Chambers
      Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 8:32 AM
      To: The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List
      Subject: [ContentStandards 218] Re: Questions on CASAS BasicSkillsContentStandards Project

       

      Ajit wrote that states may need to reference 9-12 high school standards for their adult high school diploma programs.  Does this mean that CASAS does not align with common 9-12 standards at the low and high ASE levels?  Is the intention to do so, especially with the math standards?  This is an important concern for states that are dealing with high stakes testing for competency determination in issuing diplomas.  Thanks.  

       

      Donna Chambers

       

      ----- Original Message ----- 

        From: Ajit Gopalakrishnan 

        To: 'The Adult Education Content Standards Discussion List' 

        Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 8:09 PM

        Subject: [ContentStandards 217] Re: Questions on CASAS Basic SkillsContentStandards Project

         

        Aaron asked: 

        >>> Are the Consortium partners planning to adopt a common set of 
        content standards?  

        Here are some thoughts from a state perspective. 

        Connecticut is a member of the CASAS National Consortium and the CASAS Policy Council. Several CASAS states have a strong history of working together on various aspects of the assessment development process (e.g. competency validation, item writing, field-testing, assessment research) as well as adopting common standards (e.g. the CASAS competency list, assessment series, training expectations, and local/state assessment policies).

        It was the National Consortium of States that requested CASAS to coordinate the effort to develop these basic skill content standards. in order to better support teachers to integrate competencies and content standards into their instruction. 

        For over a year now, the reading and listening content standards developed as part of this project have been disseminated to practitioners in Connecticut with the goal of enhancing the teaching and learning process. 

        I would imagine that many states will adopt them while others may need to reference 9-12 high school standards especially for their adult high school diploma programs.

         

        CASAS is first a consortium of states 

        We hope to adopt the standards that are being developed here. 

         

        -----Original Message----- 
        From: contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kohring, Aaron M 
        Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 2:00 PM 
        To: contentstandards at nifl.gov 
        Subject: [ContentStandards 212] Questions on CASAS Basic Skills ContentStandards Project 

        We have over 50 new subscribers to the list- so welcome to you all. 
        Hopefully to get us started as I know it's not fun to be the first 
        poster! - I have some of my own questions for the CASAS team with us for 
        this week's discussion. 

        In addition to the content standards for CA, NY, MA, AZ, MD, and FL that 
        you mention reviewing as part of this project, can you tell us what 
        other state and National adult education content standards were 
        reviewed?  Are the Consortium partners planning to adopt a common set of 
        content standards?  Based on the outcomes of this project, will the 
        CASAS assessments need to be updated or modified? 

        Thks, 
        Aaron 

         

        Aaron Kohring 
        Coordinator, LINCS Literacy & Learning Disabilities Special Collection 
        (http://ldlink.coe.utk.edu/) 
        Moderator, National Institute for Literacy's Content Standards 
        Discussion List (http://www....nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Contentstandards) 
        Coordinator, Equipped for the Future Websites (http://eff.cls.utk.edu/) 

        Center for Literacy Studies, University of Tennessee 
        EFF Center for Training and Technical Assistance 
        Phone:(865) 974-4109 main 
              (865) 974-4258 direct 
        Fax:  (865) 974-3857 
        e-mail: akohring at utk.edu 
        ---------------------------------------------------- 
        National Institute for Literacy 
        Adult Education Content Standards mailing list 
        ContentStandards at nifl.gov 
        To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www....nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/contentstandards 

        -- 
        No virus found in this incoming message. 
        Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
        Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.6/428 - Release Date: 8/25/2006 
          

        --
        No virus found in this outgoing message.
        Checked by AVG Free Edition.
        Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.6/428 - Release Date: 8/25/2006
          


------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Do you Yahoo!?
        Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------

        ----------------------------------------------------
        National Institute for Literacy
        Adult Education Content Standards mailing list
        ContentStandards at nifl.gov
        To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/contentstandards

       

      --
      No virus found in this incoming message.
      Checked by AVG Free Edition.
      Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.6/430 - Release Date: 8/28/2006

       

      --
      No virus found in this outgoing message.
      Checked by AVG Free Edition.
      Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.6/430 - Release Date: 8/28/2006


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      ----------------------------------------------------
      National Institute for Literacy
      Adult Education Content Standards mailing list
      ContentStandards at nifl.gov
      To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/contentstandards



    --
    No virus found in this incoming message.
    Checked by AVG Free Edition.
    Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.7/436 - Release Date: 9/1/2006





    --
    No virus found in this outgoing message.
    Checked by AVG Free Edition.
    Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.2/442 - Release Date: 9/8/2006




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Do you Yahoo!?
    Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail. 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ----------------------------------------------------
    National Institute for Literacy
    Adult Education Content Standards mailing list
    ContentStandards at nifl.gov
    To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/contentstandards


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  ----------------------------------------------------
  National Institute for Literacy
  Adult Education Content Standards mailing list
  ContentStandards at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/contentstandards
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/contentstandards/attachments/20060915/0af4df05/attachment.html