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Preparing For TASC. Strategies and Tips Maxine McCormick MH/Contemporary. 5 Steps to Success. 1. Create a System for Prescribing Individual Needs. 2. Build Vocabulary 3. Analyze Class Prior Knowledge/Needs 4. Use Materials Appropriate to Assessment 5. Practice – Practice - Practice.
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Preparing For TASC Strategies and Tips Maxine McCormick MH/Contemporary
5 Steps to Success 1. Create a System for Prescribing Individual Needs. 2. Build Vocabulary 3. Analyze Class Prior Knowledge/Needs 4. Use Materials Appropriate to Assessment 5. Practice – Practice - Practice
System • Use the pre or post tests in CC Basics to help prescribe individual needs • Pre-test is 25 questions long / post-test is 50 questions. Use the one that works best for your program • Correlation becomes the student individual guide • Compare the results across the entire class and determine which areas need group lessons and which areas need small group instruction
20/80 RULE • Use your time and energy wisely. • Ask yourself: What skills should I teach that will give me huge results? • Put 20% effort that will return 80 % results. • Example: Prefix, Latin and Greek, Suffixes • Example: Multiplication Tables • Example: Cap and Punctuation Rules • Example: How to Use Graphic Organizers • Example: Writing clear and concise sentences
Build Vocabulary • Vocabulary has 3 Tiers • Tier 2 – Formal language is on most standardized assessments and used in the workplace. • App – for 99cents McGraw-Hill Words to Learn By – 300 words – 3 levels – starts 4-5 grade • Tier 3 – Academic Words – Ex. Gravitational – Important for building knowledge especially in Science and Social Studies
Brain Tip - Chunks of 5-7 • The brain can only absorb bits of information at a time. • Only give 5-7 chunks of information • Forget the page of Mult. Tables or vocabulary words • Use index cards for review and memorization • The more cards – the more confidence • Practice and perfect before adding new skills • Retention is the goal – building blocks for the future
Using Vocabulary with Instruction • Math Ex. – Problem Solving • Discuss meaning of 3 words: • Irrelevant – Reasonable – Solution • Then complete the following sentences: • I had a problem, but found a solution by… • My solution was reasonable because ….. • One factor related to the problem that turned out irrelevant was …..
Five Step Approach • 1. Understand the Question – Read and reread the question carefully – Decide what the problem asks you to find. • 2. Decide what information is needed to solve the problem. Determine what information is irrelevant to the question. • 3. Choose the most appropriate operation/operations to solve the problem. • 4. Solve the problem. Make sure the solution answers the questions asked. • 5. Check your answer by rereading the question to see if the answer is reasonable, that it makes sense. • UDCSC – Have a contest for the best Sentence for the Acronym.
Problem Example • Sally is taking inventory of the glassware. She has 15 cases of green glasses. They come 12 to a case and stand 8 inches tall. She also has 9 cases of blue glasses. They come 20 to a case. They are good for water and juice. If these are the only glasses Sally has in her store, how many glasses does she have in all? • Solve using the 5 step approach or UDCSC • Irrelevant, Solution, Reasonable
Teaching Function using Vocab Tier 2 Words: Function - input – output • Tier 3 words: • Linear function • Nonlinear function • Vertical line test • Remember we are not asking students to solve anything at this point we are only wanting them to have an understanding of the vocabulary.
Key Concepts- page 200 • Understanding the housing chart • 1.Clue: Only one output for each input • Notice the diagram below and the Rule Find the cost for a 500 sqft house on the chart. Talk about the new trend of the tiny house. What else might be 500 square feet? Solve the equation y=40x+2,000 Ask for 1,500 or 2,000
Vertical Line Test • 2. Clue – Function can only have one point in a vertical line. • Example: pg. 200 Is the diagram on 201 an ex. of a function? Why or why not? • On graph paper – find as many capital letters that are functions using the Vertical line test. Linear function vs Nonlinear function Pg. 202-203 Perimeter vs Area of a Square.
Vocabulary for SS and Science • Science Basics page 110. • Notice how many words have Prefix, Rt words, and suffixes • Take one word - Invasive Species – (Invade comes from Latin word Invadere meaning to attack, enter or assault). List at least three examples. • What are the Laws of Ecology? Who is Barry Commoner? Biotic or Abiotic factors? Explore… • Give examples of Disruption happening this week. • Use your lessons for thought provoking, critical thinking, investigative processes. Use discussion for better memory of the lessons. 50% more retention. • Use charts to provide 75% retention Example: 112 • Have class members present chapters for 90% retention. • By using vocabulary – this gives the basis for each lesson no matter the subject area.
Arguments • Vocabulary – Argument, claim, credible, citation, counterclaims, databases, cohesive. • Persuasive/argumentative essay, review, opinion articles are everyday essays. How can the reader tell fact from opinion? FOG • Assessing accuracy of source (org,gov,edu) • Read pg. 241Was the paragraph persuasive? Why or Why not? Describe the Claim. • Practice Claim – Counter Claim exercises. Yogurt is Healthy. Partner up.
Analyze Class Needs • Take the Correlation sheets of all students and breakdown which skills are missed by most of the students – This becomes your daily group instruction • Determine which small groups of students are missing similar skills and design small group activities • Each student has their own individual plan • Use your Instructor’s Resource Binder for planning each activity. ELL activities and Extension Activities are included
Practice - Practice • Before anyone can practice – there needs to be instruction and the building of student knowledge • Begins with Teacher Resources – Large Group – Small Group – Individual • Lesson Review • Chapter Review • Post Test • Blend your Learning – Print and Digital • LearnSmart Test Prep – Mini Lesson – Adaptive Format • Count 5 Resources for Practice before taking the TASC Readiness Assessment – Basics – Achieve Print – TASC Ex Books- Achieve Online – Achieve LearnSmart
Contact Information • Website - maxinemccormick.com • Email – maxine.mccormick@mheducation.com • Phone – 609-234-9603