The main goal of this course is to assist students to improve their reading/writing, math, listening and employability skills in order to earn a high school diploma or to pass the Official GED tests (to enroll in the Basic Skills Program, students must be at least 16 years old). For HS21 students, this course is designed for students studying for the second half of their HS21 diploma. (Formerly: DVS 011, 012, 013, 014, 020, 021)
Prerequisites
This course is designed for students who, at intake, have credits placing them at 11th or 12th grade (earned more than half their credits for graduation) and/or for second language students score 246-255 on CASAS Reading and Math tests.
Instruction for class lessons will be based on strategies using increasingly complex texts based on College and Career Readiness Standards. These skills and strategies may be contextualized in GED preparation activities or HS-21 coursework.
- Write essays with thesis statements, paragraph topic sentences, implied main ideas, and supporting evidence.
- Capture the readers’ attention, write with fluently with transitional phrases, correct tone, and word choice.
- Introduce concepts of plagiarism and citing sources.
- Write in a variety of formats: reflective narrative, demonstrative, research papers, summaries plus response, and MLA or APA documentation.
- Use transitional language in writing.
- Complete job application forms and college registration forms.
- Use math skills and strategies with increasingly complex problems including algebraic expressions.
- Use math concepts of algebra to solve different complex situation.
- Listening and speaking skills at increasingly complex levels for different purposes.
- Writing skills at increasingly complex levels including writing a resume, business letters, and research projects.
- Employability skills include the ability to work groups to solve problems by listening to others and offering constructive feedback.
After 45 hours of instruction, students will be evaluated using the CASAS math and reading standardized test. Classes are taught in a 3:1 ratio of lecture to lab hours. HS21 & ABE students will demonstrate progression by the number of credits earned during the quarter.
College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for BEdA Program: Instruction is aligned to the following CCR Standards:
D-E in Reading based on the CCRS Anchors
- 1 (Read closely to determine what the test says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it),
- 2 (Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas),
- 3 (Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text),
- 4 (Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone),
- 5 (Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text [e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza] relate to each other and the whole,
- 6 (Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text),
- 7 (Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words),
- 8 (Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence),
- 9 (Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take, and
- 10 (Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently).
D-E in Writing based on the CCRS Anchors
- 1 (Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence),
- 2 (Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content),
- 3 (Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences),
- 4 (Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience),
- 5 (Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach),
- 6 (Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others),
- 7 (Conduct short as well more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation),
- 8 (Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism), and
- 9 (Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research).
D-E in Math based on the CCRS
D in Speaking and Listening based on the CCRS Anchors
- 1 (Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively),
- 2 (Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally),
- 3 (Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric),
- 4 (Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience),
- 5 (Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations), and
- 6 (Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate).
D in Language based on the CCRS Anchors
- 1 (Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking),
- 2 (Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing,
- 3 (Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening),
- 4 (Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specializes reference materials, as appropriate),
- 5 (Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, and
- 6 (Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression).