Welcome to CORE 01
Applying Content Standards:
GPS for Success
Steve Schmidt
abspd.appstate.edu
Today’s Inspiring Quote
“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
- Chuck Swindoll
Where Can I Find the GPS (NC Adult Ed Content Standards) Online?
Go to abspd.appstate.edu Look under: Teaching Resources, Applying Content Standards: GPS
for Success.
Agenda
8:30 – 10:00 Standards Overview
Notebook Walk Through
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:45Standards Numbering
Notebook Scavenger Hunt
11:45 – 12:45 Lunch
12:45 – 2:00 Teaching Group Lessons in a Multi-Level Classroom
Comparing What I Teach to the Standards
2:00 – 2:15 Break
2:15 – 4:00Contextualized Lesson Planning
Training Destinations
Learners will understand:
- What content standards are and how they benefit learners and instructors
- Why teaching group lessons is superior to individualized “butterfly” instruction
- How to access and use the North Carolina Adult Education Standards (GPS for Success)
- How to create contextualized lesson plans
Draw a picture of what comes to mind when you think of educational standards:
What Are Content Standards?
Content Standards–Describe what adult students should know and be able to do
Benchmarks – Specific skills learners need to know/be able to do to meet a standard
Performance indicators– Tells “how good is good enough” to meet the benchmark
The ruler is like the standardsThe inch marks are like ______/
R.3.2Comprehension:Thestudentwilldevelopanddemonstrateknowledgeofavarietyofcomprehensionstrategiestoderivemeaningfromliterary,functional,andinformationaltext.
Benchmark / PerformanceIndicator
R.3.2.1Locateexplicitlystatedinformationinfunctionalreading. / Lookatonefunctionalreadingsample(invitations,bulletins,signs)andansweratleastfivequestionsfrominformationexplicitlystatedinthereading.
What Content Standards Are Not
Standards are not a curriculum; they are a guide for instruction
Standards provide the what not the ______
Standards provide “parameters in which to be creative”
A Brief History of Adult Ed Standardsin North Carolina
- 2006 through 2010: Standards were developed and field tested by NC adult educators
- 2010: The Common Core is released and High School Equivalency tests (GED, TASC,
HiSET) align to it
- 2013: College and Career Readiness Standards (“The Core of the Core” for adults) released
- September 2014: New ABE (GLE 0 to 8.9) standards and ASE (GLE 9 to 12.9) standards
released that incorporate the College and Career Readiness Standards
Why Are Content Standards Valuable?
For Students:
- Help answer the question, “When am I ever gonna finish?”
- Provide rigor to help students pass High School Equivalency exams and transition to post-secondary education and the job market
- Over 40 million people in the United States move every year! When programs use standards, students can move more easily to different programs
For Instructors:
- Help answer the question, “What am I supposed to ______?”
- Provide resources for more creative teaching
- Help save time by providing easy to implement ideas (with free or low cost materials) for lessons
- The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) mandatesthat programs integrate content standards into the curriculum framework of their instructional programs
- Help speeds student progress on TABE/CASAS post testing, HSE completion, transitions
Points of Interest in the GPS
- Standards at a glance – pg. 1.9
- Sample activities with real life application make lesson planning easier – all sections
- Student/instructor checklists make record keeping easier – all sections
- Examples of where adults use math in real life – see ABE Mathematics
- Computer literacy checklist – see section 6.15
Standards, Levels, and Benchmarks, Oh My!: The Numbering System
Content standard benchmarks are identified by a letter and three numbers, like R.3.2.1. The letter refers to the content area. The first number is the content standard, the second number is the educational functioning level, and the third number is the benchmark.
For example:R.3.2.1
R = Reading
(Also: M = Math, W = Writing, S = Speaking/Listening, and
T = Technology)
3 = Standard Number (each content area has 4 to 6 standards)
2= Educational Functioning Level (EFL)
EFL Level / Grade Levels / TitleLevel 1 / 0 to 1.9 / Beginning ABE Literacy
Level 2 / 2 to 3.9 / Beginning Basic Education
Level 3 / 4 to 5.9 / Low Intermediate Basic Education
Level 4 / 6 to 8.9 / High Intermediate Basic Education
Level 5 / 9 to 12.9 / Adult Secondary
1 = Benchmark (specific skill a learner needs to know)
Mnemonic – Students Love Broccoli:
Students = Standard
Love =Level
Broccoli =Benchmark
Look for the Level! (Exception: Technology is organized by standards.)
Levels 1 and 2 are toward the front of a section; Levels 3 and 4 are toward the back.
On what page is the sample activityfor:
ReadingR.2.4.2 pg. ______/ R.1.1.4 pg. ______
R.5.2.2 pg. ______/ R.5.4.8 pg. ______
R.3.1.6 pg. ______/ R.3.3.4 pg. ______
R.4.3.1 pg. ______/ R.3.4.2 pg. ______
Writing
W.2.4.1 pg. ______/ W.5.2.8 pg. ______
W.5.1.5 pg. ______/ W.5.3.2a pg. ______
W.3.2.2 pg. ______/ W.5.4.8 pg. ______
W.5.4.1a pg. ______/ W.1.1.5 pg. ______
Speaking and Listening
S.2.4.3 pg. ______/ S.2.2.3 pg. ______
S.2.3.1 pg. ______/ S.1.1.6 pg. ______
Math
M.1.3.18 pg. ______/ M.5.3.10 pg. ______
M.1.2.6 pg. ______/ M.1.1.4 pg. ______
M.2.2.3 pg. ______/ M.5.4.12 pg. ______
M.4.1.2 pg. ______/ M.3.4.4 pg. ______
Technology
T.6.4.2 pg. ______/ T.3.3.1 pg. ______
T.5.2.4 pg. ______/ T.1.2.3 pg. ______
Comparing What I Teach with the Benchmarks
Look at the student checklist in the areas you teach (end of each section). Compare what you are
teaching to what the benchmarksshow you should be teaching. What are you missing?
Comparing with the Benchmarks Part 2
In your group, discuss what you think are the most important benchmarks. Why?
Standards Humor
Adult Education and WIOA’s Integrated Education and Training
The finish line has changed for our programs. It is no longer get your High School Equivalency (GED, TASC, HiSET) and see ya later! Now it is: “Completion of high school is not an end in itself but a means to further opportunities and greater economic self-sufficiency. “ (WIOA Key Provisions)
Integrated Education and Training is:
- Literacy Instruction (We have always done this but now with contextualized instruction)
We should contextualize instruction toward:
- Career pathways - “Use occupationally relevant instructional materials”
- Transition to postsecondary education/training
- English literacy/civics and career pathways (ESOL learners)
“The adult education component of the program must be aligned to the State’s content standards”
- Workforce Preparation Activities (Employability Skills)
“Help participants acquire a combination of basic academic, critical thinking,
digital literacy, and self-management skills including: using resources, using
information, working with others, understanding systems, and gain the skills
necessary for successful transition into and completion of postsecondary
education/training/employment”
- Occupational (Job) Training
Use partnerships like a community college’s certification and degree programs and NC
Works
WIOA’s 13 Considerations in Plain English
- We serve students who most need our services, especially lower level students
2. We serve individuals with learning and other disabilities
3. We meet state student performance standards, especially at the lowest levels
4. We and our partners work together to meet our local plan goals
5. Our program offers enough class hours for students to make progress, and we use
research-based reading practices
Attend the CORE 04: Evidence Based Reading Instruction and/or STAR reading workshop
and use its ideas in your instruction
6. All of our instruction is based on scientifically valid research and best practices
Continue to attend and implement what you learn in NCCCS professional development workshops.
7. Our instructors use technology effectively for both classroom and distance learners
Use the technology content standards to teach digital literacy skills to your students. Attend the CORE 07: Teaching Strategies Integrating Technology and use its ideas in your instruction
8. We provide learning in context so individuals acquire skills to transition to post-secondary,
obtain career/jobs and exercise their citizenship rights
9. Our staff is well-trained and pursues quality professional development including
through technology
Earn one or more of the NCCCS credentials available: Core Certificate, ESOL Specialty
Certificate, Reading Specialty Certificate, Adult Secondary Education Certificates
10. External partners help us create career pathways and support students to
completion
11. We offer flexible schedules and necessary support so our students succeed
12. We keep an excellent student management system that reports student and
program outcomes
13. We teach ESOL and civics education to adults in our communities
(WIOA; ABSPD Institute 2016 Participants; Schmidt)
Contextualized Lesson Planning Using “Backward Design”
1. Begin with the End in Mind - What should students know/be able to do at the end of the lesson?
- Look at the content standards
- Look at the skills necessary for success in career pathways/transition to post-secondary
education and training/integrated English literacy and civics (ESOL students)
- Set objectives Example: Students will find the mean, median, and mode of a data set
2. How Do We Know They Know? – What assessment will be used to measure understanding?
- Performance indicators can help guide your assessment
Example: Given a prompt, students will write an email to their boss using a professional tone
and formal style
3. Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
- How will I help my students meet the learning goal?
- Use the direct and explicit instruction model:
I Do (Explanation/Modeling) The instructor describes and models the skills to be taught
We Do(Guided Practice) The students practice the skill with the instructor’s help
You Do (Independent Practice) The students practice the skill on their own while the
instructor monitors their learning
- Contextualize the lesson with REACT:
Relate: Examples I will use to link this concept to what my students already know
Experience: Authentic hands-on activities I will use to make this concept real for my
students
Apply: Activities I will use to show how this concept is used in career
pathways/transition/integrated English and Civics
Cooperate: Group problem solving activities that help students reinforce their learning and
build team work skills
Transfer: Students take what they have learned and apply it in new situations and contexts
Lesson Planning Guide
Title: / Time Required:Lesson Contextualized Toward: ☐Career Pathway: ______☐Postsecondary Transition
☐English Literacy/Civics ☐Other
Content Standards Benchmarks Taught:
Digital Literacy Skills Taught:
Learning Goals:
Rationale: Why should my students learn this?
Materials/Resources Needed:
Procedure/Instructional Outline:
Please Include:
Explanation/Modeling (I do)
Guided Practice (We do)
Application (You do)
Assessment (How do I know my students learned this?)
Contextualization Guide:
Relate: Examples I will use to link this concept to what my students background knowledge.
Experience: Authentic activities I will use to make this concept real for my students.
Apply: Activities I will use to demonstrate how this concept is used in daily life and/or careers.
Cooperate: Activities I will use to engage students in team building/cooperative learning.
Transfer: Activities I use to help students know application of this concept to other areas/careers.
Homework Assignment: Activities my students will use outside of class to apply this concept.
Aligning Your Curriculum to the Content Standards
Suggestions from Caldwell Community College ()
- Use the standards notebook as a resource for all instructors
- Have instructors drive how the program will implement the standards
- Align your existing materials (books, computer programs) to the content standards
- Create lesson plans from the toolkit and have instructors share with each other
- Begin with one content area and expand to the others
Caldwell Community College
Level 3 – Grade Level 4.0 – 5.9
ABE Reading Verification Checklist with Materials Alignment
Help for Hard to Teach Areas
Discuss: - What areas are the most difficult to teach?
- What sample activities are in the standards notebook to help in these areas?
- What other ideas does your group have to help teach these areas?
Page / Benchmark / Teaching Suggestion:Page / Benchmark / Teaching Suggestion:
Page / Benchmark / Teaching Suggestion:
Page / Benchmark / Teaching Suggestion:
Page / Benchmark / Teaching Suggestion:
So, You Wanna Be an Adult Basic Skills Instructor?
You are a part time adult basic skills education teacher. You work at Way Cool Community College (WCCC) two nights a week in an adult basic skills education class.
You are paid $16 per hour, but this is only for the time you spend in class, not for any preparation time. You also have two other part time jobs that you work during the day. In these jobs you work 35 hours per week. You have no benefits.
Your students are from all over the world and range in age from 16 to 63. Their reading levels range from fourth to eighth grade. Felipe has overstayed a tourist visa and is worried about being deported. Asante wants to improve her reading skills so she can attend citizenship classes. She is undocumented and is afraid every time the classroom door opens that immigration authorities are coming in to arrest her. Johan and Griffin are court ordered to attend class and are each one more arrest away from serving a long jail sentence.
Also in your class are Sam, a 45-year-old former factory worker, who has to earn a high school equivalency diploma in the next 30 days before his unemployment benefits run out. He has a 5thgrade level equivalent reading level. Jacque, 16-year-old student who just dropped out of high school, does not really want to attend class and is only here because her mom is making her. John recently retired and has had a lifelong dream of getting his high school equivalency since he left school in the 9th grade to work to support his family. Sal just got out of prison last week and desperately needs a job. Raquel, a 30-year-old Mom with three kids, just left an abusive relationship and has not worked outside the home in 12 years. Research shows more than half of your students have an undiagnosed learning difference (LD).
Your classroom is in a dilapidated trailer down the road from the main college campus because the college administration does not want “those students” to hang out with the “regular college students.” You have five computers from 2004 that don’t always work. The roof leaks when it rains, and you have one small white board with a crack in the middle.
In order to maximize enrollment, new students can start in your class at any time. You are responsible for doing all the enrollment paperwork as well as giving the new student a reading, math and language assessment.
Your director expects you to:
- Plan contextualized lessons to real life and the workplace
- Incorporate employability skills to meet the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act requirements
- Develop students’ digital literacy skills as much as possible
1. What challenges do you face in planning instruction?
2. How could using the NC Adult Basic Ed Content Standards help you in class?
Standards Myth Busters
Myth 1: “Standards take away my creativity.”
Fact 1: Standards tell the what, not the how. You can still be the amazingly creative
instructor you are now.
Myth 2: “Standards force us to use certain materials.”
Fact 2: The standards are not based on a curriculum. You can still use your favorite instructional materials.
Myth 3: “These standards were created by some out of touch university egghead who has not been in a classroom since 1903.”
Fact 3: These standards were created by current North Carolina adult educators.
Myth 4: “If I teach with standards, my students won’t make progress on TABE, CASAS, GAIN, BEST, or (name of other assessment here).
Fact 4: Standards based instruction speeds student progress.
Myth 5: Standards just make more work for everyone
Fact 5: Standards are a fantastic tool that can save everyone time and effort
Myth 6: Standards are just some communist plot to take over the minds of students
Fact 6: You have been reading too many supermarket tabloids. Switch to decaf!!!
Sources
Barber, D.B., & Schmidt, S. J. (2014) North carolina community college system college and
career readiness adult education content standards. Boone NC: Appalachian State
University.
MPR Associates (2009).Standards in action: Innovations for standards-based education.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult
Education. Retrieved from:
collections/profile-279
Pimentel, S. (2013).College and career readiness standards for adult education. Washington,
D.C.: MPR Associates and U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult
Education. Retrieved from:
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