Item Analysis of HiSET Reading, Writing, Social Studies, & Science

Shannon Allen, Literacy Assistance Center

LAPCAE 2015 August 3, 2015 LAPCAE Content Literacy 1

Objectives:•Identify the content knowledge and skills assessed by the Science, Social Studies, Reading, and Writing HiSET practice subtests•Understand instructional shifts necessary for preparing students for success on the Science and Social Studies HiSET subtests; make content literacy connections to preparation for the Reading and Writing subtests•Overview of learning strategies and instructional strategies that support content knowledge and literacy development

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HiSET Science•80 minutes; 50 items; 1.6 minutes per item

•100% informational texts50% Life Science30% Physical Science20% Earth Science

•Visual and graphic literacy

•Scientific Method (experiments)•Dependent vs. Experimental or Independent variables•Theory, assumption, hypothesis, observation

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GED Science 2002 vs. HiSET Science

Same Different

• Informational texts• Visual literacy skills are still

key (reading and understanding graphs, charts, cartoons, images)

• M/C items - process of elimination is still an important test-taking skill to teach

• Requiresmore stand-alone Science content knowledge

• Significantfocus on the scientific method

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HiSET Social Studies

•70 minutes; 50 items; 1.4 minutes per question

•100% Informational texts60-80% US History, Civics, and Govt. 15-25% Economics10-20% Geography

•Graphic and visual literacy

•Numeracy: proportional reasoning

•Federal and local politics

•Fact vs. Opinion

•Propaganda and the art of persuasion!August 3, 2015 LAPCAE Content Literacy 5

GED SS 2002 vs. HiSET SS

Same Different

• Informational texts• Visual literacy skills are

still key (reading and understanding graphs & charts)

• M/C items - process of elimination is still an important test-taking skill to teach

• Requires a bit more stand-alone Social Studies content knowledge

• Less world history and geography

• 60-80% is US Civics, Government, and History

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Essay: 2014 vs. 2016

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Same Different

• 120 minutes• Persuasive essay• 6-point rubric

• Prompt• 2 informational texts

about a societal debate • New rubrics

SCI, SS & Literacy Instruction

Reading Writing Part 1

• 40% informational • 80-100% informational

HiSET 2016 Essay Prompt Template

Following this writing prompt, you will find two articles in which the authors put forth differing perspectives on ________________ . Read both passages carefully, noting the strengths and weaknesses of each discussion. Then, write an essay in which you explain your own position on whether or not _________.

Be sure to us evidence from the text passages provided as well as specific reasons and examples from your own experience and knowledge to support your position. Remember that every position exists within the context of a larger discussion of the issue, so your essay should, at minimum, acknowledge alternate and/or opposing ideas. When you finish your essay, review your writing to check for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

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Implications for SCI & SS instruction?

•What content will/do you prioritize and why?

•What strategies and skills will/do you need to explicitly emphasize and why?

•Which instructional materials will/do you use for this subject? Why these materials and how do you use them?

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SCI and SS Instruction in the CCR Era

1. Read complex texts about targeted Science and Social Studies topics and their academic language

2. Read, write, and speak about Science and Social Studies grounded in evidence from texts, both literary and informational

3. Build Science and Social Studies knowledge through content-rich nonfiction

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Regular practice with complex texts and their academic language

•What makes a text complex? What level of text complexity is appropriate for your learners? •Qualitative: Organization, Language Features, Purpose,

Background Knowledge Demands•Quantitative: Reading Maturity Metric

•What is academic vocabulary and why is it so important to teach? How do you select the words? How many words should you teach? How do you teach it?

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Engage students in genre-study

•What type of informational text is this? (textbook, encyclopedia, editorial, newspaper or magazine article, legislation, speech, transcripts from meetings or hearings, interview transcripts, blog, website)

•What is the purpose of this text type? What unique elements are commonly associated with this type of text?

•Which reading comprehension and learning strategies do I use for this text type?

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Tiers of Vocabulary Instruction

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HiSET Sample Item Vocab

Tier 2 Tier 3

ProvisionJust

FrictionChannel

Collective(ly)Regulate

EnactPrimeForbidCheck

“Right-to-work” lawsWildcat strikes

CongressAct

RepealInterstate commerce

TariffsSubsidiesPer-capita

Conscientious objectors

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Vocabulary Instruction Strategies

Frayer Model or Word Wheel*

Interactive Word Wall

Semantic Feature Analysis*

Triple-Entry Vocabulary Journal

Word Sort or List-Group-Label*

Word Study

Games like JeopardyLabs (sample from teacher training) and puzzles

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Frayer Model – “Just”

Define it List synonyms

List Antonyms Use it in two sentences

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Semantic Feature AnalysisRelated to laws ADJ ADV Verb

Provision X

Just X

Friction

Channel X

Collectively X

Regulate X X

Enact X X

Prime X

Forbid X

Check X XAugust 3, 2015 LAPCAE Content Literacy 17

Word Sort and List-Group-Label

Word Sort Work in small groups to sort the vocabulary words into the following categories: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs

List-Group-Label Work in small groups to sort the vocabulary into groups and then label the groups.

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Reading grounded in evidence from texts

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Before During After

• Preview activities

• Anticipation/Reaction Guide*

• KWL• Problematic

situation*

• Stop-and-talkand/or think-alouds

• Coding/Anno-tating the text

• Note-taking• QAR

• Graphic organizers

• Genre-specific mnemonics like SOAP*

• Make inferences using It Says, I Say, and So..*

• Knowledge Rating Guide

Before: Anticipation/Reaction Guide•Are you or anyone you know a member of a union?

Yes No Not Sure

• Is it better for state governments to use laws to protect unions or employers? Why? (2 sentences)

• If you could write a letter to your local paper to voice your concerns about any social or political issue, what would it be an why? (2 sentences)

•Come up with your own question.

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Before: Problematic Situation

Louisiana legislators are debating whether the state should become a right-to-work state where employers cannot require job applicants to join a union in order to be hired. The editor of your newspaper has asked you to write an editorial about whether LA should adopt a right-to-work law. Based on what you know about work in LA and unions, what arguments would you include in your editorial?

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After: Teach students how to infer

It says… I say… And so…

14b gave states the power to restrict the union shop.

Repeal means to take back.

Union or labor power would bestronger than business.

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Were the views expressed by Newspaper X more similar to those of a lobbyist, corporate president, union official, or governor of a right-to-work state?

What would be the likely result of the repeal of sections 14(b)?

During and After:Speaking grounded in evidence from texts

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•Paired reading

•Discussion web for debates (ProCon.org or Debate.com)

•Fishbowl discussion

•Reciprocal Teaching (summarizer, questioner, clarifier, predictor)

•ReQuest

•Save the Last Word for Me

After:Writing grounded in evidence from texts

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•Quick writes*•Double-Entry Diaries•Chunking and summarizing or Get the GIST* •Writing frames *•Role-Audience-Format-Topic *•Develop essay prompts that mirror the new HiSET assessment writing prompt format. Have students write in response to paired texts regularly.•Analyze exemplary writing using graphic organizers or rubrics.

Quick Write

What was the effect of Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartely Act of 1947? Why was it controversial? Who was opposed to this provision? Why? Who was in favor of this provision? Why?

3-5 minutes

Safe writing activity

Keep writing!

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Get the GIST

•Write the GIST of the 2nd paragraph in <15 words.

•Write the GIST of the 3rd paragraph in <15 words.

•Write the GIST of the 4th paragraph in <15 words.

•Combine these into a GIST statement of <20 words for Newspaper X.

•Write the GIST of the 5th paragraph in <15 words.

•Write the GIST of the 6th paragraph in <15 words.

•Write the GIST of the 7th paragraph in <15 words.

•Combine the these into a final GIST statement of <20 words for Newspaper Y.

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Get the GIST

Newspaper X

•Union shops are good for all workers, but all must pay dues to get benefits.

•Government should support labor as much as business and reduce competition across states.

•Biased media doesn’t report that people in right-to-work states earn far less.

GIST: Unions are good for all workers and need to be supported by employees, government, and the media.

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RAFT

Role Governor of LA

Union leader Factorymanager

Audience The voting public

Congress Employees

Format Speech Letter Union meeting

Topic Why TN needs right-to-work laws.

Why organizedlabor is good for the economy.

Why we need to keep fighting for union protection.

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HiSET SS 2015 Essay Prompt Template

Following this writing prompt, you will find two articles in which the authors put forth differing perspectives on whether states should pass right-to-work laws . Read both passages carefully, noting the strengths and weaknesses of each discussion. Then, write an essay in which you explain your own position on whether or not states should pass laws restricting union shops which require employees to be union members.

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Writing Frame: Persuasive WritingThere has been a lot of discussion about whether….

I believe…

The people who support… claim that….

They also argue that….

A further point they make is…

However, there were also strong arguments against this point of view. Opponents of…believe…

They say that…

Furthermore, they claim that…

However, their line of reasoning is incorrect in that...

After weighing the evidence on both sides of the debate about…, it is clear that…because…

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Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction

Media

• Activate, stimulate, motivate learning and “flip instruction” to avoid lecture

• Use videos, podcast, and images students can access on their phones

Secondary

• Develop background knowledge and vocabulary using secondary texts

• Textbooks, encyclopedias

Primary• Newspaper or magazine articles, websites

• Speeches, legislation, letters

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Thank you!Shannon AllenDir. of Professional Development Services& Literacy SpecialistLiteracy Assistance Centershannona@lacnyc.org212-803-3303

Get this PPT: https://goo.gl/GN5osB

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