It Took Her 31 Times to Pass the GED Math. Is This a Triumph or a Tragedy?

By Kenya Bratton, CEO, Juken Learning Services

Introduction

Passing the GED math test is a significant milestone, especially for those who have struggled with an aversion to math.

While at the GED conference 2024, I cringed to hear the number of repeated non-passers of any GED subject test.

3 x’s

7 x’s

11 x’s

31 times to pass the math GED! I gasped in disbelief.

While her persistence is commendable, it raises important questions about the effectiveness of our intervention systems and? strategic teaching of adult learners.?

This article is a call to action for better intervention in adult education. I will share a snapshot of solutions that are effective because I use them. Additionally, highlighting processes that may be considered for infrastructure attention.

Psychological Impact of Repeated Test-Taking

Repeated failure can have a profound psychological impact. For many, the GED represents not just a test but a gateway to better opportunities and self-worth. The emotional toll of failing three or 31 times can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and withdrawal from school. Thus, twice the pain, secondary school and adult education.

In my service delivery model, failure is not an option.? I don't even ascribe to you the struggle to be successful paradigm. Which is another story. However, learners in adult education are generally enrolled for an academic or certification outcome. It is imperative that we find ways to add to their success rather than not. After a while,? words of encouragement are meaningless after 3 or more non-pass attempts. Adult educators have to be vigilant, creative, and highly adaptable to ensure mindset persistence and GED pass rates.

Systemic Educational Issues

It matters none if there are three attempts or 31 to pass a section of the GED, this highlights significant systemic issues within adult education. The following six topics are a starting point to consider how to creating solutions for GED pass rates.

"Failure is not an option. But restructuring resources can be."

1. Data inquiries and team solutions

Adult learners who consistently attend classes and have seemingly adequate participation, provides educators with valuable data on their progress and challenges. Educational leadership must prioritize team collaboration discussions, where strategizing and tailored action steps can be implemented with intentionality. These steps will address the specific learners gaps and lead to pass rates.

2. Lack of Early Identification and Support:

Many adults who struggle with the GED may have undiagnosed learning disabilities that were not identified or supported during their K-12 education. This lack of early intervention can lead to ongoing struggles in adulthood. Each school team may want to consider power meetings. These meetings identify and record all available resources including those external immediate school centers. Thereby creating process charts and in-depth discussions on how to identify learners and align proper resources available for their success.

3. Inadequate Resources

Adult education programs often lack the resources and specialized support needed to help learners with diverse needs. This includes insufficient funding for specialized instructors or learning strategy programs. While at the same time, many adult schools are inclusive in consortiums, attached to high school systems, or even community colleges. As a disability Program Manager, I rely on these relationships which may include sharing or restructuring resources.?

4. Implementing Metacognitive Strategies

Metacognitive strategies involve learners understanding the how and the why of what they learn. Then assist them to formulate a problem solving plan they can reference when they stumble up on questions that are challenging.? Essentially, creating an individualized learning blueprint at their fingerprints.

5. Providing Customized Learning Support

Customized support can make a significant difference. I use this currently in my work.? We (a) identify the learning preference, (b) align a metacognitive strategy to the selected subject areas, (c) the learner practices the strategy, and (d) after a week we follow up with feedback loops. Either we tweak the strategy to be better or sustain what is producing confidence and results.

6. Incorporate Proven Learning Techniques

Using a variety of learning strategies can help learners with critical reasoning, comprehension and retain information more effectively. Simply listing the strategies is ineffective. Each strategy requires one to explicitly explain, model, train and review.?

Here are a few of my favorites:?

• Chunking
• Cornell Notes
• Elaboration strategies?
• Process charts
• Calendaring Concepts
• Space Repetition

7. Leveraging Technology and Resources

Technology is more than a computer, educational software or mobile devices. I'll share three free tips.

• Speech to text is impactful because learners can explain their thinking of concepts. Once a person hears themselves they could typically catch the errors in their problem solving approaches.
• Proper use and functions of the calculator. This is benign that you would be surprised how many learners come through my doors that only know how to use the device for simple calculations.
• Online tutorials external software programs. The volume of teaching tutorials, hacks and resources is astronomical. However, teams gathering few effective resources in one database for learner access may not be. Sometimes instructors must step outside their ego for the betterment of their learners.

8. Consider Learning Disability Testing

While we know that many learners may have gaps in their skills, it is also possible an undiagnosed disability may be present. Particularly if there are repeated difficulties in successful pass rates. This would require collaboration or consultation with licensed professionals that understand adult learning disabilities.? Beyond accommodations, understanding one's disability and aligning that to their strength could be the merge of pass or perish with exams.

"Juken learning services provides FREE 60 minute learning disability awareness ZOOM workshops."

A Call to Match Action to Words

This article is not about placing blame but rather about digging deeper into the interventions that can make a meaningful difference for learners. By examining the root causes of repeated non-passers and implementing targeted interventions, we can better support adult learners.

Juken Learning Services is available to educate, collaborate and assist with high impact strategies that are results driven.

We are also open for partnership agreements. Most importantly, we are fiscally reasonable.?

If your team is interested in a FREE 60 minute learning disability awareness Zoom workshop contact Kenya: [email protected].

Do these two things

Thing 1: Share in the comments

Schedule a FREE workshop today to discuss solutions for GED repeated non-passers.

Thing 2: Repost

GED Testing Service Coalition on Adult Basic Education California Council for Adult Education California Department of Education CAEP OFFICE CORRECTIONS & REHABILITATION, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) #AdultEducation #AdultSchool #AdultEdu Vicki Greene Sharon Bonney Adriana Sánchez-Aldana California Community Colleges #GEDmath #jukenlearningservices #AdultLearningDisability