GED TEST LINKS

GED LINKS Some Links to GED Related Sites:

Designed for adults with a ninth-grade education or higher, this no-cost online course provides a solid foundation in the GED topics, and includes many helpful tips and strategies. It even includes links to the official practice tests presented by the GED Testing Service of the American Council on Education (ACE). Topics include:

· Language Arts, Writing

· Social Studies

· Science

· Language Arts, Reading

· Math

Includes information about an online High School diploma program too!

The GED is program is entirely free of charge.

GEDforFree

http://www.gedforfree.com

Develop Your Test Taking Skills

Learn how to take tests effectively by improving your skills, your test-taking strategies, and your ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

Amby Duncan-Carr

http://amby.com/worksite/taketest.html

General Educational Development (GED) Testing Service

Info about the GED, including:

· What are the GED Tests?

· Content and score specifications; Score scale

· State, Provincial, and Territorial GED Contacts

· FAQ (frequently asked questions)

· Additional Resources and Links

American Council on Education

http://www.acenet.edu

Ms. Lindquist: The Tutor

This free, online, Intelligent Tutoring System is designed to assist students in learning to write algebraic expressions and solve word problems. Program can also be downloaded.

Neil Heffernan; Carnegie Mellon University

http://www.algebratutor.org/

THINKING SKILL ENHANCERS

Many useful resources to help you develop your logical thinking and ananlytical thinking skills, including:

· On-Line Measures of IQ & Personality

· Brain Teasers & Puzzles

Amby Duncan-Carr

http://amby.com/go_ghoti/

Vocabulary University

Challenging word puzzles of various types. Have fun with these fiendish little gems!! (If you get stuck, try another...)

Vocabulary University

http://www.vocabulary.com/

Common Errors in English

A listing of irritating words and phrases that commonly cause errors in written English. Clear explanations and examples of these deviations from the standard usage are also included.

Paul Brians; Department of English, Washington State University

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/errors.html

Directory of National and State Literacy Contacts

Provides names, addresses, phone numbers and websites (where available; includes Pennsylvania, a State-by-State listing, National Contacts as well as Contacts for U.S. Territories.

National Institute for Literacy

http://novel.nifl.gov:80/NSDirectory/NSDirIndex.htm

Like, Words and Stuff . . . Vocabulary for Standardized Tests

A list of vocabulary words to study in preparation for the Verbal subtest of either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).

John H. Bickford, Jr.

http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/1150/words.html

Explore the education resources available in these specific subject areas:

· Language Arts

· Math

· Reading

· Science

· Social Studies

Online High School Diploma

In case you decide you want to complete your high school diploma, Liberty High School offers an online diploma program approved by the Vermont Board of Education

Liberty High School

http://libertyonline.gedforfree.com/

GED Preparation Programs

Preparation programs offer instruction aimed at successful completion of the GED Tests. For more specific information about what each program offers, contact the program directly. Many of these programs, in addition to providing GED instruction, offer Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, and other adult education and family literacy services.

GED Testing Centers

GED Testing is conducted under secure conditions at official GED Testing Centers. Testing Centers are approved by the National GED Testing Service and the State GED Testing Office, monitored by the State GED Administrator, and staffed by approved qualified examiners.

GED Testing is not conducted or available through correspondence or the Internet. Valid GED testing is available only through official GED Testing Centers.

Link to national GED Testing Center Locator

GED Records

Two kinds of official records are available to persons who have tested and/or received a GED high school equivalency diploma in Colorado: transcripts and duplicate diplomas. Both are official documents and bear the State Seal. To obtain a transcript and/or a duplicate diploma, submit either a completed GED Request Form or a written request containing the following information:

Name at the time the test was taken and current name, if different

Date of birth

Social Security Number

Where and when the GED Tests were taken

Specify type of record--transcript and/or duplicate diploma--and the number of copies

Address to which the record(s) should be sent

Signature of the GED candidate or recipient

Write YES or NO in the upper right hand corner of the request in answer to the following question: Were you ever a student in a Colorado public school?

GED Forms

Duplicate GED diplomas and copies of GED transcripts
To obtain either of these, submit a written request or GED Request Form to Colorado Dept. of Education, GED Testing Program, 201 E. Colfax Ave., Room 100, Denver, CO 80203.
The fee for duplicate diplomas and transcripts is $15.

Age Waiver
In order to take the GED Tests, you must be at least seventeen years old and a resident of Colorado with a current photo ID. Age waivers permitting persons between the ages of 16 and 17 to take the tests under certain circumstances may be requested by submitting an Age Waiver Application Form.
Effective July 1, 2002, a $5.00 fee will be charged for Age Waiver Requests.
See the FAQ section for further instructions and requirements for age waivers, duplicate diplomas, and GED transcripts.

GED Skills and Sample Questions

GED in Spanish 2004

As of January 1, 2004, the Spanish-language GED Tests match the content, skills, and levels of proficiency assessed by the English-language GED Tests (2002 series). Candidates who did not successfully complete all five of the Spanish-language tests before January 1, 2004, will have to start again with the new tests to qualify for a GED credential.

Combining English- and Spanish-language Battery Scores

It is psychometrically sound to combine individual tests scores from the English-language and Spanish-language GED Tests (2002 series) to create a candidate's battery score. Colorado GED candidates may take one or more of the individuals tests in one language (English or Spanish) and the remainder in the other language. Candidates may not test in a content area more than three times a year and may not repeat a test form across languages.

Accommodations

The following information on accommodations is from the GED Examiner's Manual for the Tests of General Educational Development, 2002 Series, General Educational Development Testing Service, a Program of the American Council on Education. For information on requesting accommodations for GED candidates, see the FAQ, "Are there accommodations for special needs?"

Not Allowed
The following accommodations are not allowed during administration of the GED Tests
Computers
Computers represent “unreasonable accommodations” for the GED Tests since computers present the risk that test items may be stored on hard drives. Should such violations occur, the cost to test security would be great. For this reason, computers may not be used to write essays or record test answers except as described below.

Word-processing and Spell-checking Programs
Word-processing and spell-checking programs may never be used on the GED Tests. Exceptions to the prohibition on the use of computers may be granted by the GED Testing Service under extreme circumstances. Such cases are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In the past, computer use has been permitted for quadriplegic individuals who were unable to move any parts of their bodies or speak but who could communicate with the assistance of a computer controlled by eye contact. In some instances, GED candidates with visual impairments have written their essays using a Brailler connected to a computer that prints the essay in regular type. Other computer-controlled reading machines have also been allowed. These accommodations require approval from both the GED Administrator and the GED Testing Service.

Rulers
Measuring devices such as rulers and scales may not be used because they may serve as an unauthorized aid in certain portions of the test.

Allowed
The GED Chief Examiner may permit the use of certain adaptations and devices without prior approval from the GED Administrator, the GED Testing Service, or GEDTS-trained and GEDTS-certified personnel. These adaptations and/or devices include
Colored Transparent Overlays
These devices, which resemble tinted overhead transparencies, are widely used by persons with visual impairments and those with learning disabilities who have difficulty decoding written words and symbols.

Clear Transparent Overlays and a Highlighter
The combination of clear (untinted) overlays and a highlighter can be used with the candidate who needs to use a highlighter while reading. The highlighting takes place on the clear overlay and protects the test booklet from becoming marked. All used overlays must be collected at the end of each testing session.

Temporary Adhesive (for example, Post-it® Notes) with Spatial Directions
GED candidates can affix temporary “sticky” notes on the answer sheet to accommodate a disability affecting spatial orientation. For example, the candidate might flag the sheet for top, bottom, right, and left. For security reasons, the Official GED Testing Center must supply these adhesive notes to a GED candidate.

Earplugs
GED candidates may use earplugs as an aid in concentration. Some large-volume or busy testing centers routinely distribute disposable earplugs to all candidates.

Large-print Test
GED candidates may use the large-print edition of the GED Tests under normal time limits, upon request to the GED Chief Examiner or Examiner. It is recommended that each Official GED Testing Center order at least one large-print test battery per year for this purpose.

Magnifying Device
GED candidates may use their preferred type of magnifying device during test taking. If a GED candidate uses a magnifier during a standard testing session, the GED Chief Examiner or Examiner should take additional care to stagger test forms and must seat the candidate in a way that precludes other candidates from seeing that candidate’s test materials.

Priority Seating
GED candidates may request to be seated near the front of the room in order to better hear instructions, or in some other location to avoid distractions.

Fluorescent Lighting
GED candidates may request permission to wear hats or caps to limit the effects of fluorescent lighting.

One Test Per Day
GED candidates may take one GED Test per day upon arrangement with the GED Chief Examiner or Examiner at the designated Official GED Testing Center.

Straightedge
GED candidates may use a plain, unmarked straightedge made from any safe material as an aid in spatial orientation and reading. If the straightedge is an additional piece of scratch paper issued by the GED Chief Examiner or Examiner, it must be collected at the end of the testing session and must be destroyed along with any other scratch paper.

Other Devices as Deemed Appropriate
The GED Testing Service allows all other devices without permission as long as they compensate for the disability, do not provide an unfair advantage, and do not compromise the validity or reliability of the GED Tests.

Other Adapting Devices
GED candidates are allowed to use other adaptive devices such as pencil holder, wrist braces, and graph paper, so long as the device does not provide an unfair advantage to the test-taker. Because the Official GED Testing Center may not have the candidate’s preferred device on hand, the candidate may be permitted to bring his or her own magnifier, overlays, or the like, to the testing session. It is the prerogative of the GED Chief Examiner or Examiner to examine these materials to ensure that the materials do not contain any unauthorized testing aids. The GED Chief Examiner or Examiner is responsible for tracking the use of these aids by candidates. All requested uses of the large-print edition, including those not requiring documentation of a disability, are to be counted in the Official GED Testing Center’s Annual Statistical Report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the GED Tests? The GED Tests measure the major academic skills and concepts associated with four years of regular high school instruction. They provide an opportunity for persons who have not graduated from high school to earn a high school equivalency diploma.

The GED Tests measure competency in five subject areas: Language Arts-Writing, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts-Reading, and Mathematics.

Test Area

Number of
Questions

Time Limit

Language Arts Writing Part I

75 min.

Language Arts Writing Part II

1 essay

45 min.

Social Studies

70 min.

Science

80 min.

Language Arts Reading

65 min.

Mathematics

90 min.

Test Content: Language Arts Writing

Part I

Organization

15%

Sentence Structure

30%

Usage

30%

Mechanics

25%

Test Content: Social Studies

National History

25%

World History

15%

Economics

20%

Civics and Government

25%

Geography

15%