By Amy Baskin, Director of Community Education and Communications

The General Educational Development test is changing. Are you ready? The current process and test that has been in place since 2002 will be significantly different beginning in January 2014. Austin Adult Learning is ready to help you with this transition so you can earn your GED to accomplish your education and employment goals.

One of the major changes is the manner in which the test is administered. The new GED test will be computer-based and students taking the GED test will need to have proficiency in keyboarding and computer skills. Another change is the consolidation of reading and writing into one section titled language arts. Assessments in the social studies, science and mathematics sections have also changed. The current GED test is a multiple choice test. The new test will be a combination of multiple choice questions with different prompts designed to elicit short written responses.

The new Reasoning through Language Arts section will include an assessment of reasoning skills that allow students to evaluate complex argumentative text and analysis of information. Drop-down menus will follow passages and allow students to choose different editing options to assess their ability to correctly order grammar and the correct use of punctuation. Essay changes include the move to prompts that ask the test taker to evaluate passages and determine which argument is stronger, utilizing evidence from the passages.

Science sections focus on the test-taker’s ability to glean information from texts, reason with data and statistics, and evaluate information presented in graphs and charts. In the social studies section, reasoning skills will be assessed in greater detail. The tester will be asked to analyze relationships between two texts and then write responses to questions based on the texts.

A significant change in the math test is real-world problem solving skills will be used rather than asking students to merely memorize and use a list of mathematical formulas. Also, some of the more advanced math has been removed from the test to make room for a more thorough assessment of key foundational math skills.

Austin Adult Learning is the state-certified testing site for the Austin area. We have classes and resources to assist you with your GED preparation and have a test center available in Austin for you to take the test. For more information on the GED testing process, or for help in preparing for the GED contact Austin Adult Learning at 507-433-0538.