The following are some of the guidelines that I have used in helping many of my students prepare for the GED test:

• Get to know your students.
• Early on talk with individual students about their test taking experiences.
• Talk with students individually about their previous school experiences. Many of the GED students I have taught have had negative school experiences. Find ways to make your classroom and learning a positive experience for your students.

• Some students prefer to work on all subject areas at the same time in preparing to take the GED.

• Others prefer to either start with their easiest or hardest subject.
• For students who express concerns from the beginning about taking the GED, it may help to work on one subject at a time.
• For students who particularly dread a specific subject, success in other subjects may help provide evidence that they can succeed.
• Success encourages confidence.
• Express your confidence in your students’ ability to do the work and to continue to prepare for the GED.
• If a student says he/she does not understand something, believe him/her.
• Present information in a variety of ways to accommodate different learning styles.
• Get feedback from students to insure that they actually understand the material.
• Emphasize to students the importance of asking questions. Let students know that their questions are important and deserve an answer.
• Emphasize the importance of understanding the material. Guessing an answer, copying someone else’s work, or copying answers from the book does not lead to understanding.
• Let students know that you will explain something if they do not understand it.

• Practice is important.

• Emphasize and encourage good work skills: coming to class on time, coming to class regularly, doing work in class, and asking for assistance when needed.
• Teach students learning strategies.
• If a student thinks he/she is ready to take the GED in a specific subject before you think he/she is ready, use the practice test in the subject workbook so that the student can see where he/she is. Sometimes the student will be right; sometimes you will be right.
• For students who have difficulty understanding that he/she is ready to take the GED, the practice test can provide information to the student about his/her readiness.
• Teach your students test taking skills.
• Teach your students relaxation skills.
• For students who exhibit what appears to be excessive test anxiety, utilize your Student Services Office or Guidance Department to provide additional information for preparing a student for test taking.
• Since almost everyone experiences at least a minor amount of test anxiety, help your students over-prepare for the GED.
• Make sure that both you and your student know that he/she is prepared to take the GED, whether it is one subject or all areas.
• It is demoralizing for students to take any portion of the GED when he/she is not ready to take it.
• If despite your student’s and your best effort, he/she does not pass a portion or the whole GED, talk with your student about what he/she thinks was difficult. Find out if there were extenuating circumstances, for example, a family illness. Then do the work together that needs to be done to prepare the student to pass. Students who have not passed a portion of the GED need extra encouragement.