GED Students Carry a Patchwork of Misinformation

Personal problems. Health problems. Attendance problems. Motivation problems. Parent problems. Money problems. Boyfriend/girlfriend problems. Drug and alcohol problems. Even the dog-ate-my-homework problems. GED students have problems. All of these problems, and more, contribute to their lack of engagement in the educational process.

Whatever their reasons, struggling and unmotivated students slide through the educational system, miss critical instruction, and end up with a patchwork of misinformation. Twenty-year-old Charley spouted this rule when he misspelled "receive": "Use i before e except on words that end with y." This patchwork of misinformation becomes a handicap to academic success.

How does does a teacher work with these struggling and unmotivated students and their patchwork of misinformation?

First, and most important, recognize that behind the facade of that seemingly bored student sitting nonproductively in your classroom is a complex person who has a host of legitimate reasons (in his or her mind) for not doing class work or homework. Look beyond attitudes, and you will often find surprising interests that can be used to develop writing skills.

Second, look for signs of improvement and give positive reinforcement for ideas and writing attempts. Don't focus on every error. Many of these students have failed continually throughout their school years, and they are discouraged, and maybe even angry. Some may only be in your program now because they have been ordered to be there by the court system. These hard-to-reach and hard-to-teach students need mega doses of sincere encouragement.

Third, try to tailor your instruction to their immediate instructional needs. Analyze their writing and identify their most common errors and start there. Don't try to work through every error. Build a learning log as you go along and record what you do so you can do rapid reviews.

Helping struggling students improve their writing skills won't be easy. And it won't be fast. But it can be done. In the process, by helping them earn their GED, you will contribute to their life-long well-being. Pat yourself on the back for that. It is a worthy accomplishment.

Look for specific instructional strategies in future blogs.

(Note: Mina Shaughnessy used the term "fragments of misinformation" in her classic book Errors and Expectations: A Guide for the Teacher of Basic Writing, 1977.)