If you want to pass the ged rla exam, you need to know what to study. Luckily we can focus in
on exactly what's on this test in order to study more effectively. In this video I'll begin laying
out exactly what you need to know to score 145 on the ged rla exam and achieve your goal.
This is the first video in a series where I'll be going over exactly what you need to know in
the four different categories of skills that appear on the ged rla exam, or the reasoning
through language arts exam. The first three skill categories are reading for meaning, identifying
and creating arguments, and grammar and language. In addition to these three categories that appear
on the selected response portion of the test, you'll also need to be able to write an extended
response essay where you analyze and compare the arguments from two passages on the same theme.
Today I'm going to go over a high level view of what you need to know for that first category,
reading for meaning. Having a better idea of what you're trying to study can help you focus your
efforts on the best resources for you. There are six skills in this category in particular that you
need to focus on. Before we dig into the specific skills, it's really important that you recognize
that this test in particular is not a test where you need to memorize anything. It's really a test
that is evaluating your ability to understand and draw conclusions from what you read.
It's helpful to have a working knowledge of some of the terms that we use when we talk about what
we read so that you understand what the questions are asking you, but there isn't any way for you to
know exactly what the passages that you read on the test will be about. We do know that in order
to pass the test you need to be able to read and understand what the ged calls "challenging texts."
These are things like Sandra's Cisneros' Eleven or John Steinbeck's Travels with Charlie. These texts
are around a middle school reading level, and I'll link excerpts to them below if you want to check
them out. There will also be more challenging passages on the test because it's possible
to score at a variety of different levels of proficiency, from high school equivalency all the
way through to college ready plus which awards you possible college credits. I've talked more about
that in this video that I'll link up here for you to check out if you're trying to pass with a score
of 145. You don't need to answer every question about all those challenging passages correctly,
but you absolutely need to be able to answer every question about the easier passages. Since the test
doesn't tell you which passages are easier and which passages are harder, it's important that
you do your best on the whole test. Additionally, one of the ways to do better on this test is to
improve your reading skills by reading a lot. One great resource to get an idea of what your
current reading level is and to practice on that level and to improve is a site called Read Theory,
which i'll link below. It generates passages and questions like the ones you'll see on the test,
and it helps you to move gradually up to more challenging passages. There is no quick fix for
improving your reading level, so if you're having trouble comprehending and answering the questions
about the practice passages, the only way to improve is to practice consistently every day.
And just to be clear, Read Theory isn't sponsoring me or anything, I really do think this is a great
resource that you can use to practice, especially if you don't have a teacher to help you select
appropriate texts. All right, so now let's jump to the specific skills that you'll need to practice
in this first section: reading for meaning. First you need to be able to make inferences
about different features of the passage. That includes the plot or sequence of events,
the characters or people in the passage, the setting or where and when the passage takes place,
and the big ideas in the passage. You'll need to be able to put events in order
and determine how people events and ideas are connected. To make an inference we have
to draw a conclusion that is not explicitly stated in the text but that is supported by
evidence from the text. For example, a question might ask about a character's personality or what
season the passage is set in. The text might not say that the character is outgoing and friendly,
but it might describe their behavior in a way that would lead you to believe that they are.
The text might not say that it's winter, but it might describe frigid temperatures and snow on the
ground. We make inferences by looking for these kinds of clues so that we can draw conclusions.
Skill number two: you need to understand main ideas and details. The main idea of a passage
is what the passage is about or the central point that the author is making. The main
idea can appear at any point in the passage, but it's common for it to be summarized towards the
beginning or end. Supporting details are all the pieces of information that an author adds to the
passage to support the main idea or to provide additional information. You might be asked how
a supporting detail is used in the passage to support the main idea. What can we conclude
or infer about the passage that's not explicitly stated? By the way, if this video has been helpful
for you so far, please press the like button. That helps other ged studiers find this resource.
And don't forget to subscribe if you want to catch the next three videos in this series
about how to pass the ged rla exam. Okay so skill number three: is identifying the
author's point of view and purpose. What does the author believe? Why are they writing the passage?
What do they want you to know, believe, or do after reading the passage? What details do they
use to support their point of view? How does the author address opposing viewpoints? This is not
always explicitly stated in the text so this is another place where you need to look for clues
and make conclusions based on the evidence that is there. Skill four is all about tone
and figurative language. Here you need to have an idea about the connotation of words in the
different contexts that they're used and how word selection can impact the tone of a piece. You need
to be able to identify how figurative language is used to support the author's point of view.
When I say figurative language, I'm talking about places where the meaning of words in the passage
is different than how they're usually used. This could be similes or metaphors, analogies,
personification. These devices as well as others, like repetition, alliteration, and illusions,
can be used to convey different meanings and emotions that support the author's purpose.
Skill number five is about how ideas are organized in a passage. You need to be able to identify how
different sections of a text support and develop the main idea. You should be able to identify
how the text is organized. Is it chronological or in order of importance? How does this organization
support that main idea? You also need to be familiar with different transition words and
how they can impact the meaning of a sentence or a paragraph. Skill 6 has to do with comparing ideas
that are presented in different ways. You need to be able to read two passages and consider
their organization, tone, style, and purpose. How are they different? How are they alike? Do the
authors agree or disagree? And importantly, how can you tell that they agree or disagree based
on what they say in their text? Okay so those are the first six skill groups under this category,
reading for meaning, that you'll need to be able to use to pass the ged rla exam with a 145 score.
There are other skills that you can master in this category to get a higher score but this is
all that you need to pass. I'll put the link to the Kaplan ged prep manual in the description.
It has a lot of practice and deeper explanations on all these skills. You could also use whatever
ged prep manual that your library has available to borrow. I post new videos every Monday about
how to study more effectively so that you can achieve your goals. In the coming weeks I'll be
discussing the other three skill categories that you need to pass the ged rla exam, so subscribe
if you want to learn more. You can also check out this video about how to get started studying
for the ged exams. If this video is helpful to you please press the like button so that youtube knows
to share it with other studiers. Thanks as always for watching, and until next time, happy studying.