Practices Level D

(CCSS Grades 6-8 / High Intermediate Adult Basic Education)

Level D completes the foundational numeracy skills that adults need to fully engage in college and career readiness. Instruction is more rigorous than at any of the previous levels. This level focuses on life skills and may extend beyond generalized workforce skills into a college and career specific application. Instructional activities should include:

• Analyzing and solving complex problems where the solution(s) are not directly derived from the information provided.
• Discussing different methods of approaching problems. Student-led and small group discussions should be common; students should be able to use estimation to reduce the amount of arithmetic in a problem.
• Problems that require algebraic thinking may be used as a tool applied to a problem from various math content areas.
• Comprehending information presented in a variety of formats, such as charts, graphs, tables, illustrations, printed articles, instruction sets and manuals, and media presentations. Students should also be able to present information in a variety of formats.
• Challenging students to explain and justify steps taken in a complex problem-solving process. Students should be expected to use specific mathematical terms at the appropriate times.
• Leading students to assess their work at specific points during the problem solving process and redirect if necessary.
• Solving problems that require creating a mathematical model to simplify the situation. Students should be challenged to recognize mathematics in indirect applications or contexts.