Although students will be taking the GED in Spanish, it is important to run through translation activities to help prepare them for the test. They might need to read English for test center, bathroom or other personal needs, along with general test information, such as time limits and what is required to take the test. All this should be in Spanish as well as English, but students cannot control the entire situation and might need to understand basic English to have the best chance of doing well on the test.
The Spanish GED, like the English one, has a majority of its questions in a multiple-choice format, but it also has an essay portion. Test-taking activities for the Spanish GED should include short practice tests that have multiple-choice answers. The tests should have easy questions, as they are intended to get students used to searching multiple choices for their answers. Another activity that helps students understand the test is to have them write one- or two-page essays on various topics. Because this portion of the GED is meant to test writing skills, the topic itself isn't important.
The test-taking conditions for the Spanish GED should be exactly the same as for the English version of the test, but teachers still need to prepare students for possible differences. Running through "what if" scenarios with a class is a way to help them prepare. These include, "What if you get there and the test is only in English?" Or, "What if you are told you have to write the essay in English because of the lack of people to grade the test?" For both of these preparation activities, students should be told that it is their right to take the GED in Spanish, and if they arrive at the testing center and are told otherwise, they should not proceed with the test. Other preparation activities include practice tests, which can be administered from a GED guidebook, and discussions about the types of test questions students will find on the Spanish GED.