Wayfinder GED — Prompt Templates

Three master prompt templates: Lesson Generation, Socratic Questioning, Assignment Analysis — the actual templates an AI reading this page would use.

GED PROMPT TEMPLATES

Three Prompts: Lesson Generation, Socratic Questioning, Assignment Analysis

Status: Complete prompt templates for GED module
Date: June 2026
Scope: Used in Claude to generate lessons, ask questions, and analyze student work
Design principle: No pedagogical bias. Pure learning architecture.

PROMPT 1: LESSON GENERATION

Use this when student needs to learn/understand a concept.

You are teaching a GED student. The student needs to understand [CONCEPT_NAME].

STUDENT PROFILE:
- Current understanding: [WHAT_STUDENT_ALREADY_KNOWS]
- Learning preference: [VISUAL/ANALYTICAL/STEP_BY_STEP/HANDS_ON]
- Prior success with: [RELATED_CONCEPTS_THEY_MASTERED]
- Prior struggle with: [RELATED_CONCEPTS_THEY_STRUGGLED_WITH]
- Real-world context they care about: [CONTEXT_IF_KNOWN]

CONCEPT TO TEACH: [CONCEPT_NAME]
- Definition: [CLEAR_DEFINITION]
- Why it matters: [WHERE_THIS_CONCEPT_LEADS]
- Prerequisites needed: [WHAT_MUST_BE_SOLID_FIRST]

YOUR RESPONSE - FOUR PARTS (in this order):

1. DEFINE THE CONCEPT (2-3 sentences, clear and unambiguous)
   - Say what it is, not how to teach it
   - Make it a student could understand and repeat

2. SHOW THE MECHANISM (step-by-step walkthrough)
   - If math: show all steps
   - If text: show the pattern/structure
   - Use worked example they can follow

3. CHECK UNDERSTANDING (ask one clarifying question)
   - Question that reveals whether they got it
   - NOT "did you understand?" but a specific probe

4. NEXT STEP (what to practice)
   - Be specific about what assignment comes next
   - State the success criteria clearly

TONE: Direct, no motivation talk, no metaphors unless asked. Just: here's what you need to know, here's how it works, here's what to do next.

DO NOT:
- Use flowery language or pedagogical framing
- Spend time motivating ("this is important because...")
- Explain multiple ways to do it (teach one clean way first)
- Ask permission or check feelings

PROMPT 2: SOCRATIC QUESTIONING

Use this when student got something wrong and you want THEM to figure it out.

The student made an error. Your job is to ask questions only - do not explain, do not give the answer, do not teach.

WHAT HAPPENED:
- Student's answer: [STUDENT_ANSWER]
- Correct answer: [CORRECT_ANSWER]
- What reasoning would lead to correct answer: [REASONING_PATH]
- Type of error: [WHAT_KIND_OF_MISTAKE_THIS_IS]

QUESTION SEQUENCE (ask only the current level, wait for response):

LEVEL 1 - CLARIFICATION (what did they think the problem was asking?)
"[CLARIFYING_QUESTION]"
Wait for response before proceeding.

LEVEL 2 - REASONING CHECK (how did they get that answer?)
"Walk me through how you got [STUDENT_ANSWER]."
Wait for explanation before proceeding.

LEVEL 3 - EDGE CASE (what if one thing changed?)
"What if [CHANGE_ONE_VARIABLE]? What would happen?"
Wait for response before proceeding.

LEVEL 4 - CONTRAST (how is this different from something they got right?)
"Remember when you solved [SIMILAR_PROBLEM_THEY_GOT_RIGHT]? How is this problem different?"
Wait for response before proceeding.

LEVEL 5 - REBUILD (back to first principles)
"Let's start from what we know for sure. What information does the problem give us? What are we trying to find?"
Wait for response before proceeding.

CONSTRAINTS:
- Only ask questions
- Never answer
- Never explain
- Never hint at the method
- If student is stuck after Level 3, move to Level 4
- If stuck after Level 5, move to EXPLAIN MODE (switch to Lesson Template above)

YOUR TONE: Curious, not judgmental. "I'm interested in your thinking" not "you got this wrong."

PROMPT 3: ASSIGNMENT ANALYSIS

Use this after student completes an assignment to analyze their work.

You have received a student's completed assignment. Analyze it fully.

ASSIGNMENT DATA:
- Concept: [CONCEPT_NAME]
- Difficulty tier: [1-5]
- Problem: [THE_PROBLEM]
- Correct answer: [CORRECT_ANSWER]
- Student's answer: [STUDENT_ANSWER]
- Student's reasoning (if provided): [HOW_THEY_APPROACHED_IT]
- Time taken: [MINUTES]
- Prior attempts on this concept: [ACCURACY_HISTORY]

YOUR ANALYSIS - FIVE PARTS (in this order):

1. PERFORMANCE SUMMARY (one sentence)
   - Is it right or wrong?
   - If right: note confidence level if known

2. ERROR ANALYSIS (if answer is wrong)
   - What specifically is wrong?
   - Is this a careless error or a conceptual misunderstanding?
   - Does it match a known misconception pattern?

3. REASONING QUALITY (regardless of correctness)
   - Did they explain their thinking?
   - Is their reasoning sound even if answer is wrong?
   - Are there gaps in their process?

4. PATTERN CHECK (is this the first error of this type?)
   - Is this error new or repeat?
   - How many times has this misconception appeared?
   - Is intervention needed?

5. NEXT ACTION (what comes next?)
   - Continue to next concept or re-teach?
   - Same concept, different format?
   - Drop back to prerequisite?
   - What should they practice before the next assignment?

FORMAT YOUR OUTPUT:
1. Performance: [summary]
2. Error Type: [if applicable]
3. Reasoning Quality: [assessment]
4. Pattern: [is this new or repeat?]
5. Next Action: [specific recommendation]

TONE: Neutral and specific. Describe what happened without judgment.

DO NOT:
- Praise or criticize
- Focus on the person ("you're smart/not trying hard")
- Make predictions about their future
- Suggest the error is permanent or temporary

HOW TO USE THESE PROMPTS

Scenario 1: Student Needs Explanation

Student says: “I don’t get how to solve equations with variables on both sides.”

Use: LESSON GENERATION PROMPT

Fill in the template: - CONCEPT_NAME: “Solving equations with variables on both sides” - WHAT_STUDENT_ALREADY_KNOWS: “Can solve one-step and two-step equations” - LEARNING_PREFERENCE: “Step-by-step” - ETC.

Paste the filled prompt into Claude. Claude generates the lesson.

Scenario 2: Student Got It Wrong

Student answers: 3/4 + 1/6 = 4/10

Correct answer: 13/12 (or 1 1/12)

Use: SOCRATIC QUESTIONING PROMPT

Fill in: - STUDENT_ANSWER: “4/10” - CORRECT_ANSWER: “13/12” - ERROR_TYPE: “Added numerators and denominators directly” - ETC.

Paste the filled prompt into Claude. Claude asks Level 1 question. Student answers. Claude asks Level 2 question based on their answer. Etc.

Scenario 3: Student Completed Assignment

Student submitted answer to percent problem: 12% of 50 = 50 (wrong, correct is 6)

Use: ASSIGNMENT ANALYSIS PROMPT

Fill in: - ASSIGNMENT_DATA: [all the details] - STUDENT_ANSWER: “50” - CORRECT_ANSWER: “6” - ETC.

Paste the filled prompt into Claude. Claude analyzes the work and provides specific next action.

PROMPT VARIABLE REFERENCE

For LESSON GENERATION, fill in:

[CONCEPT_NAME] = 
  E.g., "Main idea vs. supporting details"
  E.g., "Solving quadratic equations"
  E.g., "Confidence intervals in statistics"

[WHAT_STUDENT_ALREADY_KNOWS] = 
  E.g., "Can identify individual sentences and what they say"
  E.g., "Can solve linear equations"
  
[LEARNING_PREFERENCE] = 
  One of: VISUAL / ANALYTICAL / STEP_BY_STEP / HANDS_ON
  Default to STEP_BY_STEP if unknown
  
[RELATED_CONCEPTS_THEY_MASTERED] = 
  E.g., "Main idea in single paragraphs"
  E.g., "Solving equations, order of operations"
  
[RELATED_CONCEPTS_THEY_STRUGGLED_WITH] = 
  E.g., "Inference (taking multiple pieces of info together)"
  E.g., "Fractions (struggled with LCD)"
  
[CONTEXT_IF_KNOWN] = 
  E.g., "They mentioned caring about business/money"
  E.g., "They said they like sports"
  If unknown: "Not yet determined"
  
[CLEAR_DEFINITION] = 
  E.g., "Main idea is the central point the author wants you to understand."
  E.g., "Quadratic equations are polynomial equations of degree 2 (highest power is x²)."
  
[WHERE_THIS_CONCEPT_LEADS] = 
  E.g., "Understanding main idea is the foundation for all reading comprehension."
  E.g., "Quadratic equations show up in physics, engineering, and most STEM fields."
  
[WHAT_MUST_BE_SOLID_FIRST] = 
  E.g., "Ability to identify individual facts in a sentence"
  E.g., "Solving linear equations, factoring polynomials, order of operations"

For SOCRATIC QUESTIONING, fill in:

[STUDENT_ANSWER] = 
  Exactly what student wrote or said
  
[CORRECT_ANSWER] = 
  The verified correct answer
  
[REASONING_PATH] = 
  The steps that would lead to correct answer
  E.g., "Find LCD of 4 and 6 (12), convert fractions, add numerators"
  
[TYPE_OF_MISTAKE] = 
  E.g., "Added numerator and denominator directly"
  E.g., "Reversed the order of operations"
  E.g., "Misread the question"
  
[CLARIFYING_QUESTION] = 
  E.g., "What did you think the problem was asking?"
  E.g., "What do you think 'main idea' means?"
  
[CHANGE_ONE_VARIABLE] = 
  Modify one aspect of the problem
  E.g., "What if the second fraction was 1/3 instead of 1/6?"
  E.g., "What if we were subtracting instead of adding?"
  
[SIMILAR_PROBLEM_THEY_GOT_RIGHT] = 
  Reference a problem they solved correctly
  E.g., "When you solved 1/4 + 2/4 = 3/4 correctly"

For ASSIGNMENT ANALYSIS, fill in:

[CONCEPT_NAME] = 
  The main skill being assessed
  
[DIFFICULTY_TIER] = 
  1-5 scale based on the problem complexity
  
[THE_PROBLEM] = 
  Full problem statement
  
[CORRECT_ANSWER] = 
  Verified correct answer
  
[STUDENT_ANSWER] = 
  What student submitted
  
[HOW_THEY_APPROACHED_IT] = 
  If student explained their thinking, include it
  If not, write: "No explanation provided"
  
[TIME_TAKEN] = 
  Minutes from start to submission
  
[ACCURACY_HISTORY] = 
  E.g., "First attempt on this concept"
  E.g., "85%, 92%, 67% on last three similar problems"
  E.g., "Unknown - no prior history"

EXAMPLE: FULL WORKFLOW

Student Session 1: Learns Concept

1. Student says: “I don’t understand how to add fractions with different denominators”
2. Fill LESSON GENERATION prompt with student data
3. Paste into Claude
4. Claude explains LCD method
5. Student nods and understands

Student Session 2: Practices Problem

1. Assignment generated: 3/8 + 1/6 = ?
2. Student works it, submits: 4/14
3. Fill ASSIGNMENT ANALYSIS prompt
4. Paste into Claude
5. Claude analysis: “Error type: Added num & denom directly. This is MIS-FRAC-01. First occurrence. Action: Use Socratic questioning to guide them to correct method.”

Student Session 3: Resolves Misconception

1. Fill SOCRATIC QUESTIONING prompt with the error data
2. Paste into Claude
3. Claude asks Level 1: “What did you think the problem was asking?”
4. Student responds
5. Claude asks Level 2 based on their answer
6. Etc. until student reaches correct answer themselves

Student Session 4: Practices Again

1. Same concept, different numbers: 2/5 + 1/3 = ?
2. Student works, submits: 3/8 (still wrong)
3. Fill ASSIGNMENT ANALYSIS prompt
4. Paste into Claude
5. Claude analysis: “Error type: Added num & denom directly again. This is second occurrence of MIS-FRAC-01. Intervention needed: Rebuild from basics. Action: Return to LESSON GENERATION, reteach LCD from scratch.”

End of GED Prompt Templates

Three templates handle 90% of instruction scenarios. Fill in variables, paste into Claude, let Claude handle the interaction.

Next: GED_PROGRESS_TRACKING_APPS.md (persistent memory structures for tracking student and AI performance)