Integrating the NJSLS for Math and ELA into Specialist Curriculum and Instruction

This workshop provides K–12 specialist teachers with practical strategies for embedding the  New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) for Math and ELA into their subject-specific curriculum and instruction. Participants examine key components of the standards, including new coding systems, shifts in foundational reading/writing expectations, and an increased emphasis on accuracy and efficiency in math. The session emphasizes interdisciplinary connections—such as integrating climate change topics, data literacy, and 21st-century skills—while exploring concrete examples of how to apply ELA and math standards within specialist areas like physical education, the arts, and technology. Educators leave with adaptable tools, sample activities, and cross-curricular ideas that align with the updated NJSLS while enriching their own instructional focus.

‍

• Difficulty aligning specialist-area instruction with ELA and math NJSLS.
  
  
• Limited strategies for authentically integrating foundational reading, writing, and math skills into non-core subjects.
  
  
• Gaps in connecting specialist instruction to 21st-century skills, interdisciplinary themes, and real-world issues such as climate change.

‍

1. Applying Revised NJSLS in Specialist Contexts
   Participants will learn how to incorporate ELA and math standards—including codes, foundational skill expectations, and data literacy elements—into lessons in areas like PE, art, music, and technology.
   
   
2. Designing Interdisciplinary, Standards-Aligned Activities
   Educators will develop strategies to merge specialist content with core academic standards through thematic units, cross-curricular projects, and authentic tasks (e.g., RAFT writing, climate change data analysis).
   
   
3. Integrating 21st-Century Skills and Real-World Connections
   Teachers will gain tools to weave career readiness, critical thinking, and global awareness into lessons, using resources such as interactive word walls, multimedia texts, and real-world data to engage students in meaningful, standard-aligned learning.