Understanding and Unpacking the NJSLS for English Language Arts

This workshop provides educators with an in-depth overview of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) for English Language Arts. Participants explore the key shifts, mandates, and structural changes made to the standards across all ELA domains—Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. The session emphasizes foundational skill development, integration of multimodal texts, and culturally responsive teaching. Through reflective activities and unpacking protocols, educators are equipped to align their instruction with the updated expectations and design purposeful learning experiences.

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• Instructional misalignment due to outdated understanding of the standards
  
  
• Difficulty incorporating foundational and discipline-specific literacy skills effectively
  
  
• Insufficient scaffolding and differentiation to meet the needs of diverse learners

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1. Comprehension of Key Shifts and Mandates in the NJSLS-ELA
   Participants will gain clarity on the standards, including the prioritization of the Language Domain, and integration of interdisciplinary learning and state mandates.
   
   
2. Strategies for Unpacking and Applying Standards
   Educators will learn a systematic approach to unpacking standards: identifying core concepts, associated skills, and student-friendly learning goals. This includes developing guiding questions, addressing misconceptions, and scaffolding for special populations to ensure accessibility and mastery of the standards.
   
   

       3. Instructional Practices Aligned to Updated Expectations
          Participants will explore practical strategies to support student literacy development, such as using multimodal texts, integrating foundational reading and writing           practices, emphasizing evidence-based responses, and fostering student reflection through tools like portfolios. These strategies are designed to enhance           engagement, critical thinking, and academic achievement in ELA classrooms.