The New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts (NJSLS-ELA) build on the best of existing standards and reflect the skills and knowledge students need to succeed in college, career, and life. They define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed. The K–12 grade-specific standards define end-of-year expectations and a cumulative progression designed to enable students to meet college and career readiness expectations no later than the end of high school.
Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards, retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades, and work steadily toward meeting the more general expectations described by the standards. In service to that expectation, the Department recommends 90-minutes of uninterrupted literacy instruction for all students in grades K–5, and 80 minutes for grades 6 through 8.
A New Jersey education in English Language Arts builds readers, writers, and communicators prepared to meet the demands of college and career and to engage as productive American citizens with global responsibilities. Throughout their kindergarten through grade 12 experience, students will:
Develop the necessary skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are the foundations for creative and purposeful expression in language.
Read rich, challenging texts that build their knowledge of the world, grow their confidence and identities as readers, and develop critical thinking skills and vocabulary necessary for long-term success.
Engage in regular, meaningful, writing authentic tasks, exploring valued topics, writing for impact and expression, and sharing their work with others (including authentic audiences).
Leverage complex texts and digital media to develop comprehension, active listening, and discussion skills.
Ground daily writing and discussion in evidence, fostering an ability to read critically, build arguments, cite evidence, and communicate ideas to contribute meaningfully as productive citizens.
Evaluate the reliability, credibility, and perspective of authors and speakers across all forms of media.
Express ideas and knowledge through a variety of modalities and media, and serve as effective communicators who purposefully read, write, and speak across multiple disciplines.
Learn to persist in reading complex texts, establishing lifelong habits to read voluntarily for pleasure, for further education, for information on public policy, and for advancement in the workplace.
Benchmark Advance ©2022 is a comprehensive standards-based literacy program. It provides a cohesive framework for the development of literary skills and content knowledge, supporting high achievement for every student. The program received an all-green rating on EdReports, a Best of 2022 Tech and Learning Award, and an Excellence in Equity Award for its texts.
The program builds strong foundations through explicit, systematic, spiraled instruction that is linked to contextualized practice, where learning is set. With a solid foundation, students develop comprehension and critical thinking skills as they encounter grade level complex texts – through read-alouds in Kindergarten and 1st grade and through their write-in consumable magazines in grades 2-5.
Fundations is a program that teaches accuracy of decoding, spelling, and handwriting in a carefully integrated and scaffolded sequence that is taught to mastery level. It is designed to be combined with a literature-based language arts program in order to address comprehension and writing more thoroughly.
Benchmark Advance ©2022 is a comprehensive standards-based literacy program. It provides a cohesive framework for the development of literary skills and content knowledge, supporting high achievement for every student. The program received an all-green rating on EdReports, a Best of 2022 Tech and Learning Award, and an Excellence in Equity Award for its texts.
The program builds strong foundations through explicit, systematic, spiraled instruction that is linked to contextualized practice, where learning is set. With a solid foundation, students develop comprehension and critical thinking skills as they encounter grade level complex texts – through read-alouds in Kindergarten and 1st grade and through their write-in consumable magazines in grades 2-6.
Click here to learn more about Benchmark Advance.
StudySync is a complete ELA curriculum designed to meet the rigorous academic needs in print or online. StudySync is designed to engage every student, because every student deserves the same opportunity and access in the classroom, regardless of his or her native language, learning level or physical, social and emotional ability. A unique blend of contemporary and classic literature comes together with the program’s rigorous reading routines to dynamically instruct students toward mastery. Including skill lessons to ensure students build foundational language and comprehension skills, as well as reading, writing, and research on inquiry skills every day.
Click here to view an informational parent letter about the program.
Novel studies are conducted in each classroom under the discretion of the teacher and are carefully selected in order to align with the NJSLS. During this period, students will enjoy materials to read aloud as a large group, small group, or independently. This approach to reading allows students to improve fluency and comprehension. Selected reading materials also expose students to varying experiences, environments and opinions of the world around us. This exposure provides the opportunity to build compassion and background knowledge in a variety of topics. Lastly, novel studies provides integration to writing with varying projects and assignments to analyze throughout the study of a selected reading.