The NJSLA Prescription: How to Construct and Instruct the EBSRs and TECRs

This workshop provides educators with in-depth training on the design and instructional use of Evidence-Based Selected Responses (EBSRs) and Technology-Enhanced Constructed Responses (TECRs), both essential components of the NJSLA-ELA assessments. Participants explore the structure and purpose of these item types, and learn how to create and evaluate them in alignment with the standards and text complexity expectations. The session includes guided practice in identifying appropriate texts, constructing questions and distractors, and utilizing NJSLA sample templates. Educators leave with hands-on strategies to enhance student preparation and performance on the NJSLA.

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Core Needs Addressed

Lack of teacher familiarity with the structure and expectations of EBSR and TECR items.
Challenges in aligning classroom instruction with NJSLA item design and rigor.
Difficulty in selecting and analyzing complex, authentic texts for assessment development.

Key Learnings

Designing Standards-Aligned Assessment Items
Participants will learn to construct rigorous, standards-based EBSR and TECR questions by analyzing literary and informational texts for vocabulary, structure, and central ideas. Emphasis is placed on writing strong Part A and Part B questions with effective distractors that reflect student misconceptions.
Text Selection and Complexity Analysis
Educators will gain tools for evaluating text complexity using quantitative and qualitative measures. They will be able to identify and justify the selection of texts that meet NJSLA’s five criteria: complexity, diversity, authenticity, effective pairing, and sensitivity.
Instructional Integration and Practice
Teachers will practice integrating assessment creation into instruction by aligning NJSLA question formats with daily literacy practices. They will engage in collaborative evaluation and revision of EBSR/TECR items, building a repertoire of examples and templates for immediate classroom use.