Utilizing NJSLA Rubrics: Analyzing Student Results and Informing Instruction

This workshop is designed to assist instructors with utilizing NJSLA rubrics in the classroom. Schools will be offered a complete Literary Analysis Task and/or Research Simulation Task for all participating grade levels (grades 3-11). Students will complete the writing tasks ahead of time and participants will bring the essays to the workshop. Instructors will learn how NJSLA scorers use their generic rubrics with item-specific criteria using live student samples. Instructors will also learn how to score and analyze their students’ essays in order to create corrective instruction plans.

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• Difficulty interpreting and applying the NJSLA rubrics effectively.
  
  
• Challenges in identifying specific student weaknesses and instructional needs based on assessment data.
  
  
• Lack of structured approaches to design effective corrective instruction.
  

1. Mastery of Rubric Application and Scoring Techniques
   Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the NJSLA rubrics and how to apply them using a multi-trait holistic scoring process. They will learn to evaluate student writing on reading comprehension, written expression, and language conventions, ensuring reliable and accurate assessment practices.
   
   
2. Skills in Data-Driven Analysis of Student Work
   Educators will learn how to analyze scored student essays using structured tools to pinpoint strengths and deficiencies. This process empowers them to draw meaningful conclusions about individual and class-wide learning needs related to writing tasks.
   
   
3. Development of Targeted Corrective Instruction Plans
   The workshop guides participants in crafting effective corrective instruction strategies. These include activities to reinforce thesis development, evidence organization, argumentative reasoning, and proofreading skills—all tailored to improve students' performance on high-stakes writing tasks.