Curriculum

In keeping with Y.A.L.E.’s mission to provide a structured, enriched, and safe environment that meets each student’s educational needs, our curriculum prepares each student with the knowledge and skills to become an independent and responsible citizen.

At Y.A.L.E. School, we believe every student deserves high quality, evidence-based instructional strategies to promote individual progress.

Following the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, our curriculum systematically teaches academic, social, and emotional skills as well as transition skills to cultivate well-rounded learners.

We are also committed to extending learning beyond the classroom helping students transfer the skills they learn in school to a variety of settings – parks, libraries, restaurant, supermarkets, health clubs, worksites, and more. By complementing formal instruction with real world connections, Y.A.L.E. curriculum offers relevant experiences, fosters engagement, and prepares students for positive graduation outcomes.

We use evidence-based teaching methods to maximize each student’s opportunity for intellectual, social, and emotional growth.

Teachers at Y.A.L.E. School frequently assess student performance. They work collaboratively to determine how each student’s instruction can be maximized for continued progress toward IEP goals. This systematic process, called formative assessment, allows teachers to match instructional strategies to a student’s level and learning needs.

Students receive academic instruction in:

  • Reading/English and Language Arts
  • History and Social Studies
  • Mathematics, including Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus
  • Science, including Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
  • Foreign Language
  • Visual and Performing Arts
  • Physical Education and Health

Y.A.L.E. School is constantly evaluating and improving our curriculum.

We conscientiously meets state guidelines for updating curriculum and provides up-to-date materials for students that align with the level of challenge prescribed in annual IEP goals.

In September 2021, Y.A.L.E. School implemented a Next Generation Science Standards-based curriculum that is inquiry-based and includes lab experiences beginning in Kindergarten through grade 8.

Our Health and PE curriculum integrates the best practices recommended by SHAPE AMERICA, an initiative of the Society of Health and Physical Educators and follows the National Health Education Standards.

Y.A.L.E.’s 21st Century Life and Careers curriculum, Life-Centered Education, is evidence-based and was created by the Council for Exceptional Children.

The Social Skills curriculum follows the framework developed by Michelle Garcia Winners, Social Thinking as well as use of the AIM Curriculum for social-emotional support.

Standards-based instruction for English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and History / Social Studies utilizes evidence-based materials adapted if/as needed to meet the present levels of the individual based on the student’s IEP.

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