Each month, we share five things we love as part of our Footnotes Newsletter. Take a look at some of our favorite English language arts resources, articles, and more we found in June!

1. To My Students On The Final Day of the 2020-2021 School Year: Thank you.

Saying this school year has been an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement. But despite the obstacles, it’s also been an incredible time of growth. Although teacher Jessica Lifshitz personally addresses her students in this heartfelt letter, her words will surely resonate with you.

2. MLA 9th Edition vs. 8th Edition

In April, the Modern Language Association of America released the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook. Like other editions, the 9th edition updates a number of rules for citing sources in scholarly work. For a quick look at the changes you need to know, watch educator Laura Randazzo’s informative video on her YouTube channel!

3. Discovering Language to Help Us Write

As part of her language field guide series, this post by Rebekah O'Dell discusses a simple way you can use word association to help students organize their thoughts before they write. This activity can be completed all at once or spread out over a few class periods.

4. Build Your Stack: Where I Find Books and How I Match Them to Students

Getting kids interested in reading can sometimes be challenging, but for Theodora Salazar, giving students the right book makes a world of difference. In this post for NCTE, Theodora explains how she finds the best books to use in the classroom and offers high-interest book suggestions for younger readers.

5. Digital Activities That Are Keepers for In-School Learning

With the way things surrounding the pandemic are progressing, most schools should be back to in-person instruction by the fall. However, going back to “normal” doesn’t mean you should completely disregard everything you’ve done during distance learning. In this post for the Secondary English Coffee Shop blog, Jackie shares several of her successful digital activities that can easily be adapted for in-school learning.