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, videos, and more we found in July!

1. U.S. Students’ Progress Stagnated Last School Year, Study Finds

Despite substantial funding to combat pandemic learning loss, a new study reveals stalled progress in reading and math among elementary and middle-school students. Uncover the widening learning gaps and learn how educators are addressing the challenges head-on in this article for The New York Times.

2. Digital Detectives: Teaching Students to Verify Online Information

Teaching students how to navigate the digital world is crucial, but not always easy. Lisa Nielsen at The Innovative Educator recommends using Common Sense Education's awesome “5 Questions to Ask about Media'” strategy. It's all about empowering students to verify information, assess credibility, and become savvy digital explorers.

3. 4 Ways to Use ChatGPT to Your Advantage in the Classroom

Whether you love it, hate it, or don’t care either way, artificial intelligence is here to stay. Educator Leah Cleary suggests making tools like ChatGPT your “frenemy” and using their features to make your teaching life easier. At her blog, learn how to embrace AI tools while maintaining student work integrity and fostering personalized learning.

4. Classroom Planner Walkthrough | High School Teacher

Putting together your classroom for the upcoming school year? Rather than moving stuff around over and over again, high school teacher Marie Morris suggests mapping out your ideal classroom layout before doing the heavy lifting. Visit her YouTube channel, The Caffeinated Classroom, to see how she tackles this process!

5. Integrating Arts in ELA: Creating 2-Voice Poems

Knowing how to use and cite primary and secondary sources is an essential skill students should know. At MiddleWeb, discover how students can create a “Poem for Two Voices” to delve deeper into historical narratives and develop critical skills in citing sources and analyzing text.