The Cardinal

Nicola Work, OWLA President-Elect
Associate Professor of French, University of Dayton 

As I mentioned in the last edition of The Cardinal, one of my goals is to encourage more higher education language faculty to get involved with OWLA. Bringing higher ed voices into the association is an important step toward bridging the gap between K–12 and university teaching, helping us create a more cohesive and connected vision for language education in Ohio. From my own experience, I can tell you there are countless benefits to being involved—and they’re too good not to share.

As university faculty, we often focus on what’s happening on our own campuses—teaching, advising, research, committees. More often than not, higher education faculty in languages have very few, if any, colleagues in their respective languages in their departments. College-level language teaching can seem lonely and isolated. But there’s a whole world of language teaching happening around us, and getting involved with OWLA is one of the best ways to connect with it.

Megan Brady, OWLA Immediate Past President and Awards Chair
Spanish Teacher, Lake High School

The world language education community in Ohio is filled with incredible educators doing amazing work every single day. From the elementary teacher who has kindergarteners singing French songs with perfect pronunciation, to the high school instructor whose students are landing college scholarships thanks to their language skills, to the administrator who fights for program funding year after year – our field is bursting with talent, innovation, and dedication.

So why do so many of these outstanding educators go unrecognized?

OWLA wants to change that, and we need your help. With the January 1st deadline approaching for award nominations, now is the perfect time to celebrate the excellence happening in classrooms, departments, and programs across our state.

Teri Wiechart, OWLA Bylaws Chair
Retired, Delphos Jefferson High School

If a student walked into your classroom today and asked, “Should I become a teacher?”—what would you say?

Would you hesitate, weighed down by the realities of burnout, budget cuts, and political interference? Or would you lean in, remembering the moments of magic that only this profession can offer?

Now imagine that same student asking, “Can you give me five reasons to go to college to become a teacher?” Here’s what you might say:

1. You’ll change lives—every single day.
2. You’ll grow into a leader, communicator, and advocate.
3. You’ll join a community of passionate changemakers.
4. You’ll gain skills that transfer across industries and borders.
5. You’ll leave a legacy that ripples far beyond your classroom.

Lauren Shaffer, OWLA Executive Recorder and Editor of The Cardinal
Spanish Teacher, Dalton High School

“Profe, I think my Spanish is getting worse.”

I have heard this from multiple students over the years, and actually felt like this myself at one point in my language learning journey. I remember feeling like I needed to start over at the beginning; I was aware of gaps in my knowledge and I desired to fill them. Little did I know that this feeling was a good sign. It meant that I actually knew more than I realized, and I was more competent than I believed myself to be. Psychologists call this phenomenon the Dunning-Kruger Effect (Kruger & Dunning, 1999).

AI’s Impact on Education is Unavoidable: Tackle it with Confidence and Purpose!

Megan Frate, OWLA Membership Chair
Spanish Teacher, Westerville City Schools

Literacy has changed significantly over the past several years, evolving from a word that referred to the ability to read and write into something broader that encompasses various types of competencies, such as multiliteracies, multimodal literacies, and electronic literacies.  Having this skill set is referred to as being digitally literate.  In today’s world, being “literate” means being able to navigate with confidence and purpose a range of platforms using multimodal messages.

There are many teachers, myself included, who take pride in our resourceful low-tech classrooms.  Whether due to limited resources or love for traditional methods, the idea of integrating new digital tools can feel daunting. Regardless, the internet has reshaped how students learn and it is here to stay.  Technology can be used to hinder the learning process or transform it, especially in a language classroom.

Kaleigh Baker, OWLA Editor for Electronic Media
Spanish Teacher, Covington High School

In my previous district, I taught three different classes. Year in and year out, I knew what my preps were and I knew what I was doing. Now, in my new district, I’m teaching four classes. Our school year started about a month ago, and up until recently I felt like I was drowning in papers and plans, and feeling my anxiety skyrocket. I have spent the last couple of weeks nailing down a plan for how to stay organized and use my planning period a little more wisely to make my next day a little bit easier.

Creating a Classroom Environment Where All Students Succeed

Alexis Blum, OWLA Professional Development Chair
Spanish Teacher, Wapakoneta High School

Welcome back, OWLA! I hope your school year is off to a great start. 

One of the most important things for me at the beginning of the year is creating a positive and welcoming learning environment for my students. Feeling a sense of belonging is so important for our students to succeed. With a feeling of belonging comes a willingness to participate and a sense of security. As language teachers, we ask our students to do something very vulnerable every day: speak a language they are just learning! Here are some activities that I do in my classroom to build community and increase a sense of belonging: 

Lesley Chapman, OWLA Advocacy Chair 
French Teacher, Sycamore High School

By now, you have heard that Bowling Green State University has decided to cut its World Language Teacher Training program. I, like many BGSU alumni, am dismayed that not only another program in Ohio has been cut, but that it has happened to such a highly esteemed program. 

Clearly, this is a significant disservice to the teaching community, both in Northwest Ohio and throughout the state. We have a vast need for world language teachers, with approximately 400 vacancies statewide. However, there remain only a handful of universities where you can train to become a world language teacher. In Northwest Ohio, the University of Toledo discontinued its program last year, and now Bowling Green has planned a similar move. The University of Cincinnati and Miami University have also done away with their WL teaching programs. Currently, the only university in Ohio that offers a robust program, like the one BGSU always had, is The Ohio State University.

Megan Helgeson, OWLA Beginning Teacher Chair
French Teacher, Miamisburg High School

When using immersion the first few days of school, there are several guidelines that you should follow when creating your lesson plans. Visit Immersion in Motion for all of the activities that I do in the first week of school.