2019 OFLA Award Winners

Posted on June 9, 2019 by

Beth Hanlon, OFLA Immediate Past President
Spanish Teacher, Oberlin High School

As the OFLA immediate past president this school year, I was responsible for serving as the 2019 OFLA Awards Selection Committee chair. I would like to thank the 2019 OFLA Awards Selection Committee for all of their hard work vetting and selecting award winners: Mary Goodwin, Kathy Shelton, Roz Terez, , Teri Wiechart, and Lee Wilberscheid.

It was my privilege to present winners with their awards in front of the keynote crowd at the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL) in March. Friday night of the conference, a reception was held for CSCTFL and OFLA award winners. It was a privilege to meet and spend time with these phenomenal Ohio world language educators and supporters!

Here are this year’s OFLA award winners! Congratulations again to them all! Continue reading →

Posted in Awards, General, Summer 2019, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2019 Ohio TESOL Conference

Posted on June 9, 2019 by

Derek Braun, TESOL/OFLA Liaison
ELL Science Teacher, Columbus City Schools

Ohio TESOL and the Lau Resource Center are proud to present the Ohio TESOL 2019 Conference. With over a hundred sessions, dozens of exhibitors, and approximately 800 attendees, Ohio TESOL is one of the largest TESOL regional affiliate conferences in the Midwest. Ohio TESOL 2019 will be held in Columbus, Ohio at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on October 11th and 12th, 2019. Continue reading →

Posted in Affiliates, General, Summer 2019, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Maintaining an Effective Teacher Workforce

Posted on June 9, 2019 by

Barbara A. Sposet, Ph.D., OFLA Teacher Education and Licensure Committee Chair
Baldwin Wallace University

After a year of sharing facts, reasons for and possible solutions to the national teacher shortage (with foreign languages being among the top five shortage areas), the Interim Dean for our School of Education shared with the faculty an alarming study reported in the University of Miami’s (Ohio) School of Education, Health and Safety newsletter in mid-April of 2019 entitled “ The Next Big Problem in Education.” (submitted by James M. Loy, Miami University). “Listen,” says Meredith Wronowski, Miami University visiting assistant professor of educational leadership. “We are at a dangerous point in our country, of not having an effective teacher corps, if we don’t do something.” Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, General, Summer 2019, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Whole New World

Posted on June 9, 2019 by

Dina Marsala,  OFLA Editor of Electronic Media
French Teacher, Avon Lake City Schools

Are you ready to take your professional development to the next level? Have you been looking for something that you can do on YOUR own time? Are you tired of the same old offerings from your school? Well OFLA members, we have been listening to you and your ideas. I am pleased to announce that we have something special starting this fall that will take you wonder by wonder! Our new online professional development classes will launch this August!! We plan to offer classes for you to take at your own pace. You will receive video courses and class materials about topics that interest you and for all your world language teaching needs! Continue reading →

Posted in General, Professional Development, Summer 2019, Technology, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Around the State

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

Ryan Wertz and Kathy Shelton, World Language Consultants
Ohio Department of Education

As the 2018-2019 academic year ends, we at the Ohio Department of Education would like to express our sincere gratitude for a job well done. Ohio continues to be a leader in the implementation of standards- and proficiency-based communicative language teaching and learning. World language educators around the Buckeye State are embracing and implementing core practices that have been proven to move language learners along the proficiency continuum towards greater intercultural competency. To everyone who ramped up their game this year and tried something new – thank you!!! It takes courage to step outside your comfort zone to innovate a new activity, incorporate a new authentic resource, or implement a new type of assessment. Your courage and innovation translate into better opportunities for Ohio’s K-12 language learners. Indeed, your willingness to improve your practices means more of your learners can attain a level of language proficiency that will allow them to flourish as members of a globalized society. We appreciate your efforts greatly!! Continue reading →

Posted in Around the State, General, Summer 2019, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

My Personal Journey to Make Next School Year Better

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

Samantha Bremner, OFLA Early Language Learning Chair
Toledo

As one school year winds down, we must start preparing for the next one to begin. Whether that means organizing a classroom, a computer desktop that swallows files, professional development, or breathing on your own schedule; we need to get ready. Being a teacher is a rewarding and exhausting profession that can leave teachers feeling worn down. But, with some careful planning, we can set ourselves up for success.
Lining up professional development opportunities is one of the most important summer goals for world language teachers to set. World language teachers can try to find ways
to speak or to communicate more often with native speakers, to read more books for
pleasure in the target language, and to work on culturally relevant and academically
applicable materials for all ages. Personally, I will seek professional development
opportunities to assist me in these areas. OFLA does offer some professional
development opportunities via listserv and other outlets. Thanks for checking that box,
OFLA! Continue reading →

Posted in Committee News, Summer 2019, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

AATG Ohio Spring Meeting 2019

Posted on June 6, 2019 by

Gene Aufderhaar, Van Wert High School/AATG Ohio President
Dennis Boyd, Brunswick High School/AATG Ohio Treasurer/AATG Ohio Liaison to OFLA
Darlene Lyon, Berea-Midpark High School/Testing Chairperson

The AATG Ohio Spring meeting was held at the Central States/OFLA Conference in Columbus, OH, with about 20 attendees from around the region. The chapter was addressed by Keith Cothrun, who updated us on changes in the AATG National leadership structure in Cherry Hill, NJ. Most members adjourned to an evening of dinner and conversation at Schmidt’s Restaurant and Banquet Haus in German Village. Continue reading →

Posted in Affiliates, Summer 2019, Uncategorized | Leave a comment