Author Archives: Cardinal Editor

Welcome Back to School Year 2025-2026!

Deborah Varga, OWLA President 2025-2026Spanish Teacher, McKinley Senior High School Hello, my fellow OWLA colleagues!  I am so excited to write these welcome-back-to-school greetings as we prepare for our year of OWLA professional development opportunities!  As always, we are here … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Building Bridges: Why Higher Ed Faculty Should Join Local Language Associations Like OWLA

Nicola Work, OWLA President-ElectAssociate 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

It’s Time to Shine!: Why Your Colleagues (and Maybe You!) Deserve OWLA Recognition

Megan Brady, OWLA Immediate Past President and Awards ChairSpanish 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Reclaiming the Narrative: Why We Must Encourage Future Educators

Teri Wiechart, OWLA Bylaws ChairRetired, 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Language Learning: Why Students Might Feel Like They’re Getting Worse When They’re Actually Getting Better

Lauren Shaffer, OWLA Executive Recorder and Editor of The CardinalSpanish 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Digital Literacy Done Right: Practical Approaches for Today’s Educators and Learners

AI’s Impact on Education is Unavoidable: Tackle it with Confidence and Purpose! Megan Frate, OWLA Membership ChairSpanish Teacher, Westerville City Schools Literacy has changed significantly over the past several years, evolving from a word that referred to the ability to … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Tips for Staying Organized with More Classes Than Ever

Kaleigh Baker, OWLA Editor for Electronic MediaSpanish 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Passing the Vibe Check

Creating a Classroom Environment Where All Students Succeed Alexis Blum, OWLA Professional Development ChairSpanish 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

What is the Future of World Language Education in Ohio?

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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

What to Teach During the First Couple of Days of School Using Immersion

Megan Helgeson, OWLA Beginning Teacher ChairFrench 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment