Author Archives: Cardinal Editor

Language Learning Activity Ideas from Improv 101

Kimberly Clifford, Assistant Professor of American Sign Language, University of Cincinnati, Clermont College I am in a sometimes lovely and sometimes lonely stage of my life where there are no children under my roof. Lucky for me, they don’t live … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, Winter 2026 | Leave a comment

Legado Tour: Justo Lamas’ Son Performs for Spanish Students

Organize a cultural field trip for your students to participate! Jennifer Cochran-Mosquera, Spanish Teacher, Granville High School For more than two decades, schools in Ohio and across the United States have partnered with the Justo Lamas Group (JLG) to bring … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, Winter 2026 | Leave a comment

Engagement Through Repetition

Cooperative Interviews with Current Events in the Spanish Classroom Renée Galvis, Spanish Educator–Dept. Chair, Tree of Life Christian Schools In the past few weeks, my students have been deeply engaged in studying recent events in Venezuela. What stood out most … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, Winter 2026 | Leave a comment

Decolonizing the French Curriculum: Developing Francophone African Materials for French-Language Educators

Steven J. Sacco, Professor Emeritus, San Diego State University, and President of Sacco Global ConsultingAshli Sambaluk, World Language Coordinator, Lewisville, Texas School District “Africa is the continent of the future,” proclaimed French President Emmanuel Macron, and the need for French-speaking … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, Winter 2026 | Leave a comment

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