Author Archives: Cardinal Editor

Ten Reasons to Take that Teacher Trip

Sarah Ross Van Gorder, New Bremen Local Schools  Each year, educators search for meaningful ways to connect their classrooms to the world. Few experiences compare to a teacher trip with The Pulsera Project, a nonprofit organization that sells handwoven bracelets … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

What I Learned in My First Year Teaching Spanish: Culture, Games, and Active Participation Make All the Difference

Claribel Timmins, Spanish Teacher, Bowling Green Middle School As a first-year high school Spanish teacher, I walked into my classroom in the fall full of energy, ideas, and a lot of curiosity. I had studied language acquisition theory and communicative … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Negotiating Meaning with AI

When Miscommunication is a Feature, Not a Bug Kyle Young, Upper School French Teacher, Hathaway Brown School A recent encounter with a minor AI glitch has changed my perspective on how much perfection we should expect from technology in an … Continue reading

Posted in Fall 2025 | Leave a comment

Winding Down from a Great Year

Megan Brady, OWLA President 2024-2025Spanish Teacher, Northwest High School And just like that, our year is winding down with another one in the books! I want to take a moment to thank you all for such a wonderful year. Looking … Continue reading

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Language Club Ideas to End the Year on a Strong Note

Don’t let your club fizzle, make it the envy of the school! Kaleigh Baker, OWLA Immediate Past President As the school year winds down, so too might your clubs. I am here to offer some fun ideas to keep your … Continue reading

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Tips for a Resilient World Language Classroom

Debbie Varga, OWLA President-Elect Spanish Teacher, McKinley Senior High School Almost-summer greetings fellow OWLA members!  It is exciting that the end of the school year is in sight, and now is the perfect time for reflection.  The topic of resilience is … Continue reading

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Language Teaching for the Future: Beyond Textbooks and Traditional Methods

Teri Wiechart, OWLA Parliamentarian and Bylaws ChairRetired, Delphos Jefferson High School The Shift in Language Learning Language education is undergoing a profound transformation. Gone are the days when world language classes relied solely on rote memorization, dry grammar drills, and … Continue reading

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Volunteering for Your OWLA Professional Organization

mportant profession Maria Herman, OWLA Membership ChairGerman Teacher, Maumee City Schools Were you able to attend our annual conference at the beginning of April in Columbus this year? If so, you’ll agree it was a fantastic opportunity to network, recharge, … Continue reading

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Take the Leap: Join the OWLA Board

Beth Hanlon, OWLA Executive Recorder and Editor of The CardinalSpanish Teacher, Oberlin High School Being a member of the OWLA board seems a little daunting, doesn’t it? I thought that too! But then I served on an OWLA committee. And … Continue reading

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A Francophone pop culture course to boost enrollments; created by me, inspired by many world language educators

Nicola Work, OWLA Editor for Electronic Media University of Dayton, Associate Professor of French One of my goals for the near future is to encourage more higher education language faculty to be involved with OWLA. Why? To learn more about … Continue reading

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