Category Archives: Fall 2026

Nicola Work, OWLA President 2026-2027Associate Professor of French, University of Dayton  Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! As your OWLA president, I’m excited to kick off the year and share all of the wonderful things we have planned for you—from … Continue reading →

Jane Sevacko, OWLA President-ElectAmerican Sign Language Instructor, East Central Ohio ESC Two years ago, I was selected to present at the Ohio World Language Association (OWLA) spring conference. I was presenting ideas to help engage students in the classroom. There … Continue reading →

Gail Burkhardt Seay, OWLA Executive Vice PresidentSpanish Teacher, Marysville Early College High School Are you looking for a fun way to build community and add a little whimsy to your classroom? Student family groups might be your answer. I learned … Continue reading →

Deborah Varga, OWLA Immediate Past PresidentSpanish Teacher, McKinley Senior High School As I write this article, I am reflecting on what works best for me in my teaching at the beginning of the school year. The first step is that … Continue reading →

Teri Wiechart, OWLA Parliamentarian & Bylaws ChairRetired, Delphos Jefferson High School To fulfill OWLA’s mission, “Every Ohio student will be proficient in a second language, which is essential to a world-class education,” the Executive Board has been quietly doing important … Continue reading →

Lauren Shaffer, OWLA Executive Recorder & Editor of The CardinalSpanish Teacher, Dalton High School My first grader recently came home from school with a handwritten list of her favorite zoo animals. She proudly informed me that she wrote the list … Continue reading →

Megan Frate, OWLA Membership ChairSpanish Teacher, Westerville City Schools My PhD is a marathon, not a sprint. I take one class per semester and usually walk away the better for it. This semester the course is titled “Case Studies.” Although … Continue reading →

Kaleigh Baker, OWLA Editor for Electronic MediaSpanish Teacher, Covington High School A number of years ago, I started teaching about El Camino de Santiago in my Spanish 3 class. It is always very well received and has made me want … Continue reading →

Alexis Blum, OWLA Professional Development ChairSpanish Teacher, Wapakoneta High School Welcome back, OWLA! I hope your school year is off to a great start. Over the summer, I spent some time reflecting on my classroom activities and things that I … Continue reading →

Terri Marlow, OWLA Public Relations & Advocacy Chair  Bear with me a moment before reading one idea that answers the “HOW?” Consider the power of an image. Does this graphic remind you of Ohio’s Wright brothers and their journey to … Continue reading →