Jonathan Harris, OWLA Early Language Learning Chair
Spanish Teacher, St. Gabriel Consolidated School, Cincinnati
Summer is often a time for travel, and traveling abroad is a good way to develop your children’s language skills. The National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL) recently published suggestions for parents preparing their children for international travel, which are highlighted in this article.
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Megan Helgeson, OWLA Beginning Teacher Chair
French Teacher, Miamisburg High School
Most teachers hate the modified schedules, shortened periods, and mentally drained or missing students that come with state testing season. I, on the other hand, love state testing time because it gives me the excuse to do only proficiency activities. With testing being toward the end of the year, proficiency activities can be a good review of what students know, and it does not matter whether classes do the same activities or not. Here are some of the activities I do with students the first year I have them. Visit Immersion in Motion for all of the activities I do, as well as how I modify some of these activities for subsequent years.
Continue readingDarlene Lyon, Retired, Ohio AATG Testing Chair
This year’s National German Exam continued with its secure online testing format, with 261 students from 10 schools around Ohio completing the exam. We had 37 students achieve gold (90% or higher), 48 achieve silver (80-90%), and 45 achieve bronze (70-80%) on this challenging examination. Outstanding achievements!
This year the Travel Scholarship sponsored by the PAD (Pädagogische Austausch Dienst) in Germany was awarded to TWO students to travel and study in Germany for three weeks this summer.
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Alondra Pacheco, AATSP 9-12 Representative
This spring, the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Language and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) held its 2026 Language Advocacy Days (LAD). Over two days on March 9th–10th, educators, students, and language advocates from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend workshops designed to prepare them to urge their state representatives to support language education. As the AATSP national representative, I had the privilege of advocating on behalf of world language education in Ohio. Through this experience, I learned more about how policies are developed and was able to connect with other educators.
Continue readingElisa Kirschhoffer, Director of Professional Learning and Marketing, Idioma Education & Consulting
For many world language teachers, the Culture “C” of the ACTFL 5 Cs (a.k.a. intercultural communication) can feel like one of the most important—and most challenging—components of our practice. While it’s easy to plan lessons around vocabulary and grammar (many of us learned the language we now teach this way!), helping students meaningfully engage with culture in ways that align with the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards requires a deeper shift in mindset and instructional design.
Ryan Wertz, Program Administrator for World Languages and Global Education Partnerships, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Across Ohio, the Seal of Biliteracy has become more than a credential; it’s a celebration of multilingual achievement. Awarded to graduating high school seniors who demonstrate high levels of proficiency in English and at least one other world language, it is one of 12 diploma seals students can earn to show they are prepared for their next steps after high school.
Aligned with Ohio’s vision to ensure students are prepared for success in the real world, the seal signals to colleges, employers, and military recruiters that a graduate possesses valuable intercultural communication skills. To make this opportunity accessible to all, districts are building sustainable pathways that are rooted in Ohio’s Learning Standards for World Languages and Cultures. Districts that have implemented standards-based programs report increased student engagement and a stronger sense of pride among heritage speakers.
Continue readingDr. Roger W. Anderson, Independent Scholar, Monterey, CA (USA)
Canadians are our strongest allies and most important trading partners. Notwithstanding, history is full of surprises, including the fact that the assassination of our most important president, Abraham Lincoln, implicated French Canadians.
The Copperheads
During the Civil War, the Underground Railroad operated throughout Ohio, as did networks of pro-Confederacy, anti-Lincoln activity.
Continue readingTricia Becker, Lakota West High School, Spanish Teacher
5,712. That is an estimated number of students a traditional high school teacher will impact in the classroom over the course of their career. Add a few more for those students who aren’t on the roster but with whom teachers make genuine connections—through study halls, extracurriculars, or simply from passing by. What an honor and privilege it is, as teachers, to make this kind of impact, and what utmost respect retiring teachers deserve when they have committed their lives to the classroom. This article is meant to serve as a reminder of the impact and value that retiring teachers have as they finish their careers in education.
Continue readingRebecca L. Chism, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Foreign Language Pedagogy, Kent State University
Empowerment. This is a word that is frequently used, but what does it really mean? The word “empower” implies the ability to promote the self-actualization or influence of an individual or group.
The Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies at Kent State University is doing just that. The department has fifty-two faculty members who are dedicated to helping students reach their full potential, academically and socially. The study of world languages is more important than ever in developing 21st-century global citizens, yet we are witnessing a distressing decline in enrollments in world language study.
Continue readingBeth Hanlon, Spanish Teacher, Oberlin High School
Central States Conference, 2027 Program Chair
After wrapping up a fantastic conference in Chicago in March 2026, Central States now has its sights set on Lansing, Michigan, for March 2027!
I am excited to serve as the program chair for a Central States Conference that will be accessible to many OWLA members due to its location. There will be other familiar Ohio faces in Michigan, including Lesley Chapman, Central States Board Chair; Lucas Hoffman, Central States Board Vice-Chair; and Na Li, Central States Board Director. I hope you will start planning to join us!
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