TEACHING INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS
A global approach to global languages
Samantha Bremner, OFLA Early Language Learning Chair, Zid Zid
Our students have more access than ever to the world. From pictures of national monuments to what a popular social media influencer eats for breakfast, they have it all at their fingertips. Using this plethora of information in a way that is educational and communicative is our job. Continue reading
WHAT’S THE GOOD WORD?
Julie Frye, OFLA Scholarship Chair
French Teacher, Lexington High School
You may have seen the question on social media. You may be in the habit yourself. “What question?” you may ask. “What habit?” you might be wondering.
The question is “What is your word for 2020?” Choosing a word to focus on for the year has a number of benefits. It’s different from making resolutions for the new year. A resolution is a goal that can be crossed off a list. A word becomes a mantra for your life. The word you choose can bring clarity and focus to the choices you encounter each day. Continue reading
OHIO’S SEAL OF BILITERACY
The What, Why, When and How of the Process
OFLA Secondary Language Learning Committee: Maureen Gerber, Perrysburg High School, Chair, Alexis Blum, Minster High School, and Kerry Parker, Edison High School
The Secondary Language Learning Committee would like to help encourage more teachers to have students aspire to earn Ohio’s Seal of Biliteracy. What follows is an article explaining the whats, hows and whys of the new Ohio Seal of Biliteracy. Continue reading
Leah Henson, OFLA Technology Integration Chair
Miami University, Senior Lecturer
Have you heard that one year of a high school world language course is equivalent to one semester of the same language at the university level? I’ve heard this many times since I started teaching at Miami University just over 20 years ago, and a Google search will show that this idea is still alive and well. Let’s take a moment to consider the contact hours for those courses. High school language courses typically have between 135-150 contact hours in one year. College courses require ~60 contact hours for a four-credit hour course (typically the beginning language courses) and ~45 contact hours for a three-credit course (often for the intermediate level language courses). How can college courses cover the same material or increase students’ proficiency when they have half or even a third of the time as a full-year high school course? Realistically, they can’t. However, they can leverage technology to get closer to that goal by adopting an inverted or flipped classroom.
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Ryan Wertz and Kathy Shelton, World Language Consultants
Ohio Department of Education
New Ohio Learning Standards for K-12 World Languages and Cultures in the Home Stretch
At the December meeting of the State Board of Education’s Teaching, Leading and Learning Committee, we had the opportunity to present the final draft of the newly revised Learning Standards for K-12 World Languages and Cultures. This draft incorporates the feedback gathered from our stakeholders back in the fall. We were pleased that members of the committee received our comments and the efforts of our advisory and working committees with great positivity. We returned to the TLL Committee’s January meeting to answer some initial questions that they had after taking a month to review the draft standards. At the upcoming February meeting, we are cautiously optimistic that they will vote to recommend the draft document to the full State Board of Education for adoption. Once the new learning standards have been adopted, we will let you know when they have been posted for general public access. Continue reading
ANNUAL AATF-OHIO VISITS THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART
Megan Murphy, AATF-Ohio Vice President
French Teacher, Maple Heights High School
AATF-Ohio organized a meetup on January 25 for members at the Toledo Museum of Art. Seven members gathered to take a French language tour of the exhibition Still Lifes by Pissarro, Cézanne, Manet & Friends at the Toledo Museum of Art. Everyone had a great time socializing and learning together.
If you like comics, there is an upcoming PD opportunity at Ohio State University on February 28 and 29. The symposium will address representations of gender in French language comics from around the world. For more information and to register, please follow this link.
Don’t miss our Annual Business Meeting and the AATF Movie Club at the OFLA conference in Cincinnati April 2-4. We will elect our next vice-president and discuss upcoming opportunities. We look forward to seeing everyone there!
AATG OHIO SPRING 2020 MEETING
Gene Aufderhaar, AATG Ohio President
Van Wert High School
Ohio AATG Meet-and-Greet
50-minute Session
Time Slot: 7
Friday, April 3, 4:30-5:20 p.m.
Room: Salon F-G Continue reading
