ADVOCACY IN TIMES OF CHALLENGE
Connection is the Key
Angela Gardner, OFLA Public Relations and Advocacy Chair
Spanish Teacher, Ross High School
First and foremost, I hope that you are all either safe at home, or, at the time of the publication of this article, healthy and free to engage in activities outside your home and feeling safe to do so. Continue reading
OFLA CONFERENCE 2020, WHAT TO EXPECT
Lesley Chapman, OFLA President 2019-2020
French Teacher, Sycamore High School
Are you considering coming to the OFLA Conference in Cincinnati on April 2-4? We are planning three days of excellent workshops and sessions for Ohio’s teachers and hope to welcome as many of you as possible. I would like to take an opportunity to introduce our invited guests. Continue reading
DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR THE OFLA TEACHER OF THE YEAR APPLICATIONS
Cheryl Johnson, OFLA President-Elect
Instructional Technologist for the Dept. of Modern Languages, Denison University
The February 21st deadline, extended from February 15th, for submitting your portfolio items for consideration as our OFLA Teacher of the Year is fast approaching! In order to submit the required documents, please email pres2021@ofla-online.org. Upon receiving your email, you will receive instructions explaining where to submit your materials. See the list of required documents below. Continue reading
A Core Practice of World Language Teaching
Lucas Hoffman, OFLA Treasurer
Sylvania Southview High School
This is the fifth article in a series about the nationally developed core practices of world language teaching. Are you new to the Core Practices? These are researched-informed best practices that should be mastered practices by any beginning teacher in world language education. Continue reading
THE TOP FIVE REASONS TO JOIN OFLA
Teri Wiechart, OFLA Membership Chair
Delphos Jefferson High School (Retired)
Learning something new to teach comprehension-based readers
Beth Hanlon, OFLA Executive Recorder and Editor of The Cardinal
Spanish Teacher, Oberlin High School
Last year, my district’s Spanish department moved to teaching with comprehensible input. Our curriculum is primarily based on the use of comprehension-based readers. I am constantly searching for new ways to teach readers with my classes to keep things interesting and to ensure their understanding.
Somewhere in my searching I stumbled upon the concept of literature circles. I was intrigued but thought perhaps it was too much of a concept for me to wrap my head around as I am not an English teacher. Continue reading
WHAT’S YOUR “ASK”?
Angela Gardner, OFLA Public Relations and Advocacy Chair
Spanish Teacher, Ross High School
Just as every lesson has one or more objectives to guide it, conversations and written correspondence with our representatives have objectives, often referred to as an “ask.” As our lesson objectives may align to state or national standards, similarly, it helps our representatives understand our requests when we are specific in terms of legislation that we want to see changed, supported, or ***denied***. Continue reading
SPOTLIGHT ON NEW TEACHERS: MEGAN HELGESON
“No matter what accomplishments you achieve, somebody helped you.” ― Althea Gibson
Shelly McAlister, Marlington Local Schools
Megan Helgeson
The OFLA Beginning Teacher Committee is working hard to connect with new teachers and to support them to become excellent, innovative, resourceful, and long lasting world language teachers. Our goal is to provide a network of resources, strategies and tools for new teachers. We want new teachers to know that they are not alone, and that OFLA is here to help them. To this end, we will be interviewing new teachers throughout the year and highlighting them in The Cardinal. Megan Helgeson is a French teacher at Dempsey Middle School in Delaware, Ohio who recently participated in one of our resource swap meets. This is her fourth year teaching French full time. Continue reading
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
The Cardinal 