❄️Winter 2026 Edition ❄️
Executive Board News
OWLA 2026 is Almost Here!
Deborah Varga, President
Parlez-vous français? AI as a Conversation Partner—and a Tool for Interaction and Feedback
Nicola Work, President-Elect
Your New Teaching Assistant Doesn’t Need a Desk (or a Paycheck)
Megan Brady, Immediate Past President
Reclaiming Joy in the World Language Classroom
Teri Wiechart, Parliamentarian & Bylaws Chair
Let Your Students Become the Teachers with the One World, Many Languages Program
Lauren Shaffer, Executive Recorder & Editor of The Cardinal
“Does This Baby Speak Spanish?”
Megan Frate, Membership Chair
Valentine’s Day Activities Across All Levels
Kaleigh Baker, Editor for Electronic Media
Proficiency and AI: Learning to Grow
Alexis Blum, Professional Development Chair
Promoting Our Programs: Some Helpful Ideas
Lesley Chapman, Public Relations & Advocacy Chair
Why In-Person? The Benefits of Attending a Professional Development Conference
Nicole Hanlon, Scholarship Chair
The Many Ways to Ask Students to Speak in the Target Language in an Immersion Classroom
Megan Helgeson, Beginning Teacher Chair
Are Children Language Sponges?
Jonathan Harris, Early Language Learning Chair
Game-Based Language Practice
Jessica Burchett, Multilingual Learning Chair
Advocacy & Affiliate News
The Anchor in the Storm: Why Routine is the Secret Language of the World Language Classroom
Elisa Kirschhoffer, Idioma Education & Consulting
Motivating Our Youngest Learners: Benefits of Starting a Sociedad Hispánica de Amistad (SHA) Chapter in Grades Pre-K through 9th
Alondra Pacheco, AATSP
OWLA Member News
UN Diplomats’ Trainings: Online, Self-Paced, Authentic and Free
Dr. Roger W. Anderson
Language Learning Activities from Improv 101
Kimberly Clifford
Legado Tour: Justo Lamas’ Son Performs for Spanish Students
Jennifer Cochran-Mosquera
Engagement Through Repetition
Renée Galvis
Decolonizing the French Curriculum: Developing Francophone African Materials for French-Language Educators
Steven J. Sacco and Ashli Sambaluk
The Cardinal 