OLBI: a digital classroom for second-language learning

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide students with a smooth and seamless end-of-term experience, the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) quickly adapted its courses to distance learning with a view to a new series of online courses for the Spring/Summer term.

In keeping with measures to adapt courses to online formats, students who wish to improve their second-language writing skills will be able to do so online as of this spring. The courses offered by the OLBI are designed to achieve a perfect balance between distance learning, content, and social interaction. A range of FLS and ESL courses will be offered online during the Spring/Summer term. You will find a list of courses and further information on the OLBI website.

OLBI is also offering a five-week course to meet the second-language needs of University of Ottawa support staff members. This free, online course will run from May 5 to June 4, 2020. Spouses are also invited to participate in this language training, which is offered by our seasoned instructors.
To learn more and to enrol in courses for staff members, visit our website .

A special edition of the OLBI Journal – Call for Papers

The next edition of the OLBI Journal will focus on “Multiliteracies and Plurilingual Pedagogies in the 21st Century: Critical Responses to the New London Group’s ‘A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies’”. In this special edition, co-editors Angel M. Y. Lin (SFU), Catherine Levasseur (ILOB), Keiko Tsuchiya (Yokohama C.U.), and Geneviève Brisson (SFU)  invite you to submit articles on the following topics: the pedagogy of multiliteracies (PoM); a PoM to solve contemporary problems; PoM and plurilingual pedagogies. The deadline to submit your abstracts is May 31, 2020.

Olbi Journal

OLBI collaborates with e-lang on a project involving digital literacy in language teaching and learning

The e-lang Citizen project has been launched! This new project, under the auspices of the European Centre for Modern Languages (2021-2023 program), will further the efforts of the e-lang project on digital literacy by improving digital citizenship through language education. It will conduct a literature review on the concept of digital citizenship, design a didactic framework for digital citizenship in language education, and develop educational resources that allow language teachers to apply the didactic framework through various online tasks. The e-lang Citizen team is led by Christian Ollivier (Université de la Réunion) and includes Marie-Josée Hamel, who holds the OLBI University Chair in New Technologies and Computer Assisted Language Learning.

e-lang on a project involving digital literacy in language teaching and learning

Students describe their inspiring language journeys in videos

OLBI students share a desire to improve their second language in the bilingual setting that is the University of Ottawa. During their time on campus, these students stand out due to their curiosity, persistence, and fearless approach to expressing themselves in their second language. Learn about the impressive language journeys taken by our FLS program graduates through their videos and portfolios .

Students describe their inspiring language journeys

Survey on the well-being of language teachers during the pandemic

Language teachers are invited to participate in a research project on their psychological and social experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to better understand the effects of the transition to online and distance teaching on the health and well-being of teachers. The data collected will be analysed by the following researchers: Sarah Mercer (University of Graz), Tammy Gregersen (University of Sharjah) and Peter MacIntyre (Cape Breton University). If you are a language teacher, thank you for completing this 10-minute survey

Survey on the well-being of language teachers during the pandemic

COVID-19: OLBI is here for you during the pandemic

We ask you to regularly check the University’s COVID-19 information website for the latest updates. During this period of uncertainty, please take every precaution to stay healthy and to take care of yourself and those around you. We thank you for your understanding and valuable cooperation, and we remain available to answer all your questions about OLBI courses and programs.