deliver excellent online language instruction
Online language teaching can be just as effective as face to face (if not more) when we have a solid understanding of how the different format impacts what we do as instructors.
Our goal is to help you take what you already do well––teaching, modeling, nurturing language growth, and giving feedback––and realize its potential in the online environment.
Our courses are generously funded by the National LCTL Resource Center (NLRC), the Title VI Language Resource Center at MSU.
Courses
for language instructors
discover actionable ideas
What tools work best for online language teaching? What ideas have made a difference for other online instructors? How can I … (fill in the blank)?
We are working to collect principles, tips, and Aha! moments for you on our blog. If you have an idea or question, do not hesitate to reach out!
Stay in the loop
Be notified when new resources, courses, or other opportunities become available.
What previous participants have said about our courses
I went into MSU’s Fundamentals of Online Language Teaching expecting to learn how to create and implement an online language course. What I took away from this experience was so much more. In addition to discovering the ins and outs of online course design and developing successful online language learning tasks, I received a refresher in what makes pedagogy effective regardless of the instructional mode. I gained valuable strategies for making my courses more engaging and accessible and useful insights into managing my own workload. The opportunity to interact with colleagues from near and far was an added bonus, and I benefited greatly from the expert instructors at MSU. For me, deciding to take this course was one of the few positive outcomes of the global pandemic.
Jeanne M. Schueller, Ph.D.
Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Thank you for making me look good with the department chair!
Richard Henricksen, Ph.D.
Assistant Language Program Director, Department of Spanish & Portuguese
The Ohio State University
Taught by a team of knowledgeable, accessible and responsive instructors, the MSU OLT course has given me a solid foundation in online pedagogy and the confidence to use a new set of tools to maximize the effectiveness of my online delivery.
Maryann Overstreet, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, German Program
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
It was truly an eye opener for me!
Jeeyoung Ahn Ha
Director, Korean Language Program, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne
It has been a very fulfilling journey learning the basics of online language learning and teaching with you. You made everything feel so interesting and doable, despite the fact that all the readings pointed towards the need for online teachers dedicating a lot of time to successfully conduct teaching online. Whereas you also emphasized the same, you gave me so much hope by guiding us through the aspects of online language courses that would enable us to be thoroughly prepared as novice online language instructors from the word go. I have learned so much about how to relate to my online learners. I have found myself reaching out to them more and encouraging them to explore the numerous opportunities that remote teaching/learning offers.
Peter Mwangi, Ph.D.
Professor, Program of African Studies
Northwestern University