Ohio State foreign language instructors bring first-hand knowledge into the classroom by sharing their experiences with their students.

For many of the students, it is this first-hand experience that makes in-class time more interesting.

“The great thing about language classes is that when teachers talk about the culture of a foreign country, I know they know what they’re talking about because they’ve actually been there and lived in the culture,” said Joe Stekli, a senior who studied French for two years.   

Each teacher has a story about how they ended up at OSU. While some received degrees from OSU, most have studied abroad and been a part of the culture they now teach.

When hiring new teaching assistants, each language department looks for applicants from all backgrounds to enhance the learning experience, said Kathryn Corl, an associate professor of Germanic languages and leader of the committee set up to hire teaching assistants.

“We’ve had people from China, India – all over; and they’ve always brought something great to the program,” she said.

The result is a group of teachers who bring a unique understanding of language and culture to the classroom.

For the faculty who teach contemporary culture, taking frequent trips abroad is essential.

“I go to Russia every summer,” said Yana Hashanova, assistant professor of Russian and Slavic cultural studies. “Culture is constantly changing and I feel it’s an important part of my job to give my students the most up-to-date information.”

One of Hashanova’s classes involves taking a two-week trip to Russia at the end of the quarter to learn about the culture.

“There’s only so much that I can teach,” Hashanova said. “I feel the students can learn so much more from actually experiencing the culture themselves.”

While OSU offers various study abroad programs throughout the year, most students do not have the time or money to take advantage of them.

“I never had a chance to go abroad,” Stekli said. “But I feel that having people who have been abroad teach me is pretty good.”

Another benefit to this system is the interaction between faculty and students, which creates an opportunity for them to have class discussions and learn about each other’s cultures.

“One of the best things about it is that our students are able to teach the faculty something as well,” Corl said.