The Convocation ceremony for the Faculty of Arts was held online and broadcast on June 16, 2021. The graduates gathered with their loved ones to mark this important milestone at the end of their studies. Congratulations to the newest members of the University of Ottawa alumni family. 

To highlight the inspiring stories of four of our new graduates, OLBI invites you to read our articles about them. Learn how 
Mylan Allen, who graduated with a BA in Second Language Teaching, harnesses optimism to take on challenges. As for 
Anne Thibert, another graduate who has earned a BA in Second Language Teaching, she shares her projects on finding solutions to curb linguistic insecurity. Janick Robidoux, who earned a Major in Second Language Teaching, will impart her personal reflections on the resilience she needed to return to school after suffering a traumatic brain injury. In closing, Farhad Roodi, who before earning a Master’s in Bilingualism Studies, had to overcome a series of setbacks, including a period of separation from his family.

On July 2, 2021, Beverly Baker, an Associate Professor at OLBI, will take part in an international conference hosted by the British Council called New Directions in English Language Assessment Conference. She will moderate a plenary session entitled Unpacking the concept of language assessment literacy for all key stakeholders. This online event, which runs from July 1 to July 3, 2021, and takes place in Latin America, will explore the professionalization of English language evaluation in educational systems and the sharing of best practices. Over 70 attendees from around the world will share their perspectives and experiences of English language evaluation. Register for New Directions Colombia 2021 conference.

On May 26, the Language Assessment Research Group (LARG) was fortunate to welcome Associate Professor Monique Bournot-Trites (UBC) to present an argument in favour of using the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) as a basis for curriculum development and language teaching in Canada, from kindergarten to grade 12. This stimulating and thought-provoking event was attended by nearly 50 university and professional stakeholders from Canada and abroad. Watch Professor Monique Bournot-Trites’ presentation on YouTube.

OLBI’s online conversation workshops are back this summer! Participants can practise speaking French or English in small, student-facilitated groups of five people. These 55-minute workshops are now hosted on Gather.Town, an interactive virtual platform that is both dynamic and engaging. Participants must first create an avatar, and then they can travel from one virtual location to another, from a rooftop balcony to a classroom and even to the beach! These new settings can stimulate language learning by making it easier for participants to talk to one another. Learn more about OLBI’s conversation workshops.

OLBI presents a new video created by Tsoa Raholison, a Work-Study program student who recently graduated from uOttawa with a degree in Visual Arts and Communications. The video features animated characters who guide viewers through the various aspects of OLBI. Watch the "What is OLBI?" video on YouTube.