Adriana Oniță

Community teaching

Edmonton Public Library Featured Writer, Edmonton, AB (2023)
I facilitated workshops on poetry and translation, for both adults and children.

Educator, Poetry in Voice / Les Voix de la Poésie, Edmonton, AB and Virtual (September 2018–Present)
I facilitate multilingual poetry workshops for elementary, junior high, and high school students across Canada.

Bilingual Art & Language Educator, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (2010–2017)
I designed and delivered interactive Gallery and Studio programs for K–12 students in English, French, and Spanish; art classes and camps for children; classes for youth with addictions; classes for adults with developmental disabilities. From 2016–2017, I was in charge of all youth art programming (Studio Y, youth studio Hive Youth Council, Swarm Monthly Teen Night, etc.) 

Language Educator & Owner, For the Love of Language, Edmonton, AB (2015–2017)
I ran a language education company teaching Spanish, French, Italian and English to children and adults using an arts-based approach. Designed, promoted and delivered over 30 language courses in Edmonton and online.

Language Educator, Millwoods Senior and Multicultural Centre, Edmonton, AB (2015-2017)
I taught Spanish, French, and Italian beginner courses to seniors twice a week.

Language Educator & Trainer, Cultural Association for Interactive Learning, Bologna, IT (Aug. 2014 – Aug. 2015)
I taught English language and literature to junior high, high school students, and adults. I planned and facilitated multiple learning opportunities for the public, including cultural events, workshops, plays, shows, camps and courses in English. I facilitated new language teacher training in FunSongs and CAIL methodology.

Spanish Language Instructor, Gabriela Mistral School, Edmonton, AB (2013–2014)
I designed and delivered beginner and intermediate Spanish language courses to adults.

Bilingual Education Coordinator, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (2009 and 2012)
I researched current trends in Museum Education, Art Education and Second Language Acquisition to develop K-12 English, French, and Spanish gallery and studio education programs. I eveloped online teacher resources and educator training material related to AGA exhibitions and programs.

undergraduate COURSES

Principal Instructor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB

EDSE 368: Curriculum & Teaching for Second Language Majors, Faculty of Education (2017–2021)
EDSE 370: Curriculum & Teaching for Second Language Minors, Faculty of Education (2017–2021)
EDSE 307: Language, Literacy, and Society in Educational Contexts, Faculty of Education (2018–2019)
SPAN 111 and 112: Introduction to Spanish Language and Culture, Faculty of Arts (2012–2014)

ARTS-BASED LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY

I articulated an Arts-Based Language Pedagogy in my dissertation, and in Dr. Ellyn Lyle’s collection on Re/humanizing Education (Brill / Sense). I’ve been thinking and feeling my way through this topic for over a decade. I find that language pedagogy is often overwhelmingly perceived as a cognitive, linguistic, and structural process, where “the flesh and blood individuals who are doing the learning” (Kramsch, 2006, p. 98) are sometimes ignored or missing altogether. As David Hanauer (2012) explains, “the language learner at the center of this system becomes nothing more than an intellectual entity involved in an assessable cognitive process” (p. 105). But, learning a language is a potentially life-changing process. It often results in multiple unpredictable and transformational changes that learners experience in their bodies and lives. The arts (visual, literary, performative, digital arts) can make space for authentic and creative self-expression and transformation. The arts are for everybody. Every human is creative. We all live, think, dream, and feel our way through this world. Language needs to stop being viewed as a mere utilitarian, communicative tool for performing tasks or acquiring content knowledge, and start being viewed as a creative source of emotional self-expression, joy, healing, motivation, confidence, and a catalyst for meaningful societal changes. Language is art. Art is language. Through art, we can reorientate language and literacy pedagogy—from a dehumanized, decontextualized, utilitarian, and managerial learning process—towards a one that is anti-oppressive, creative (Abdelhadi et. al, 2019; Anderson & Chung, 2011), collaborative (Bradley, et. al, 2018), culturally-contextualized, immersive, inclusive, meaningful (Hanauer, 2012), multimodal, transformative (Cummins, 2009), and well-being focused (Frimberger, 2016).

Click below to download a Reading List for Language Learning through the Arts! Email me at adriana.onita@gmail.com to chat more about this.