OHIO professor honored for language teaching program

When Muriel Gallego, associate professor of Spanish in the College of Arts and Sciences, redesigned the training program for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in the Department of Modern Languages, her aim was to address a critical gap in GTA preparation by introducing a sustainable, research-based model. The resulting program was recently recognize with the 2025 Innovation in Language Program Direction Award from the American Association of University Supervisors, Coordinators, and Directors of Language Programs (AAUSC).

The program includes:

• Onboarding: Pre-arrival, self-paced online modules
• Pre-service: A five-day orientation featuring workshops, collaborative lesson design, microteaching, and reflective practice, all grounded in Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) through a justice-oriented lens
• In-service: Two redesigned courses that integrate theory and practice, supporting GTAs throughout their first year

The training strengthens GTA readiness, improves student learning experiences, and prepares future faculty with equity-driven pedagogical foundations. The AAUSC committee praised the program’s intentional design, alignment with curricular goals, and potential as a national model.

“These are graduate students that are typically in their M.A. program, and they are accepted into the programs for their expertise in the field of study… but they oftentimes lack pedagogical training,” said Gallego. 

Through Gallego’s training program, GTAs engage in training before the semester begins, allowing them to prepare for leading a classroom. This three-staged approach is not common in most graduate programs, where 

"Participating in the training program led by Dr. Gallego has been a truly transformative experience for my teaching career,” said Juan Pablo Aguilera Torralbas, OHIO University M.A. student. “What I value most is that the program does not stop at theory; it successfully bridges theory and practice in a coherent way.”

Much of Gallego’s work was inspired by her own experience as a GTA. 

“I myself was a TA a long time ago when I started my graduate program and I was also international TA, meaning I came from another system in another country,” Gallego said. “Everything was new or different to me, and I felt as if I was thrown into a classroom to serve as instructor of record, not knowing what to do or what to expect.” 

The training is designed not only to assist graduate students during their time as GTAs but also follow them as they move into their future careers in higher education. Gallego said the training is “very important, not only for language teaching, but for preparing. These are going to be future professors, so once all of the TAS finished their programs as graduate students, they are going to go on to become professors for the most part. I really, really am passionate about working towards that. That's why it's really significant to have received this award. It's an honor.”

After finding success in implementing this program at OHIO, Gallego hopes that colleagues across the nation will be able to implement this model in other universities. Despite this program being created for the teaching of additional languages, much of the framework can be adapted for use within other departments that utilize GTAs. 

This year, Gallego will be presenting her program model at a national conference for the AAUSC in October. She is also preparing 3 publications to highlight her research findings about the programs’ outcomes. She hopes that through these conferences and publications, she can connect with more colleagues and continue to build on her current model.