Talk on engagement in L2 education

On November 21, 2025, we hosted the talk “Engagement in L2 Education” at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Campus Sausalito, Viña del Mar.

The event brought together leading voices in the field of second language education:

• Dr. Kim McDonough (Concordia University)

• Dr. Shawn Loewen (Michigan State University)

• Dr. Gabriel Michaud (Université de Montréal)

The session was moderated by Dr. Masatoshi Sato (Universidad Andrés Bello), and offered rich insights into engagement in L2 teaching and learning.

Our contribution during the COVID‑19 pandemic

When the COVID‑19 pandemic disrupted education worldwide, teachers faced the daunting task of rewriting syllabi and adapting lessons for virtual classrooms — often without prior preparation. Recognizing this urgent need, we committed ourselves to supporting educators globally.

In May 2020, we created a handbook for online classrooms, designed to help middle and high school language teachers, pre‑service teachers, and university professors in language teacher education programs. Written in plain language, the handbook was constructed using both underlying theories of L2 listening comprehension and design of computer-based listening materials. Although it builds upon theoretical and empirical research on computer-based listening conducted in Chile, it could be adapted to any other English as Foreign Language (EFL) teaching settings. 

This initiative became one of our most meaningful contributions during the pandemic, providing accessible tools at a time when educators were overwhelmed by constant challenges and change. We are grateful to all those who used these materials and shared their support.