Santiago, October 21st – The 4th Conference on Bilingual Education concluded recently with resounding success. Organized by a collaborative effort from both national and international institutions in Chile, the conference served as a dynamic platform for leading academics, researchers, school administrators, and educators to convene, share experiences, and discuss the intricacies of Bilingual Education in Latin American and global contexts.

Highlights of the Event:

This noteworthy conference provided an outstanding interdisciplinary platform for experts, practitioners, and educators to present, dissect, and deliberate the most recent innovations, trends, and challenges encountered in the world of Bilingual Education.

Eminent Speakers:

The event was graced by an impressive lineup of accomplished speakers, each contributing their unique expertise to the discussions. Here’s a glimpse of the notable speakers:

Claire Ross (Cambridge): Claire Ross, renowned for her substantial contributions in English language teaching and teacher education, led a captivating session titled “Teaching more than English: Developing life competencies through language teaching.” Participants had the opportunity to explore the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework and understand how to seamlessly integrate vital life competencies into English language classes.

Priscila Riffo (Pontificia Universidad de Valparaíso): Priscila Riffo, with a decade of experience in English language teaching and teacher education, shed light on the “Practical implications of inclusive practices in the ELT mainstream classroom.” Her presentation dissected the challenges faced in implementing inclusive practices due to the Inclusion Legislation of 2016 and offered practical insights for other ELT classrooms.

Michelle Marie Molanphy (The University of Edinburgh): An educational psychologist with extensive experience in special education, Michelle Marie Molanphy presented “Inclusive education: Learning from experiences: successes and challenges in an ELT environment.” Her talk delved into the journey of Lincoln International Academy towards inclusivity and shared valuable assessment tools, teaching strategies, and success stories of students in the program.

Johanna Stirling (Cambridge): A freelance English Language Teaching Consultant, Johanna Stirling shared her expertise in “Special Needs in ELT: challenges and benefits.” She illuminated the challenges and benefits associated with accommodating learners with specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, ultimately enhancing the learning experience for all.

Jacqueline Paez (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso): Jacqueline Paez, a prominent figure in education, relayed her university’s progress in inclusivity with a focus on the “Desafíos de Inclusión en Educación Superior” (Challenges of Inclusion in Higher Education). She outlined specific programs designed to support inclusivity and diversity within the academic community.

Insightful Panels:

The conference featured two captivating panel discussions, each moderated by experts in the field:

Panel 1, moderated by Joaquín Triandafilide, explored inclusive education with insights from Jorge Chacon from British Council and Carolina Ortiz from Kosmo Inclusión, focusing on learner training, assessment, and teacher training.

Panel 2, moderated by Pilar Zarate, centered on neurodiversity, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and emotional intelligence with the input of Liliana Vidal from DUA – SIG at UDL- IRN (CAST).

The 4th Conference on Bilingual Education 2023 will be remembered as an event that celebrated inclusivity, promoted knowledge sharing, and advanced the field of Bilingual Education.