The We Learn Program of the Oportunidad Educational Foundation recently held its first Regional Meeting of the year in conjunction with the Magallanes Local Public Education Service (SLEP) Magallanes, to launch a collaborative effort aimed at strengthening English instruction for 791 students enrolled in the early grades at nine schools in the municipalities of Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine, in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region.
The event brought together 22 members of school leadership teams, teachers, and key local stakeholders to share the program’s guidelines and encourage reflection on teaching practices in language instruction. It also included sessions designed to stimulate learning, facilitate the exchange of experiences, and engage in hands-on activities, with a focus on reaching agreements for implementation at each school.
The event also featured the online participation of María Francisca Kelly, creator of the BUKKU Positive Education model, who presented her approach to teaching English based on play and neuroscience-backed methods, designed to create meaningful learning experiences.
María de la Luz González, executive director of the Oportunidad Educational Foundation, highlighted the impact of this initiative: “The We Learn program aims to build capacity within educational teams to improve English instruction starting in early childhood and, in this case, hopes to provide more and better learning opportunities for children in Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine.”
He also emphasized the importance of starting at an early age: “Learning English starting in preschool is essential, because it opens up opportunities and fosters the development of key skills throughout a student’s educational journey.”
Through this partnership, both organizations are working to make language education a priority, focusing on early interventions that can improve children’s educational outcomes.