Webinar/Workshop: Using EFL learners’ interest as a tool to enhance learning. Evidence from the research and a practical approach.

Invites el Magíster en Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera

This workshop will be divided into two parts. First, we will discuss the evidence that interest influences learning. When individuals are interested in a topic, they reach a psychological state characterized by increased attention, heightened cognitive activity, better retention of long-term knowledge, and reduced effort in the learning process. In second language/foreign language learning environments, there is evidence suggesting that interest can enhance student motivation with reading materials. Research on interest and English as a foreign language (EFL) also suggests the need to explore ways to nurture and sustain student engagement in EFL classrooms. Therefore, interest in a text is a crucial component that can be manipulated and adapted in the EFL classroom to support learning. Second, a workshop will be presented, emphasizing the pedagogical value of implementing reading and writing activities related to students’ interests. Additionally, the workshop will provide a practical approach to increasing student interest. Practical tips and strategies will be offered to create and manipulate interest in reading within the classroom through ChatGPT.

Exposes: Dr. Marco Cancino Ávila

Marco Cancino is an associate professor and researcher in EFL teacher education at Universidad Andres Bello in Santiago, Chile. He graduated from the MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition programme at University of Oxford, UK, and was awarded a doctoral degree in TESOL/Applied Linguistics and Education at University of Bristol, UK. He has published internationally in a variety of applied linguistics areas, including interest in education, vocabulary acquisition, the use of Google Translate in the classroom, and learners’ perceptions regarding online learning. He also supervises undergraduate and postgraduate thesis students in related research areas.