As part of the English Immersion Plan, Secondary students participated in a remarkable academic experience at the Universidad de Concepción on Thursday, October 30th. The visit, coordinated by Mr. Marcos Riveros, offered students the opportunity to attend a language VIII lecture led by university professor Mr. Fernando Silva, who warmly welcomed them into his classroom.
Representing our institution, Benjamín Sáez from 1st Secondary A, Mariana González from 1st Secondary C, and Antonia González, Valentina Oyanadel, and Catalina Oyanadel from 3rd Secondary proudly participated in this academic visit. Guided by Mr. Marcos Riveros, the students engaged in a series of dynamic activities focused on Academic English and collocations, key word combinations used in formal and professional contexts.
The session centered on expressions such as play a central role, concise summary, establish a connection, provide evidence, support the claim, strenuously defends, groundbreaking research, make a significant contribution, irrefutable proof, and significant trends. After a brief introduction, students took part in a collaborative round of definitions and examples, practicing how to use these expressions in meaningful sentences.
Later, the class was divided into mixed groups, allowing Colegio Concepción students to interact directly with English Pedagogy students from the university through speaking activities that encouraged spontaneous communication and teamwork. One of the university groups also presented a creative game-based activity about the University of Concepción and the English Teaching major, helping our students learn more about university life and possible vocational paths within language studies.
After the classroom experience, participants enjoyed a guided tour of the Faculty of Education, where the English Pedagogy program is based, and later visited the Faculty of Humanities, where various languages are taught. The visit concluded with a warm reception from Ms. Cecilia del Carmen Cisterna Zenteno, Director of EDHUARTE (Educación para Adultos, Humanidades y Arte), who shared insights about the university’s academic work in the humanities and language education.
This activity offered our students a meaningful opportunity to experience the university environment, practice advanced English in authentic contexts, and reflect on their own learning journeys. It also strengthened the collaboration between Colegio Concepción and the Universidad de Concepción, reaffirming the spirit of the English Immersion Plan, which seeks to promote real, creative, and purposeful language learning experiences that go beyond the classroom.
