Public Speaking develops effective communication skills which is the backbone of any society. It improves confidence, helps form connections, and can influence decisions and motivate change.
Now in its 17th year, the Public Speaking Competition is one of ESU Chile’s flagship events and involves over 60 students, ages 16 to 20, from nearly 30 schools.
Every year, the competition brings together the best young speakers from across the country, with the winner going on to represent Chile at the International Public Speaking Competition in London England. For this competition, students must prepare and deliver a speech based on a theme that is provided by ESU UK.
Jonathan Callund was born in England and came to Chile for a brief sojourn in the early 80s but stayed a lifetime, rooting his life in our country. Proud husband, father and grandfather, he is a past Chair of ESU Chile and past President of ESU International. Pensions and insurance specialist with 35 years’ experience in public policy and corporate development projects in Latin America and a firm believer in the power of the English language to promote understanding and peace between nations.
Javiera Horta is a professional with over 10 years of experience in education leadership, strategic management, and personnel development. She is committed to significantly improving the quality of education in Chile. In her current position at Enseña Chile, she leads a large team with the purpose of developing the leadership of hundreds of professionals who positively impact the lives of thousands of students, and joining them to a broad and diverse network to change the Chilean education system.
Gloria Romero has a Ph.D. in Second Language Education from the University of Ottawa and is currently working at Universidad de Santiago de Chile in the area of English language teaching training. Her research interests focus on socio-cultural issues in Second Language Education, such as equity in English teaching in EFL contexts, novice teachers’ participation in school Communities of Practice, international professional development experiences, and volunteer English teaching.
