October 27, 2025
On October 13th and 14th, the annual meeting of the international network of ProLEER researchers was held for the first time in Latin America, at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, in Santiago. The event brought together specialists and researchers from different countries to discuss practices, policies, and research focused on the development of language and reading in childhood. Labedu was represented by its directors Andrea Guida, Beatriz Cardoso, and Nicole Paulet.
Organized by in-house professor Alejandra Meneses, the seminar featured simultaneous plenary sessions and panels that addressed topics ranging from recent research on language use in different contexts to experiences in teacher training and public policy formulation. One of the highlights was the presentation by Professor Celia Rosemberg, from the University of Buenos Aires, on how cultural and socioeconomic variations influence the quality of children's linguistic interactions, emphasizing the role of community speech in language development.
Another highlight was a panel open to the Chilean academic and educational community, featuring representatives from the Chilean Ministry of Education and the campaign. For a Chile that Reads They shared the national commitment to reading, writing, and orality as structuring axes in the formation of the individual and released a reference document with essential practices to ensure that all children learn to read in order to learn.
Labedu participated in one of the thematic panels with the project. Learning and Studying Texts (AET), presented by Nicole Paulet. She explains that the initiative generated interest among researchers by linking research evidence to the continuing education of teachers.
“It is always very stimulating to place Labedu’s work in dialogue with research and policies from other Latin American countries. We bring to the debate our experiences of implementation and monitoring on a large scale, as well as our vision on teacher training and reading instruction, and we return with new references to enrich the practices of our projects in the area of language in innovative ways,” he states.
According to Beatriz Cardoso, coordinator of ProLEER in Brazil, "the meeting was an opportunity to strengthen the dialogue between researchers and professionals from Latin America, reflecting on how reading practices and policies can connect to the realities of each country."
About ProLEER
The international network of researchers of ProLEARN The Labedu group brings together experts from nine countries — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, the Netherlands, and the United States — and is affiliated with Harvard University. Its goal is to improve educational practices and policies in order to strengthen learning for children from zero to ten years old. The group's coordination in Brazil is handled by Beatriz Cardoso, director of Labedu. In addition to the annual in-person seminar, the group also promotes thematic webinars and dialogues with researchers, education professionals, managers, and public policy makers who are leaders in the field.