ABSTRACT
The goal of this chapter is to share a series of teaching-learning activities carried out online with a group of high school students in Bergamo, the Italian city that was most affected by COVID-19, in March 2020. This research examines the necessary changes that had to be introduced, not only in the teaching of the English language but also in a new relationship established with the students and the school community. The changes were related to students' mental health and emotions. Online teaching activities were tailored to the new situation being experienced, taking into account that learning online for students could represent a good way of not losing contact with the school community and helping each other to face difficulties, grief, and loneliness. Three case studies are examined. They demonstrate how the main aims of learning a language during a disease outbreak were very different from those planned for a traditional teaching curriculum in normal times. They show how learning technologies can be very helpful to achieve these aims. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.