Increasing concern regarding student disengagement and education's role in helping students to navigate the ever‐changing realities of a globalized society has focused attention on the importance of 21st century skills. This mixed‐methods study investigated whether and how intensely students experienced optimal engagement during a Spanish project that required them to conduct and reflect on a 30‐minute interview with a native speaker of Spanish. Engagement was measured through the lens of Csikszentmihalyi's (1996) flow theory. Findings revealed that authentic, real‐world tasks that require students to make use of 21st century skills and which engage learners affectively facilitate behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement.

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