🏛️ As part of Touro University’s comprehensive initiative to introduce #AI#literacy to our students, I am engaged in a #Touro#University#grant focused on developing AI literacy in #TESOL candidates. My project-based approach empowers future educators to leverage AI as a strategic partner in curriculum design, bridging theoretical understanding with applied classroom practice.
Joyann Castilletti is a 7th–12th grade certified English teacher, currently working as a permanent substitute teacher while pursuing her TESOL degree at Touro University. She is passionate about creating learning environments where every student feels seen, heard, and loved, and where each learner is supported in achieving success. She continues to inspire a love of learning in every English learner while equipping them with the skills to communicate confidently and effectively.
Although my time at Touro has been brief, it has inspired me to reconnect with my cultural roots through my father and grandmother, celebrating the legacy that came before me. Through Touro’s TESOL graduate program, I’ve had the opportunity to engage with peers from diverse backgrounds, sharing experiences that have enriched me professionally and sparked conversations I might never have had otherwise.
Joyann Castilletti, Touro University TESOL Candidate
Joyann Castilletti, Touro University TESOL Candidate, on her experience working with structured prompt engineering and AI:
Using this prompt showed me a few things about designing rubrics. For starters, specifics are key to a solid rubric. When I first started student teaching, every assignment I gave had some sort of rubric mainly to protect myself in case a student didn’t do too well. Since student teaching, I have still utilized rubrics but have worked towards making them more specific and rooted in whatever standard I was working on. The rubric that CoPilot and ChatGPT provided is a great jumping point if my students were doing this presentation. My biggest negative with this rubric is that since CoPilot is primarily analytic based, it does not allow for a holistic view of my students (especially since all of my key domains were also analytical). When I make my rubrics, I try to include some element that allows my students that may struggle with the assignment a chance to achieve highly in one category. Additionally, since this rubric was generated from a prompt it did not allow me to have student insight which I like to do (unless I took this rubric to the students and had a discussion about it with them for recommendations or suggested changes). I do like that CoPilot clearly establishes the format of “you do exactly this– you get this score”. When I make my rubrics, I tend to struggle with the verbiage to express exactly what I am looking for and to separate between each score point. With this said, by utilizing this format, I can create more efficient rubrics and change them as needed to make my accommodations.
As part of Touro University’s comprehensive initiative to introduce AI literacy across teacher education programs, I am engaged in a Touro University grant focused on developing AI literacy in TESOL candidates. My project-based approach empowers future educators to leverage AI as a strategic partner in curriculum design, bridging theoretical understanding with applied classroom practice.
Within this initiative, teacher candidates progress from mastering the fundamentals of curriculum mapping to designing comprehensive, differentiated learning sequences that reflect professional teaching standards grounded in research-backed principles.
My primary instructional goals are to:
Teach foundational and applied AI competencies,
Develop practical skills in standards-based curriculum design,
Showcase AI as a collaborative tool in instructional planning, and
Align deliverables with professional teaching standards.
Foundational AI Competencies
AI vocabulary is embedded throughout the project via explicit terminology such as prompt engineering, AI-assisted content structuring, LLM interaction, and iterative feedback loops. This structured language development ensures that candidates move from foundational comprehension to applied proficiency, demonstrating the ability to use domain-specific AI concepts meaningfully in curriculum contexts.
Ethical Thinking
Ethical reasoning is central to the project’s design. Candidates must maintain human oversight and exercise critical evaluation of AI-generated contributions for instructional quality and curricular coherence. By foregrounding professional judgment and ethical discernment, the project cultivates a nuanced understanding of AI’s potential and its limitations, underscoring the continued necessity of educator expertise.
In upcoming blog posts, I will showcase current student output, highlighting innovative examples of how TESOL candidates apply structured CoPilot prompting to create differentiated, AI-supported instructional materials. These exemplars demonstrate how AI literacy and pedagogical practice intersect to prepare a new generation of educators for the evolving digital landscape of teaching and learning.
Angelee Bess holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Cornell University, a Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from Fordham University, and Extensions in both Early Childhood Education and Gifted Education. She is currently pursuing a TESOL Advanced Certificate at Touro University while working as a K-2 ENL Teacher at an elementary school in Brooklyn, NY. Angelee strives to create an inclusive environment that recognizes, embraces, and values the cultural and linguistic diversity of her students, helping them thrive both academically and socially. Her motto: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
Ms. Bess’ observation in working with CoPilot: “I was impressed by how quickly Copilot created a lesson tailored for Entering-level MLs. By including the grade level, topic, language proficiency, and support needs in my prompt, I received a mini-lesson with simplified text, a visual anchor chart, printable materials, a vocabulary table, and activity suggestions—all differentiated for beginner learners. I initially focused on Entering students to help plan for Stand-Alone ENL classes, but I can also see the value in using Copilot for Integrated settings. I plan to use similar prompts for other proficiency levels to support all MLs in my classroom. Copilot also gave the option to expand the mini-lesson into a full lesson plan with objectives, standards, and assessments, which makes it a powerful tool for creating instruction that connects to students’ experiences and supports their language development.”
Furthermore, Ms. Bess created anchor charts and visuals through structured prompting:
New York’s classrooms are some of the most culturally and linguistically diverse in the country. Our TESOL certificate program prepares NYS-certified teachers to provide responsive, comprehensive education to students of every background.
Personal Opinion: Pedagogical Value of Discussion Boards in Online Courses I utilize discussion boards as essential scaffolding tools in my online courses at Touro University, providing multilayered support for my master’s degree candidates’ academic development. These course discussion boards function as preparatory spaces where my teacher candidates can practice academic writing conventions, develop critical thinking skills, and experiment with disciplinary discourse before tackling more substantial assignments such as research papers or presentations. Through regular posting requirements, my candidates create meaningful artifacts that demonstrate their evolving command of academic English and pedagogical understanding, including proper APA citation practices which prepare them for graduate-level academic work. The iterative nature of discussion board participation enables me to track my candidates’ linguistic and academic progress throughout the semester, providing valuable opportunities to observe candidate growth over time and identify when coaching sessions are needed, particularly when I notice disconnects between course materials and student responses.
This course provides a historical overview of second language acquisition theories and teaching methods. Students learn how to apply current approaches, methods and techniques, with attention to the effective use of materials, in teaching English as a second language. Students will engage in the planning and implementation of standards-based ESL instruction which includes differentiated learning experiences geared to students’ needs. Emphasis is placed on creating culturally responsive learning environments. Includes 15 hours of field work.
Dr. Cowin’s Advice on Articulating a Teaching Philosophy
As a professor who has spent years preparing TESOL educators for the classroom, I want to share why developing your teaching philosophy is not just another academic exercise, but the foundation upon which your entire career will stand. When I first began teaching, I thought methodology was everything. I spent countless hours perfecting lesson plans and mastering techniques. Yet something was missing. It wasn’t until I articulated my core beliefs about language learning that my teaching transformed from mechanical application to purposeful practice.
Your teaching philosophy serves as your professional compass, particularly crucial in TESOL where you navigate complex intersections of language, culture, identity, and power. Every day, you make hundreds of decisions in your classroom. Without a clear philosophy grounding these choices, you risk becoming reactive rather than intentional, swayed by the latest trends or administrative pressures rather than guided by deep convictions about what your students need.
Consider how the guiding questions connect to real classroom moments. When a student struggles with pronunciation, your response stems from your beliefs about error correction and the role of accent in communication. When parents worry their child is losing their home language, your philosophy shapes whether you see this as inevitable or preventable, and how you engage families as partners. When standardized test pressures mount, your philosophy determines whether you narrow your curriculum or maintain rich, meaningful language experiences. These aren’t theoretical considerations; they’re daily realities that demand principled responses.The requirement to articulate your core beliefs forces you to examine assumptions you may not realize you hold.
Writing your philosophy demands honest reflection on how your own language learning experiences, both positive and negative, shape your expectations for students. This self-awareness is essential for avoiding the trap of teaching as you were taught rather than teaching as your students need.
Your classroom practice section bridges the critical gap between theory and application. Too often, teachers claim student-centered beliefs while maintaining teacher-dominated classrooms. By explicitly connecting your principles to specific practices, you create accountability for yourself. If you believe in honoring home languages, how does this manifest in your lesson planning? If you value collaborative learning, what structures support meaningful peer interaction? This alignment between beliefs and actions builds integrity in your practice.The student-centered approach component challenges you to move beyond generic commitments to “meeting all learners’ needs” toward aspecific understanding of the multilingual learners in your context. New York’s ESOL students aren’t abstract categories but individuals navigating complex linguistic landscapes. Some are refugees processing trauma while acquiring academic English. Others are heritage speakers reclaiming languages their families were pressured to abandon. Your philosophy must acknowledge this diversity while maintaining high expectations for all learners.
Professional growth isn’t an addendum to your philosophy but integral to ethical practice. Language teaching methodologies evolve as we gain a deeper understanding of second language acquisition. Demographics shift, bringing new languages and cultures into our classrooms. Educational policies change, sometimes supporting and at other times constraining our work. A static philosophy becomes obsolete. A commitment to ongoing development means your philosophy remains a living document, refined through experience and responsive to your students’ evolving needs. The authenticity requirement protects against the temptation to write what you think others want to hear. When challenges arise, and they will, only genuine conviction will sustain you. Your philosophy should reflect hard-won insights from your own journey, not perfect answers from textbooks.
Maureen Young Leggett teaches elementary education in New York City Public Schools. She studied History and English Literature at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, and chose the field of education as her second career. She received her Master of Science in Education, Birth through Grade 6, from Hofstra University in Uniondale, NY. Maureen is proud that her students leave her classroom each day knowing how to think harder and communicate better.
“So many of by students are multilingual. They are learning English as their second or even third language. My quest to find ways for them to be academically successful has led me to Touro. I am currently pursuing my TESOL certification.”
Maureen Leggett, Touro University TESOL Certificate Candidate
This comprehensive course builds upon the foundation of curriculum development and classroom management in the context of teaching English language learners. Expanding its horizons to embrace the digital age, the course adeptly weaves innovative technology integration into the domain of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Crafted to empower prospective TESOL/BLE educators, the course hones in on fostering competence in designing, implementing, assessing, and reflecting within diverse language learning environments, all while capitalizing on the potentials of cutting-edge technology. With a strong focus on practical application and discerning appraisal of technological tools, this course primes upcoming educators to excel amidst the ever-evolving educational landscape. Includes 10 hours of field work.
Personal Opinion: Pedagogical Value of Discussion Boards in Online Courses I utilize discussion boards as essential scaffolding tools in my online courses at Touro University, providing multilayered support for my master’s degree candidates’ academic development. These course discussion boards function as preparatory spaces where my teacher candidates can practice academic writing conventions, develop critical thinking skills, and experiment with disciplinary discourse before tackling more substantial assignments such as research papers or presentations. Through regular posting requirements, my candidates create meaningful artifacts that demonstrate their evolving command of academic English and pedagogical understanding, including proper APA citation practices which prepare them for graduate-level academic work. The iterative nature of discussion board participation allows me to track my candidates’ linguistic and academic progress throughout the semester, giving me valuable opportunities to observe candidate growth over time and identify when coaching sessions are needed if I notice disconnects between course materials and student responses. Additionally, peer response activities foster collaborative learning and provide authentic audiences for feedback exchange on their larger assignments. Using discussion boards to introduce emerging technologies such as mind mapping tools, multimedia integration, and collaborative platforms helps prepare my teacher candidates for 21st-century classroom instruction and professional communication demands. I believe, that this scaffolded approach ultimately bridges theory and practice while allowing me to provide targeted, individualized support based on ongoing assessment of candidate performance. Madison Derwin submitted an exemplary Discussion board in EDDN 635 Curriculum Development and Classroom Management in the Technology Era and permitted me to share it.
Madison Derwin, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Inclusive Childhood Education from SUNY Cortland. She currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in TESOL at Touro University while working as a 4th-grade Teacher’s Assistant at an elementary school on Long Island. Her goal as an educator is to create an inclusive, supportive learning environment that empowers every student to reach their full potential and thrive both academically and socially. Her motto is “I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy- I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” – Art Williams
As a teacher’s assistant in a 4th grade classroom, planning and collaborating with my teacher ensures consistent support for our students’ learning needs. Together, we align lesson goals, share resources, and coordinate instructional strategies to create a fun and engaging environment. Because of this, I chose to focus my Wakelet on the math unit that we just recently finished. The collection includes the four lessons that were learned throughout the chapter. Within each one is a YouTube mini lesson video, a reteach worksheet, and an enrichment worksheet. This is going to best support our students by providing them with additional resources to help them to study for the upcoming exam.
Discuss the English Learner Education Collaboration Tool (PDF is provided in the course). How might this tool help you with your Curriculum map? Be specific!
The English Learner Education Collaboration Tool is a guide that is designed to help educators work together to support English learners in both language and content learning. I believe that its main goal is to offer a framework that integrates the WIDA English Language Development Standards into daily lesson planning. The WIDA Standards “can help you [educators] integrate language development and content learning that is suitable to the grade level and the various English language proficiencies of your students” (WIDA, 2025). The Collaboration Tool addresses three essential questions, such as how to teach language and content at the same time, which language skills to prioritize with limited time, and how language and content teachers can collaborate using shared language and processes (DESE, 2025). There are thinking spaces that are divided into two categories: Language for Learning, Thinking, and Being; and Developing Unit-Level Focus Language Goals. The first Thinking Space is about guiding educators to set learning goals, gather evidence, plan for teaching, and plan for student activities. The other Thinking Space connects language goals with content standards.
I believe the English Learner Education Collaboration Tool might help me with my Curriculum Map by providing me with a practical framework to integrate meaningful language supports as well as academic content. The tool focuses on combining language development and content learning together, not separately. I am looking forward to seeing how I can use this knowledge while working on my curriculum map while addressing both areas. I can also align my curriculum map with the WIDA standards and proficiency levels, as they will assist me in checking in to ensure that my curriculum map matches the language skills my students are learning.
Discuss the following curriculum analysis and think about how you might do your curriculum analysis. Think about which curriculum you might use for YOUR analysis. (Curriculum analysis example provided in the course)
Personally, I believe that the following curriculum map analysis has many strengths and areas for improvement. For example, the curriculum analysis provided correlates to the Next Generation ELA Standards while integrating the topic of science to reinforce literacy skills. Although the standards are connected to assessment tasks, they are not WIDA or proficiency level aligned. I feel like if the standards were WIDA aligned, then the student who analyzed this curriculum would have had an easier time combining language development and content learning together and not separately. Second, this curriculum analysis does use phenomena-based learning and incorporates multiple learning methods to enhance understanding. This provides support for Multilingual Learners. One thing that I would change within this analysis is the use of technology. There are some digital tools that were mentioned, however expanding the integration of technology could boost learning beyond the classroom. When it comes time for me to start on my curriculum analysis, I am going to align my standards to WIDA as well as include multiple and different uses of technology for my students to use. For my analysis, I am thinking of using the Personal Identity unit that is part of my 4th grade curriculum.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). (2025). English Learner Education Collaboration Tool. Doe.mass.edu. https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/instruction/.
In my previous article for Stankevicius, “The Veldt 2.0: Your Smart Home Wants Your Children,” I drew on Ray Bradbury’s 1950 short story “The Veldt” to warn that the corporate arms race in artificial intelligence is no longer confined to laboratories and trading floors; it is creeping into nurseries and playrooms. I argued that when companies such as Mattel announce plans to embed OpenAI’s language and video models into children’s toys, the Moloch trap comes home. Bradbury’s fictional HappyLife Home, with its immersive nursery, serves as a blueprint for a smart-home ecosystem in which machines monitor and mediate children’s relationships. Negative highlights are privacy breaches, the risk that intimate recordings could be repurposed into deepfake child pornography, and the broader danger that children might form their first emotional attachments with responsive algorithms rather than with human caregivers.
This exclusive Stankevicius article extends that moral inquiry from the home to the public sphere. Deepfakes, convincing audio and video fabrications generated by machine-learning models, transform images and voices into programmable surfaces. They threaten to dissolve the link between what we sense and what is real. The problem is not merely technological; it is moral and political. Drawing on C. S. Lewis’s dystopian novelThat Hideous Strength (1945) to explore how technocratic institutions manipulate belief. In the book the National Institute of Co‑ordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.) attempts to recondition public opinion by flooding society with narratives that make disbelief costly.
Today’s stakes are high. Recent incidents highlight the significant advancements in technology and the continued inadequacy of institutional preparedness. In early 2024, as reported by CNN, the British engineering giant Arup revealed as $25 million deepfake scam, centered around a finance worker in Hong Kong who transferred 39 million dollars (HK$200 million) during a video meeting, believing she was speaking to her executives; the “colleagues” were AI‑generated.
A venerable Who’s Who greeting unfolded at the doorsteps of the Church of the Holy Family on the evening of Monday, September 8, 2025, as representatives from every corner of the earth gathered in perfect early fall weather for the annual United Nations Prayer Service marking the opening of the 80th Session of the General Assembly. On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, world leaders will gather at UN Headquarters in New York for the formal opening ceremony, uniting to tackle urgent global issues under the inspiring theme “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.”
Step into the heart of Paris, where innovation meets tradition at the UNESCO headquarters, and the brightest minds in education and technology converge. Stankevicius Media, through Dr. Jasmin Cowin, brings you an exclusive, on-the-ground perspective from UNESCO Digital Learning Week 2025, a global gathering dedicated to shaping the future of digital education.
Live from UNESCO Headquarters in Paris
As I arrived at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for the inaugural Digital Learning Week 2025, I felt a sense of both anticipation and responsibility. This event, newly rebranded after a decade as Mobile Learning Week, drew together a vibrant and diverse global community of educators, policy-makers, researchers, and innovators, all eager to address one of the defining questions of our era: How can we harness the power of digital technologies, especially artificial intelligence, to create more equitable, human-centered education for all?
The fieldwork for EDPN 673 Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language focuses on exploring and analyzing K–12 pedagogical approaches, methods, and strategies relevant to teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) and bilingual learners in diverse classrooms. The objective is to develop a deep understanding of the strategies that effectively convey state and professional standards-based curricula to students from different age groups, ability levels, and cultural backgrounds. This fieldwork is particularly valuable for TESOL and Bilingual candidates because it sharpens the practical application of observational skills. By systematically documenting, comparing, and evaluating instructional practices, candidates move beyond passive observation to purposeful analysis. They learn to identify nuanced teacher decision-making, scaffolded supports for multilingual learners, and the interplay between language objectives and content objectives. In doing so, TESOL and Bilingual candidates cultivate the ability to translate observations into actionable insights for their own teaching practice, bridging theory with evidence-based application in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.
Johana Matute has been teaching for 3 years. She will officially start teaching at a DOE Public School fall 2025. She loves to read books and go for nature walks during my free time.
Her fieldwork report demonstrates an outstanding ability to connect classroom observations with TESOL and bilingual education theories, showing both depth and clarity. The report highlights how instructional strategies supported language and content objectives for multilingual learners with precision and insight. The candidate’s reflections reveal strong professional readiness and a high level of critical analysis.
As someone who understands the power of speaking more than one language, I chose Touro University’s bilingual certification program to help students thrive in both their native language and English.”
Johana Matute, Bilingual Certification Candidate at Touro University
Students will become acquainted with and practice effective approaches, methods, and strategies for teaching and evaluating English language learners in the content areas (ELA, social studies, math and science). Throughout the course, students will explore the impact of culture and language on classroom learning. Special challenges in teaching and assessment in each content area will also be discussed. Includes 15 hours of field work.
Elizabeth Guallpa teaches Spanish to both heritage and non-heritage speakers at Port Richmond High School in Staten Island, New York. In order to enhance her proficiency in assisting multilingual learners, she is presently pursuing a TESOL/Bilingual Extension at Touro University. Elizabeth’s passion as a teacher is helping kids to thrive academically and linguistically via culturally relevant instruction.
My experience at Touro University has changed my life, providing me with the skills, self-assurance, and vision I need to provide excellent, empathetic multilingual instruction. I’ve been reminded of why I selected this road by each course, which has pushed me to develop as an advocate and educator. In addition to improving my professional abilities, Touro has strengthened my resolve to elevate the voices of multilingual and immigrant pupils.
Elizabeth Guallpa, Touro University Master’s Degree Candidate
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