Rachel Toncelli Selected by U.S. Department of State for Prestigious English Language Specialist Project

by Natalie Bowers

The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Rachel Toncelli , CPS Lecturer for NU Immerse and Global Pathways, for a 2-week English Language Specialist project focusing on teaching academic writing in the age of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in Russia at a national conference focused on teaching writing. Toncelli is part of a select group, as her project is one of approximately 240
that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year.

Toncelli is a lecturer at Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies most recently, her scholarly interest has centered around exploring how English language educators develop critical AI literacy. This past March, Toncelli and CPS colleague and Ilka Kostka were awarded the Ron Chang Lee Award from TESOL International Association. Named in honor of one of the pioneers in the implementation of technology in English Language Teaching (ELT), Kostka and Toncelli’s work was recognized for its pedagogical innovation.

The English Language Specialist Program is the premier opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, English Language Specialists work directly with local teacher trainers, educational leaders, and ministry of education officials to exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the United States and overseas.

English Language Specialists are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Specialist Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.

For further information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit elprograms.org/specialist, or e-mail [email protected].