The 6th VirtuaTELL

Conference

June 6, 2026 | Fully Online

10AM-2PM (Eastern Time)

New York State TESOL TELL SIG & Center for Learning in the Digital Age, University of Rochester

2026 Conference Theme:

“Responsible AI: Ethics and Pedagogy in TESOL”

The conference theme, "Responsible AI: Ethics and Pedagogy in TESOL," examines the critical intersection of artificial intelligence, ethical practice, and pedagogical innovation in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). This conference will explore how educators and researchers can harness AI technologies responsibly while maintaining ethical standards and pedagogical integrity. Attendees will engage with thought-leaders who will share frameworks for responsible AI integration, address concerns about equity and access, and envision a future where AI enhances rather than replaces the human elements of language teaching and learning.

Conference format: Fully online (Zoom)

Figure 1. Adapted from Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Revolutionized Way of Learning Languages, by LiveXP Team, 2024, LiveXP (https://livexp.com/blog/ai-and-language-learning/). Copyright 2024 by LiveXP.

Figure 2. Adapted from The Evolution of Language in the Age of AI (Part 1), by A. R. M. K., 2023, Medium. https://medium.com/@arturormk/the-evolution-of-language-in-the-age-of-ai-part-1-b494c818b9b4

🌍 Exploring Responsible AI in TESOL

Potential topics:

- How can TESOL teachers guide students to use AI transparently and responsibly?
- What counts as acceptable AI support in language learning?
- How can TESOL assessments move beyond essays that AI can easily generate?
- How can process-based, oral, collaborative, or multimodal assessments support authentic learning?
- What do language learners need to know to use AI critically?
- How can prompt writing become part of academic and language literacy?
- How can teachers prevent AI-assisted plagiarism without relying only on detection tools?
- How can students show their own thinking and voice?
- How can AI-supported tasks help students reflect on their writing, revisions, and learning process?
- How can peer work, teamwork, and oral interaction reduce misuse of AI and promote genuine participation?
- What support do TESOL educators need to integrate AI into pedagogy and assessment responsibly?
- Who has access to AI tools, and who may be disadvantaged?
- How do AI tools respond to multilingual learners, accents, dialects, and different proficiency levels?
- How can teachers preserve human connection, learner agency, and meaningful communication in AI-supported classrooms?
- What policies should programs develop for AI use, citation, disclosure, privacy, and assessment?

About VirtuaTELL

Launched by NYS TESOL's TELL SIG, VirtuaTELL presents an unparalleled opportunity for TESOL professionals to gather and explore the dynamic landscape of technology-enhanced language teaching and learning.

Previous VirtuaTELL & Themes:

Co-hosted by the Center for Learning in the Digital Age, University of Rochester

This year, New York State TESOL's Technology-Enhanced Language Learning SIG Leadership Team (TELL SIG) is pleased to announce a co-hosting partnership for VirtuaTELL 2026 with the Center for Learning in the Digital Age (LiDA) at the Warner School of Education, University of Rochester. Learn MORE about the LiDA center.