Dr. Rashad Ahmed has been recognized for his work at Jax State (Rashad Ahmed)
The TESOL International Association has named Jacksonville State professor Rashad Ahmed as the 2026 Teacher of the Year.
TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and the award honors outstanding educators who teach English to non-native speakers at all levels.
Dr. Ahmed, an associate professor of TESOL and linguistics at Jax State, will be honored at the TESOL 2026 International Convention & Expo in Salt Lake City from March 24–27.
As part of the award he receives:
$1,000 cash prize
Free registration to the conference
Travel and hotel covered
TESOL membership and publications
“I was overwhelmed. Growing up in a small, underserved community, I never imagined receiving an international teaching award. My first thought was of my high school English teacher, who stayed after school day after day for a student the world was not paying attention to, and then my students at Jacksonville State, because they’re the reason I love this work.”
Rashad Ahmed, Jax State Professor
TESOL Teacher of the Year
Part of what sets Ahmed apart is his different approach to teaching English, which emphasizes collaboration, technology, and real-world communication.
He has reworked traditional writing instruction through a project that encourages students to analyze real-world opinion pieces, collaborate with classmates, and use digital tools like Lucid Whiteboard to visually plan their arguments before writing.
“I treat my students as thinkers and decision-makers, not just language learners. My goal is to keep both students and teachers in control of the learning process, especially as we use AI in the classroom. I also design my courses so that every student can succeed regardless of their background or level of comfort with technology.”
Rashad Ahmed, Jax State Professor
Ahmed’s Keynote at the 2024 Faculty Symposium (Rashad Ahmed)
“I hope this shows that innovative, student-centered teaching is happening right here at Jacksonville State. It puts our university on the map in the global conversation about language education and the future of teaching with AI.”
Rashad Ahmed, Jax State Professor
For Ahmed, the most important thing he wants his students leaving with is finding and using their own voice.
I want them to leave my classroom believing in their own voice. Language is not just grammar and vocabulary; it is how you advocate for yourself, how you participate in your community, and how you connect with people whose experiences are different from your own. I also want my students to think critically about the tools they use, especially AI. The technology will keep changing, but the ability to think clearly, communicate authentically, and make informed decisions about when and how to use these tools will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Rashad Ahmed, Jax State Professor
Sign up for our FREE newsletter for more exciting Alabama news like this.