Esmeralda Mora

Esmeralda Mora is a transformative educator whose life and work embody the power of culturally responsive teaching and the global impact one teacher can make. A first-generation college graduate and survivor of gun violence, she draws deeply from her own lived experience to help students from marginalised communities discover their voices. For over 15 years, she has taught in Chicago-area high schools serving immigrant and low-income students who face significant personal, linguistic, and socioeconomic barriers. These challenges have shaped her mission: to use language as a tool for empowerment, empathy, cultural pride, and global citizenship. 

Her most influential contribution to education is her pioneering work in Language Learner Literature (LLL) – a groundbreaking model that replaces traditional grammar-heavy textbooks with culturally relevant young adult novels designed specifically for language acquisition. Esmeralda is an international best-selling author, and her novels – including Adelita y la Revolución Mexicana and Los quince de Raquel – have sold more than 90,000 copies worldwide and are featured in major curricula such as Wayside Publishing’s EntreCulturas series. This unprecedented adoption demonstrates the scalability and national resonance of her approach. 

In her classroom, Esmeralda integrates ACTFL’s 5Cs into rich, interdisciplinary units that weave together history, art, and music. Students engage with authentic cultural narratives, debate social justice issues, and build confidence through public-speaking opportunities. Her data-driven methods have yielded exceptional outcomes: students consistently outperform national AAPPL averages, with later cohorts scoring Intermediate 5 in Listening and Intermediate 4 in Reading, well above the national average of Intermediate 3. Her doctoral research provides empirical evidence that LLL significantly improves proficiency, particularly in writing and speaking.

Esmeralda’s influence extends far beyond her school. She founded the Language Learner Literature Advisory Board (LLLAB), shaping national standards for inclusive curricula. She regularly trains educators through professional development workshops, mentors novice teachers, and advocates for equitable instructional materials. She has served as a PD presenter, proposal reviewer, and speaker at ACTFL, and her thought leadership has been featured on PBS Latino Voices. In 2024, she was named Illinois Teacher of the Year by ICTFL, elevating the profile of culturally relevant education state-wide. 

Her community impact is equally profound. Esmeralda founded and directed a massive annual International Festival across 17 Chicago charter schools, providing thousands of students with a platform to celebrate identity and culture. She supports sustainability initiatives – including a student-led waste reduction programme that won first place in the Illinois Green School Project, diverting nearly 3,000 pounds of waste annually. Her advanced Spanish curriculum incorporates global citizenship, climate responsibility, and international collaboration, including virtual exchanges with experts abroad. 

If one defining achievement sets Esmeralda apart, it is her authorship of globally impactful, culturally authentic novels that are reshaping world language education. By creating materials in which students can see themselves, she is transforming not only classrooms but the field itself – empowering the next generation of multilingual, socially conscious global citizens.