AI-powered lesson planning eases burden of ESL teachers
CEBU, Philippines — Vietnam-based Cebuano innovator Poppet C. Celdran has launched BridgeAI, a new educational technology startup that aims to transform the way Filipino English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers create lesson plans.
BridgeAI is a subscription-based platform available at www.bridgeai.pro. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help teachers quickly create ESL lesson plans—saving them significant time and effort.
This is especially useful in the Philippines, which has one of the largest English-teaching communities in the world.
“Filipino teachers are known worldwide for their excellent English instruction,” said Celdran, founder and CEO of BridgeAI. “But lesson planning takes up so much of their time. It affects both their personal lives and how well they teach. BridgeAI is here to lighten that load.”
Celdran, a graduate of the University of the Philippines Cebu with a master’s degree in Development Communication from UP Los Baños Open University, shared that early trials with Filipino teachers have shown great results. On average, teachers saved up to eight hours a week using BridgeAI, and student engagement reportedly improved by 40 percent.
The launch comes at a timely moment, as the Philippines continues to strengthen its position as a global ESL hub. With the Department of Education’s revised K–12 curriculum placing more focus on English proficiency, tools like BridgeAI can help teachers deliver better lessons to more students.
“BridgeAI takes care of the heavy lifting so teachers can focus on what they love—inspiring students,” Celdran added.
Teachers who join the waitlist will receive early access when the platform officially launches later this year, along with special introductory pricing. The company is also working closely with local schools to ensure BridgeAI is tailored to the unique needs of Filipino classrooms.
BridgeAI also supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by helping students learn English more effectively—without adding to teachers’ workloads. This is especially important in the Philippines, where class sizes often exceed the global average.
“I used to spend all of Sunday preparing lessons,” said Angel Namatic, an ESL teacher from Batangas City who joined the pilot program. “Now I can create better lessons in just a few minutes. I have more time with my family, and my students are learning more.”
BridgeAI is the latest tech venture from Celdran, who also launched Zen—Vietnam’s first massage therapy app—in 2022.
Zen Wellness App is a health and wellness platform offering in-home and on-demand services in Vietnam. The company is planning to expand to the Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand by 2026. — (FREEMAN)
Source:
Tags: AI-powered ESL Teachers
