Maria Petkovic Caperton

Maria Petkovic Caperton is a Professor at the SCAD Language Studio, Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA), a position she has held since Winter 2022. Previously, she served as an ESL teacher and program coordinator (2017–22) at Progress High School for Professional Careers in New York, focusing on ELL student services and curriculum innovation. She holds an M.S. in TESOL from The City College of New York and a B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Niš.

• Education:
• M.S., TESOL, The City College of New York
• B.A., English Language and Literature, University of Niš

Her expertise centers on ESL methodologies, culturally relevant pedagogy, and educational technology integration. She developed curricula that increased student engagement by 70%, implemented a paperless classroom to boost computer literacy, and collaborated with programming departments to align ESL programs with graduation requirements. As an Educational Technologies Lead Teacher, she trained staff on digital tools and fostered peer learning through teacher inter-visitations.

Maria’s work emphasizes scaffolding language skills (BICS/CALP) for multilevel ESL populations, with a focus on newcomer student integration and data-driven instruction. Her career spans over 18 years, including roles as a NYC Teaching Fellow and private tutor in Serbia, where she supported over 40 students in achieving grade-level proficiency.