Prompt literacy for teachers: A progressive pedagogical framework for AI-enabled inclusive learning

This study presents a structured development model aimed at transforming prompt engineering from a technical skill into a core pedagogical competency for Italian secondary school teachers. Despite the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational settings, significant gaps persist in teacher AI literacy, with only 34% of Italian educators feeling adequately prepared to use AI tools (GoStudent, 2025). This study addresses this critical deficit by proposing a progressive three-level "prompt literacy" framework grounded in the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0 principles. The model defines three competency stages (Basic Prompt Literacy, Pedagogical Prompting, and Inclusive Prompt Design) aligned with UNESCO's Acquire-Deepen-Create progression levels. Each stage integrates the Prompt Engineering Competence Scale (PECS) for self-assessment and competency measurement. Through situated, practice-based workshops, teachers learn to design prompts that support multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression, thereby creating inclusive, adaptive, and student-centered learning environments. By bridging the AI literacy gap with pedagogically informed prompt design strategies, this framework aims to empower educators to leverage AI as a tool for equity and meaningful differentiation in contemporary classrooms.