Rural English Learner Education: A Review of Research and Call for a National Agenda

Abstract

The number of rural English learner (EL) students and families has increased over the past decade, due in part to U.S. immigration and economic policies. Educators in rural schools face challenges associated with EL education, including obtaining resources for language teaching and learning, identifying and retaining specialized teachers, and accessing professional development to support teachers and educational leaders in EL student learning. Other challenges include communicating with non-English-speaking families to support learning. The author reviews research on the intersecting areas of rural education and EL education. The subfield of rural EL education has been underexamined across the research community, and nationally there is need to examine the backgrounds, languages, and learning needs of this group of students. The author highlights five pressing areas: knowledge of the characteristics and demographics of EL students and families across rural designations; language education approaches, models, and practices for EL students; hiring and retaining teachers of ELs in rural settings; and professional development for mainstream teachers and leaders of rural EL students. This review calls for an organized national research agenda that begins to unravel rural EL education and that offers a coherent direction for scholars, teacher-educators, and policymakers.