Rural Education: Empowering English Language Learners (Expert Opinion Review)
Thobias Sarbunan
INSTITUT AGAMA KRISTEN NEGERI AMBON/ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTEMENT
Strengthening English Learner Education in Rural Areas
April 1, 2020
Author: Douglas Gagnon
REL Central Staff
Body of Review
The primary purpose of this paper is to shed light on the difficulties and potential practices involved in meeting the educational requirements of English Language Learners (ELs) who live in rural locations. It explores how new people's movement into rural regions has resulted in an inflow of English Language Learners (ELs) with varied histories, languages, and cultures into schools that once had a homogeneous student body. This transition makes it necessary to adopt new tactics to ensure the success of both English Language Learners (ELs) and the instructors who assist them, particularly in educational systems where resources for ELs may be in short supply.
The article emphasises the need for proper training and professional development opportunities for educators, particularly those needing experience dealing with English Language Learners (ELs). Many educators are willing to participate in practises that may improve the educational results for English Language Learners (ELs), even though lacking the training necessary to do so. The research also shows that rural instructors want to learn languages like Spanish to have better conversations with their pupils learning English as a second language.
The article also addresses how rural education communities tackle cultural differences, poverty, and a lack of support services as challenges to learning English learners (ELs). It has been determined that one of the most important first steps towards overcoming these obstacles is cultivating trustworthy connections between the families of ELs and the officials of their schools. The use of messages written in local languages on school billboards and the development of photo-based storybooks for parents are examples of practical efforts presented to illustrate methods to build an educational environment that is more inclusive and supportive of its students.
As the article suggests, a successful education for ELs in rural locations needs a multi-faceted strategy combining teacher training, community participation, and innovative ways to overcome hurdles. It highlights the need for ongoing study and the exchange of information to ensure that educators, teacher educators, and administrators have the skills and insights necessary to effectively serve English learners in the context of changing school demographics.
In the post-new normal period, potential future studies may investigate how the methodologies and pedagogical approaches outlined in the article above might be adapted to the shifting educational environment and might involve researching the effect that technology has had on the teaching of English as a second language (EL) in rural regions, looking at novel approaches to establishing trust and engagement with families in a digital context and analysing the role that culturally responsive pedagogy plays in distant or hybrid learning settings. In addition, research might investigate the long-term results and experiences of ELs who get help based on these tactics to provide insights into the ELs' academic achievement, language development, and general well-being.
Probability Idea in Future
Implementing the article's abstract idea, which focuses on helping English Language Learners (ELs) in rural schools, calls for a careful and thorough strategy. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to use these ideas successfully:
Gagnon, D. (2020, April 1). Strengthening English Learner Education in Rural Areas | REL Central. REL Central Blog; The Institute of Education Sciences (IES). https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/central/blog/rural-english-learners.asp