Inclusive English Language Pedagogies for Learners with Disabilities across Various Contexts: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

As educational paradigms shift toward inclusive practices, supporting learners with disabilities in English as a Second Language (ESL) education remains a global challenge. This systematic literature review aims to examine the global demographic representation of learners with disabilities and identify effective instructional methodologies. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework, among 1,211 initial articles from SAGE, Taylor & Francis, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, the study ultimately synthesized 14 peer-reviewed empirical articles (2022–2026) meeting the inclusion criteria of focusing on ESL pedagogy and specific disability classifications. The findings revealed that learners with literacy-related disabilities, particularly dyslexia and reading difficulties, were the most frequently represented population, while autistic learners (four studies) and learners who are deaf or hard of hearing, have physical disabilities, or carry intersectional labels (two studies each) were less frequently represented. The literature was concentrated primarily in the United States and selected Asian and European contexts, with higher education emerging as the dominant educational setting. In terms of pedagogy, translanguaging practices, multimodal and visual scaffolding, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and structured literacy instruction were the most frequently reported approaches, although reporting frequency does not establish comparative effectiveness. Overall, the findings indicate a growing shift from deficit-oriented perspectives toward more inclusive, multilingual, and accessibility-centered approaches in ESL education for learners with disabilities. These findings hold significant implications for curriculum designers, highlighting the need to integrate disability-inclusive frameworks into language teacher preparation globally.