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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 17. Number 1, March 2026 Pp.267-291
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of Languages and Communication
Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of Languages and Communication
Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of Languages and Communication
Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia
This study examines the parents’ challenges and needs in assisting their autistic children’s English language learning at home. Parents of autistic children in the rural areas require attention as they too need the proper support for their children’s language learning endeavours. Currently, there is a dearth of studies on parents’ challenges and needs in facilitating the development of their children’s language acquisition in English at home. Through a narrative review method, this paper focuses on the challenges and needs of parents of children with autism in the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak. The analysis of the relevant literature reveals several challenges faced by parents of autistic children in the rural areas. These include communication and behavioural barriers, parents’ own limited knowledge and emotional stress, and lack of collaborative support from the community. The review also highlights the needs of the parents in preparing a conducive home learning environment to optimise their autistic children’s ESL learning experiences. Among the needs identified are training in autism-specific English language teaching strategies, emotional and psychological support, and more potent home-school collaborative synergy. It implies that parents have an essential role to play in enriching their autistic children’s English language learning experiences at home.
Megat Khalid,, P. Z., Kussin, H. J. & Ang, Y.X.N. (2026). Developing Autistic Children’s ESL Learning Experiences: Parents’ Challenges and Needs in Rural Areas. Arab World English Journal, 17(1): 267-291,
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Puteri Zarina Megat Khalid (Ph.D. in English Language, University of Glasgow), (M. Ed. TESL, UPSI) is a senior lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Her research interests are Discourse (Genre) Analysis, ESP and Corpus Linguistics. She has published several chapters-in-books and numerous other studies in reputable journals spanning across transdisciplinary domains.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9296-8662
Haddi @ Junaidi Kussin is a lecturer at Sultan Idris Education University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate degree and has 18 years of experience teaching at the university level. His research interests include language acquisition, language policies, and educational psychology. According to him, education is not preparation for life; rather, it is life itself.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0103-8150
Nicky Ang Yee Xing is a master’s degree student in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). He is passionate about language teaching and learning and aspires to enhance his pedagogical skills and contribute positively to English language education in diverse learning environments. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3588-1132