Mapping Literacy Practices in Bilingual Contexts for Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Literacy is crucial for academic, social, and personal development, yet individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) often face significant cognitive, linguistic, and educational barriers. This may be exacerbated within bilingual contexts. This scoping review focused on mapping recent literature on literacy practices for bilingual learners with ID. The scope was to identify effective instructional strategies and possible barriers to literacy intervention. The search included empirical studies on literacy practices in ID within bilingual/multilingual settings, published between 2020 and 2025. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed descriptively. The analysis revealed six thematic areas: family-driven bilingual literacy, educator experiences, cross-linguistic learning, evidence-based literacy instruction, innovation in literacy tools, and inclusive bilingual education settings. Findings indicated the benefits of bilingual literacy instruction, specifically in cross-linguistic transfer effects in phonological awareness and decoding. However, systemic barriers were also identified. These included inadequate educator preparation and over-reliance on monolingual assessments. The review highlights the potential for inclusive, linguistically diverse interventions. Future research should explore holistic, collaborative, and methodologically diverse evidence-based approaches to stimulate better skills and implement effective practices for multilingual learners with ID.