Crossing Cultural and Linguistic Boundaries: An Innovative Transnational Teacher Residency Model for Rural Schools

Throughout the United States, rural communities have employed innovative strategies to tackle the escalating shortage of teachers. Studies indicate that various models, including grow-your-own initiatives and financial incentives, enable rural areas to optimize their resources to address the shortfall. Despite these endeavors, the demand for teachers persists. Moreover, with the increasing racial and ethnic diversity in rural demographics, there is a growing need for culturally and linguistically diverse teachers. This article explores a teacher preparation program’s effort in devising a residency model for modern language teaching, aiming to connect international teacher candidates with rural communities across the state.