Mainstream teachers throughout the world are increasingly expected
to differentiate instruction for primary-grade students with diverse
learning needs, including second or English language learners
(ELLs). Does teacher preparation translate into instructional practices
for English language development? What do graduates of those
programs do differently, if anything, for ELLs in their classrooms?
This mixed-methods study examined the beliefs and practices of two
focal teacher graduates of a teacher preparation program that
included second language training. Findings show that teacher graduates
working with ELLs in primary classrooms with low numbers of
ELLs used some generic accommodation strategies and just-in-time
scaffolding techniques, but they rarely instituted specific ELL practices
to facilitate the English language development of ELLs. The
authors discuss implications for second language educators