Aiming for Equity: Preparing Mainstream Teachers for Inclusion or Inclusive Classrooms?

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 ( ELL s). Does teacher preparation translate into instructional practices for English language development? What do graduates of those programs do differently, if anything, for ELL s 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 ELL s in primary classrooms with low numbers of ELL s 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 ELL s. The authors discuss implications for second language educators.