Learning to Teach English Language Learners as “a Side Note”

This chapter examines nine TESOL minor preservice teachers' (PSTs') perspectives of their preparation to teach ELLs in the US, including their perceptions regarding learning in formal teacher education courses and their experiences outside the program. Findings revealed that their formal ELL learning in the program courses was limited in scope and depth due to the program's “just good teaching ideology” that treated teaching ELLs the same as other student groups, and its knowledge-transmission model that provided few opportunities to apply the knowledge acquired in the courses. The PSTs actively sought ELL learning opportunities outside the teacher education program. Despite these efforts, the PSTs felt unprepared to teach ELLs. The findings suggest that to fully prepare PSTs for ELLs, teacher education programs must shift ELL education from “a side note” to systematic and explicit integration in the core content and spaces of teacher development.