ABSTRACT
English Language Learners’ (ELLs) presence in U.S. mainstream classrooms continues to increase. Indeed, ELL enrollment in the country grew by 57% between 1995 and 2005, whereas the overall K–12 population remained relatively stable (Maxwell, 2009). The total estimated number of ELLs in the U.S. now surpasses five million (Viadero, 2009). Though the number of ELLs per state varies greatly, ELLs are found in all states throughout the U.S. (Batalova & McHugh, 2010) and, in 20 states, ELL enrollment has more than doubled between 1995 and 2005 (Maxwell, 2009). Elsewhere in the world, with increasing migration, teachers must be able to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students (Hawkins, 2011b, p. 1). Therefore, a major goal of teacher education programs today is to improve instruction for ELLs by preparing teacher candidates (TCs) to support them.
