ABSTRACT
The discussion of what it means to be a highly qualified teacher has paid scarce attention to the specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions teachers need to work effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in urban schools. Although CLD students’ presence has increased in both suburban and urban school districts, f locate this discussion of strategies to help mainstream preservice teachers (PTs) become effective instructors of CLD students within the context of an urban school setting. This approach should not be interpreted as conceding more importance to issues of diversity in urban settings because all CLD students, regardless of geographic and socioeconomic location, are entitled to the benefits of well-prepared teachers. The use of an urban school district as the implementation site for a comprehensive approach to preparing PTs for diversity has to do with the compelling percentage of such populations in urban sites (Antunez, 2003) and the potential for PTs’ close interaction with CLD students and families.
