Exploring linguistically responsive teaching with preservice teachers in a course on teaching English learners

As the U.S. classrooms continue to become more linguistically diverse with the growing number of students identified as English learners (ELs), it becomes imperative for teacher education programmes to equip preservice teachers (PSTs) with the linguistically affirmative orientations, specialised knowledge and skills to provide equitable and inclusive instruction to this growing student population. This study investigated which elements and principles of the linguistically responsive teaching framework (LRTF) [Lucas, T., and A. M. Villegas. 2011. "A Framework for Preparing Linguistically Responsive Teachers." In Teacher Preparation for Linguistically Diverse Classrooms: A Resource for Teacher Educators, edited by T. Lucas, 55-72. New York, NY: Routledge] were evident in an undergraduate course on teaching ELs and explored what course components were perceived influential on PSTs' linguistically responsive orientations, knowledge and skills about ELs and teaching ELs. Findings of our study demonstrated that the elements and principles of LRTF could be integrated into teacher education courses on EL instruction to prepare PSTs to provide inclusive instruction for ELs.