This review examines current research on teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) in four content area subjects: History, math, English, and science. The following topics are examined in each content area: The linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural features of academic literacy and how this literacy can be taught; general investigations of teaching; and professional development or teacher education issues. The article summarizes key findings in the literature, examining trends and discontinuities across the different content areas, and concludes with implications for teaching and suggestions for further research.
In preparing teachers of English language learners (ELLs), teacher educators face a formidable challenge in the area of reading. Reading is a complex skill that is critical to ELLs' academic achievement. Given the complexity and importance of reading and reading instruction, what topics should be addressed by teacher educators in methods courses? This article reports on a study designed to answer this question. The ESOL faculty in a small urban school district were interviewed about reading and observed in their classrooms over the course of 2 years. Six issues were identified as important to these teachers. They were (a) working with a range of learner proficiencies; (b) the use of materials; (c) instructional practices in the areas of decoding skills, vocabulary, writing, and thematic teaching; (d) developing students' love of reading; (e) coping with mainstream teachers and school demands; and (f) working with students who have limited proficiency or schooling in their first languages. The article compares issues raised by the practicing teachers in interviews and observations with the research literature and methods textbooks and outlines considerations for a methods curriculum. E nglish language learners (ELLs) are a rapidly growing population in U.S. schools (Capps et al., 2005), and the demand for trained teachers to work with these students is also growing. Most states currently require teachers to have a license or certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), though the type of preparation entailed varies widely. An increasing demand for professionalization in K-12 teachers necessitates corresponding expertise on the part of the faculty who prepare them to work with ELLs. However, just as models for ESOL teacher education vary, so do ESOL teacher educators' backgrounds. English language teacher educators' training allows them to be housed in various university departments, such as education, English, and linguistics. Teacher educators also come to the job with diverse résumés. Some are experienced in K-12 education and possess knowl-
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