Developing Teacher Candidates' Competences for Addressing Diverse Needs of English Language Learners

Can a teacher education course be used to develop teacher education candidates' (TECs) competences when teaching diverse learners? This study used a pre- and post-survey design to examine changes in the knowledge component of the competences of TECs enrolled in a course designed to meet the academic needs of English learners (ELs). The pre- and post-survey results indicate TECs became better equipped pedagogically to work with ELs after completion of the course. The findings also indicate that the degree to which TECs improved their teaching abilities to address the diverse needs of ELs varied significantly and depended on the different educational levels of the TECs.