Making Instructional Adaptations for English Learners in the Mainstream Classroom: Is It Good Enough?(Promising Practices‪)‬

It has been well documented that English language (EL) learners across our nation's schools are underperforming and their teachers are not adequately prepared to meet their multifaceted learning needs (Gandara, 2005; Miller & Endo, 2004; Haycock, Jerald & Huang, 2001; Haycock, 1998). This dilemma, often associated with race, ethnicity, and poverty, is handled by policymakers and educators in various ways. Generally, there have been attempts to legislate and institutionalize educational reforms and streamline instruction to bring improved academic achievement for all learners. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law is not an exception; it emphasizes that teachers be highly qualified to meet the diverse needs of diverse students in mainstream classrooms.