Abstract

This book provides educators with an accessible guide to best practices concerning content-based instruction (CBI) models and their use in English learner inclusive classrooms. The author effectively bridges the gap between theory and practice with a critical analysis of practical examples and diverse strategies for the inclusion of English learners into K-12 general education courses. The book also raises controversial questions regarding who is qualified to teach English learners and who is responsible for doing so, looking at the difficulties faced by both general educators and ESL teachers in Inclusive Classrooms. By providing a lens through which both ESL teachers and general educators are able to analyze, compare and contrast a range of widely-employed CBI methods, this book allows teachers to make informed decisions in their EL program development and work with English learners in K-12 schools.

The presence of many English language learners in English-medium, mainstream classrooms makes this new book by Kate Mastruserio Reynolds a must-read. The book brings together a range of curricular and pedagogical approaches to English language K-12 teaching and makes them accessible for mainstream teachers and will provide them with the tools to effectively work with a wide range of English language learners in their classrooms.

This volume, a welcome addition to the professional literature, is important for those of us who are concerned about meeting the pressing content- and language-learning needs of English learners. The author has done an excellent job demonstrating that there is more than one way to reach these students. The book conveys important information for pre- and in-service teachers, ESL coordinators, content teachers, program administrators, policy makers, and teacher educators.

In this volume, Kate Mastruserio Reynolds has made a compelling argument for the need to prepare all educators, particularly mainstream teachers, to be knowledgeable about the needs of English language learners. Most notable is the evaluative framework she has developed based on a variety of content-based models from which educators may select an approach which is most appropriate for their educational context.

Approaches to Inclusive English Classrooms is packed with information... While the target audience is primarily U.S. based educators who are grappling with the complex issues of effective programs for ELs, all readers will benefit from the detailed treatment of CBI models and in-depth evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses.

Kate Mastruserio Reynolds is the Associate Director of the Foundation Program at Qatar University and a Professor of TESOL at the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire. Her specific area of research is the scholarship of teaching and learning within an ESL context, including a particular focus on content-based instruction and ESL instructional and assessment practices.