Given the trends of the increasing percentage of students of color, particularly limited-English-proficiency (LEP) students, and the decreasing percentage of teachers of color in American public schools, many more White teachers are teaching LEP students. This article examines the classroom inquiries by three European American teacher-researchers on their own LEP students. They were seeking to know their students’ ways of perceiving, learning, and using their native and second language in different circumstances. Based on their insights, these teachers devised activities and curricula to respond to students’ genuine strengths and weaknesses in meaningful ways. These teachers’ insights are discussed in the light of the principles and goals of bilingual and multicultural education.
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