Abstract
Elementary and secondary school teachers in the United States receive limited preparation for teaching writing to English language learners (ELLs). Effective pre‐service and in‐service professional development addresses issues of language, literacy, response to writing, and assessment. Teachers should have opportunities to learn both theories of language and writing development and practical strategies for scaffolding and explicitly teaching ELLs how to write. Beneficial approaches include reflection on their own language and literacy learning and inquiry into their students' writing experiences.