Mainstream teachers throughout the world are increasingly expected to differentiate instruction for primary‐grade students with diverse learning needs, including second or English language learners (ELLs). Does teacher preparation translate into instructional practices for English language development? What do graduates of those programs do differently, if anything, for ELLs in their classrooms? This mixed‐methods study examined the beliefs and practices of two focal teacher graduates of a teacher preparation program that included second language training. Findings show that teacher graduates working with ELLs in primary classrooms with low numbers of ELLs used some generic accommodation strategies and just‐in‐time scaffolding techniques, but they rarely instituted specific ELL practices to facilitate the English language development of ELLs. The authors discuss implications for second language educators.