This dissertation examines the way novice social studies teachers learn to support multilingual learners in their social studies classes. I take a critical lens to practice-based teacher education (PBTE) to understand the decisions novice teachers make as they support multilingual students in their content classes. In this way, I bridge scholarship on PBTE in social studies with research on approaches to culturally and linguistically relevant pedagogy. For this qualitative study, I interviewed eight novice social studies teachers from a variety of school settings across the Twin Cities metropolitan area. I used both thematic and scalar analysis to examine the role relationships, school policies, and community perspectives had on the participants' instructional decisions. Within this larger context, I analyzed specific decisions novice teachers made with attention to how they embraced asset-based approaches to teaching multilingual students, and how they invited learning opportunities in languages other than English. I found that the novice teacher's own backgrounds and linguistic repertoire were an asset that created opportunities for learning and knowledge sharing. Multilingual novice teachers described specific instructional strategies that invited students to participate in their classrooms using languages other than English. Additionally, I found that novice teachers who were able to build on their relationships with students and peers and were also able to respond to their students in the moment of instruction were able to foster an inclusive classroom for multilingual students. I use Anzaldua's (1987) concept of "nepantla" as a lens to analyze the tensions and ruptures in the learning process for novice teachers and the opportunities for teacher and student learning that arise from that point of tension. With this study, I demonstrate that content classrooms in the United States are linguistically, culturally, and ethnically diverse environments with the potential to be engaged, dynamic learning communities; and to show teacher educators the importance of preparing content teachers with strategies to support multilingual students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]