In this paper, I argue that in-service language-teacher education programs should consider all elements of the linguistic, geographical and cultural context of the teachers the course is designed for, and respond to this context in a constructivist way in program design and implementation. Using qualitative case-study data, I focused on the development over time of an English teacher of young learners in Oman who was studying at an in-service teacher education program that appeared to meet various criteria for constructivism. However, findings indicate the teacher's growth was uneven, and conclusions are that input on initial literacy and the teaching and assessment of reading in English as a second language (ESL) could have been better tailored to the context.