This qualitative study explores the perceptions of a group of White and Hispanic preservice teachers toward the English language learners they tutored over the course of a semester. Nine White participants and five Hispanic participants were interviewed. Comparisons of interview data reveal that White participants and Hispanic participants chose to identify with their tutees in different ways, had different expectations for their tutees, and offered different suggestions for intervention on behalf of their tutees. The bilingualism and life experiences of Hispanic participants enabled them to assess and work with the language and academic skills of their tutees more effectively than their White, monolingual, monocultural counterparts. The impacts of life experiences and university training are discussed. (Contains 36 references.) (Author/SM)