This paper outlines a study being undertaken in an Australian university into the experiences of multilingual and bilingual pre-service teachers at that university. By focusing on these students' diverse language abilities in relation to their studies, and to their developing identities as teachers in multilingual Australia, the study seeks to identify the implications of the students' experiences and understandings for improving pedagogical practices in teacher education. An overview of pedagogies promoted in educational policy in Australia, and a brief review of the research that underlies these policies is presented as background to the research.