A central component in pre-service teacher training is teaching practice and feedback (Copland, 2010). The study reported in this paper examined the experience of ESL trainee teachers in Hong Kong during the practicum. In total, 74 field experience feedback forms and 74 classroom language use evaluation sheets were collected and analyzed. Data analysis showed that the dominant challenge this group of ESL trainee teachers encountered was an apparent lack of adequate pedagogical knowledge needed to translate their subject-matter knowledge into effective instruction. The study also revealed that a closer relationship between the university language education program and schools is needed to create the conditions that permit ESL student teachers to better contextualise their theoretical knowledge learnt in the university teacher preparation course in practice. Results of this study contribute to the current debate on how university second language teacher education programs can best equip trainee teachers with the knowledge and skills that will best enable them to participate in the actual experience of teaching.