Native or non-native? The nativeness factor from the EFL student teachers’ perspective

Abstract

1 IntroductionThe controversial issue of nativeness, that is, the debate comparing the effectiveness of native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) and, more specifically, which group provides more effective ELT, has been extensively discussed in ELT literature (see, for example, Phillipson, 1992; Medgyes, 1992, 1994; Pennycook, 1998; Liu, 1999; Canagarajah, 1999; Arva and Medgyes, 2000; Davies, 2003; Widdowson, 2003; Braine, 2004; Medgyes and Benke, 2005; Moussu and Llurda, 2008; Braine, 2010; Mahboob, 2010; Selvi, 2011). Since the 1990s, with the seminal work by Medgyes (1994) and Braine (1999), the strengths and weaknesses shown by both NESTs and NNESTs have been subject to constant descriptions, comparisons and contrasts. Over the last two decades, several empirical studies on students' preferences and attitudes towards NESTs and NNESTs have been conducted (see, for example, Samimy and Bruff-Griffler, 1999; Mahboob, 2004; Lasagabaster and Sierra, 2005a, 2005b; Adophs, 2005; Moussu and Braine, 2006; Butler, 2007; Cheung and Braine, 2007). On the whole, these studies revealed that NESTs are preferred to NNESTs in terms of pronunciation and language accuracy, even though NNESTs are also perceived in a favourable way in other aspects or areas of language teaching. Bearing in mind that the vast majority of English teachers around the world are non-native speakers and as result of the native speaker myth or fallacy as the ideal teacher (Phillipson, 1992), the fact is that numerous cases of prejudice and unfair professional discrimination against NNESTs have been reported in TEFL literature (Braine, 1999; Medgyes, 2001; Selvi, 2011). 'Native-speakerism' (Holliday, 2005) leads to unfair favouritism that make NNESTs suffer from 'I-am-not-anative-speaker' (Suarez, 2000) or 'impostor' syndrome (Bemat, 2009). In this respect, Braine (1999) reminds us that the commonly used excuse for the discrimination against NNESTs is that students prefer to be taught by native speakers whom they regard as perfect or authentic language models, even though this view on whether students do actually show a general preference for NESTs seems to be questionable. Generally NESTs have been viewed as the guardians of the true language (Davies, 2006), the only reliable source of authentic language input who offer learners the standard language model, while NNESTs are, in contrast, frequently perceived and treated as having a lower professional status (Mahboob, 2010). In response to such discriminatory attitudes towards NNESTs, Seidlhofer (2000) suggested that the emphasis should be placed on the variety of English used by speakers of English as a Lingua Franca, thus abandoning the traditional idealized native speaker model. Since the native speaker concept still remains ambiguous because it is both myth and reality (Davies, 2003), Davies (2006: 447) argued that Disputes and differences of opinion about the native speaker arise because the concept is interpreted differently.Since beliefs have a strong evaluative and affective component (Borg, 2011), NNESTs, limited by underdeveloped communicative competence, actually see themselves as linguistically inferior. In this respect, Medgyes (1994: 10) claimed that suffer from an inferiority complex caused by glaring defects in our knowledge of English. We are in constant distress as we realize how little we know about the language we are supposed to teach. But why are many NNESTs so anxious about their linguistic competence? Given that linguistic competence is mainly perceived as an essential criterion, many NNESTs, obsessed with their lack of native-like pronunciation, often feel anxious, frustrated and insecure when communicating in the English classroom (Canagarajah, 1999; Liang, 2005). NNESTs actually receive unfair treatment due to students' false perceptions and preferences for NESTs (Kamhi-Stein, 1999; Liu, 1999; Medgyes, 2001; Ellis, 2002; Braine, 2004; Mahboob, 2004; Achimbe, 2006) which has led to NNESTs having a poorer professional self-image and perceiving themselves as somehow incompetent teachers (Reves and Medgyes, 1994; Rajagopalan, 2005). …