The Effective a Native Teacher of English Language in Saudi Arabia EFL Classroom

Abstract

This research study attempts to find out the best practices that can make a Native English teacher an efficient and effective teacher in Saudi Arabia and the cultural difference that can effect students’ learning process. English teaching by native English teachers is preferred due to their high fluency and proficiency on the language, however they bring their own set of cultural norms and perspectives in the classroom that they value the most. Cultural milieus must be given much attention, when a foreign language is taught, as children are still in the early stages of internalizing their own culture and values. A mixed approach was utilized for the study. A questionnaire on a 5-point scale was distributed to students to understand their perceptions on the effectiveness of native English teachers in the classroom. A semi-structured interview with open ended questions was also conducted with native English teachers to understand how they perform in classroom. Three themes were generally focused on teacher effectiveness, cultural difference, and preferred language in classroom. Overall, the students were satisfied with the teaching capabilities of NESTs having neutral opinions about cultural difference. Cultural barrier was considered as a hurdle by the teachers but at the same time teacher’s nativity was reflected as significant in learning. Where students’ preferred bilingual methods in the classroom, teachers considered the use of mother tongue an impedance in English learning and therefore should be avoided.