University Students’ Perceptions of English Teachers in Korea: Korean Bilingual Teachers of English and Native English-Speaking Teachers

Abstract

The study examines the way university students in Korea understand different types of English teachers and who they believe to be most suitable for contemporary Korean society. Working within a qualitative research paradigm (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998), I gathered data through students` reflection papers and analyzed them using a qualitative data analysis method. The findings demonstrate that the majority of the students regarded Korean bilingual teachers of English (KBTEs) as the most appropriate teachers in the Korean context given their expertise in the exam-oriented English education of Korea. KBTEs` previous English learning experiences and their ability to predict learners` challenges were also positively perceived. The students further thought highly of KBTEs` knowledge of the Korean language and culture. Several students considered native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) to be most proper, noting the societal endorsement of NESTs as the only legitimate type of English teacher in Korea. A few students reported that both KBTEs and NESTs were necessary, believing that these two types of teachers differ in their expertise. Despite the overall favorable attitude toward KBTEs among university students, quite a few of them showed their belief in the superiority of NESTs, suggesting the need for KBTEs to gain oversees experience and a high level of English proficiency before they can be considered as qualified as NESTs. Educational implications for both teachers and learners of English are discussed.