Native Speaker Teachers Research Articles

The Use of OK by Native and Non-Native Teachers in Bilingual Classrooms: Mandarin, English and Code-Switching

This study investigates the relationship between the use of OK (or okay) and language choices by two native-speaking (NS) and two non-native-speaking (NNS) high school teachers in Taiwan. Four sessions were video-recorded and transcribed to examine OK in the teachers' utterances in English, Mandarin and when switching codes. The functional categories for 286 instances of OK in the 24,754-word total are described from the bottom up and assessed for reliability to reduce the subjectivity of category judgments. We found that NS teachers use OK most in their English utterances, whereas NNS teachers do so in their Mandarin utterances. All teachers tend to use it to mark discourse boundaries in various linguistic contexts. OK also has a limited role in code-switches. It mainly appears to mark a discourse boundary or to connect English, as the students' second language, with translation into Mandarin, as their first language.

A Study of Parental Attitudes to Teacher Pronunciation in Very Early English

Abstract Teaching English as a foreign language at an early (7–12) and even at a very early (under 7) age is becoming more and more popular and accessible, mainly due to the pressure from parents. Parents are essential stakeholders in the TEFL of these ages, and thus it is beneficial for the future of TEFL to do research into parental attitudes in order to be able to assure that expectations and outcomes meet. Our study examines parental attitudes towards the teacher and the ideal age to start learning a foreign language. Fifty Hungarian parents of children aged 0–7 completed our online questionnaire, which mapped the demographics and linguistic profiles of respondents and their views and attitudes related to language learning. Furthermore, attitudes towards teachers’ pronunciation (American, British, or Hungarian) were measured on a 5-point Likert-scale. The 8-item attitude scale showed good reliability (N = 50, Cronbach α = 0.772, p < 0.001). Parents generally placed high emphasis on native-like pronunciation. However, accent-related attitudes varied among parents preferring different ages to start FL learning. Parents favouring an early start preferred native-speaking teachers, with no preference for a British or American accent.

A case study on the effects of glocal second language setting on the language learning motivation of foreign learners of Turkish

This case study examines the relationship between the glocal second language setting and the motivational levels of foreign learners of Turkish. Selected by purposeful sampling, the participants were 10 foreign learners of Turkish taking a year-long preparatory class in language education at AtaTömer. The content analysis of the data collected through six open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews showed that, being aware of the importance of motivation in language learning, the participants considered taking courses from native speaker teachers and having intercultural interaction with native speakers and classmates from different countries as motivating factors, while initial concerns for preserving cultural identity in the new community and some language-related difficulties were considered as demotivating factors in the glocal second language setting.

Challenges arising from dissonant views about trilingual education in an early childhood context

ABSTRACT The discourse around combining local, national and international languages constitutes an important issue in the global education agenda (Kirkpatrick and Chau 2008). Ideas about how trilingual education ought to be designed and implemented vary across stakeholders. This study explores (1) the beliefs which early childhood education (ECE – ECE refers to teaching of young children up to the age of six) principals, teachers and parents exhibit about trilingual preschool education in Hong Kong; (2) the challenges in the trilingual preschool implementation processes, and (3) the mechanisms employed by ECE principals for coping with these challenges. Semi-structured interviews and observations were conducted to collect data from four preschools, and these were supplemented with documentary analysis. Findings indicate that the inconsistent beliefs among stakeholders about the aims of trilingual education and language choice, curriculum design, and instruction (pedagogy and activities) in trilingual preschools are the major challenge administrators-principals encountered impacting the implementation process. Teachers who lack professional knowledge and skills in the provision of trilingual education are also problematic. Moreover, the recruitment of native-speaking teachers of the target language is difficult due to perceived heavy workloads and poor pay. Findings also make evident important implications for policymakers, principals and professional development.

“I was refused an ELT job for being non-native”-- An Insight into the Native Speaker Ideology in ELT

In English language teaching (ELT), compared with non-native English speaker English teachers (NNESTs), native English speaker teachers (NESTs) seemingly gain prominence and are often taken for granted as better English teachers for non-native speaker students, which is described as the native speaker ideology (NS ideology) in this area. In foregoing research of this issue, much attention has been paid to the comparison of NESTs and NNESTs, or students’ perceptions on NESTs and NNESTs, while studies having a general picture of the NS ideology are scant. On the basis of literature review, the paper is attempted to have an overall picture of the NS ideology in ELT, with a focus on its causes, its effects on English teaching and learning, and its irrational aspects. In the end, corresponding implications for English teaching and learning are proposed based on the foregoing discussions.

“I was refused an ELT job for being non-native”-- An Insight into the Native Speaker Ideology in ELT

In English language teaching (ELT), compared with non-native English speaker English teachers (NNESTs), native English speaker teachers (NESTs) seemingly gain prominence and are often taken for granted as better English teachers for non-native speaker students, which is described as the native speaker ideology (NS ideology) in this area. In foregoing research of this issue, much attention has been paid to the comparison of NESTs and NNESTs, or students’ perceptions on NESTs and NNESTs, while studies having a general picture of the NS ideology are scant. On the basis of literature review, the paper is attempted to have an overall picture of the NS ideology in ELT, with a focus on its causes, its effects on English teaching and learning, and its irrational aspects. In the end, corresponding implications for English teaching and learning are proposed based on the foregoing discussions.

NATIVE VERSUS NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING TEACHERS: AN INSIGHT INTO INDONESIAN STUDENTS’ VOICES

Several issues exist in determining the best English teacher for EFL students. Both native and non-native speaker teachers can succeed as English teachers. But there are always some pros and cons for both sides. This present paper intends to investigate the perspective or perception of college students towards their native English speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English speaking teachers (Non-NESTs) in teaching EFL. This research is a quantitative study with survey design. In gaining the data, twenty-five respondents of the 4th grade undergraduate students of the English Department in Cimahi were asked to respond the itemized statements on the questionnaire which used Likert-scales. The questionnaire itself was adopted and developed from the previous researcher with the similar problem background which was conducted in 2011. This study revealed that students have positive perceptions toward NEST and Non-NEST, although, in some circumstances, the students face several problems in the learning process. Thus, for both NEST and Non-NEST are required to handle the problems encountered by the students.

Beyond ‘(non) native-speakerism’: Being or becoming a native-speaker teacher of English

Abstract The labelling of teachers of English as either ‘native’ or ‘non-native’ speakers in the field of English Language Teaching continues to promote ideals of ‘native-speakers’ that impact negatively on the teaching lives of those teachers using English as another language. In this paper, I explore constructs of ‘native-speakerism’ (Holliday, Adrian. 2015. Native-speakerism: Taking the Concept Forward and Achieving Cultural Belief. In Anne Swan, Pamela Aboshiha & Adrian. Hollliday (eds.), Encountering Native-speakerism: Global perspectives, 11–25. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan) by examining them as networks or assemblages formed through interactions of people, technologies, discourses and other material objects integral to teaching and learning environments. Drawing on ‘Actor-network theory’, I analyse unique influences of ‘native’ and ‘non-native’ networks as experienced by individual teachers of English from different contexts. The data collected in this qualitative study shows how ‘native-speaker’ networks form and exert power to reinforce the ideal of ‘native-speaker’ teachers, and restrict the agency of those who are classed as ‘non-native’. By unravelling these networks, I challenge the notions on which they are constructed, and show how the categorising of teachers in this way undermines the legitimacy of those classed as ‘non-native’, and limits their professional development. I therefore argue that moving beyond these labels is an essential step for English Language Teaching to move forward as a profession.

Native speaker dichotomy: Stakeholders’ preferences and perceptions of native and non-native speaking English language teachers

Addressing the perceptions and the preferences of the upper-secondary school students, teachers, parents and administrators of the native speaking (NS) and non-native speaking (NNS) English teachers as well as investigating the variables affecting these preferences and perceptions, this study explores whether or not the native speaker myth is still prevalent. Contrary to common assumptions with regard to student and parent preferences being in favour of NS English teachers, this study purports that English as a foreign language (EFL) students who have participated in this study which is conducted in the Turkish Cypriot context favour the English teachers with good teaching skills, regardless of their NS/NNS status. The students’ perceptions and preferences are compared with those of their parents, teachers and administrators. The data are collected from 185 students, 86 parents, 18 teachers and two administrators, and analysed adopting a mixed-methods research design, being predominantly quantitative. Overall, mother tongue and grade are found to be the two variables that influence the participants’ perceptions and preferences with regard to the NS and NNS English teachers. Significant differences are found between student and teacher responses and between parents’ and teachers’ perceptions and preferences. Keywords : administrators; English as a foreign language (EFL); native speaker dichotomy; parents; teacher preference

Exploring relationships between second language learners’ attitudes towards classroom language and variables that motivate their learning

ABSTRACTDespite the increasing volume of studies on classroom language use research, scant attention has been paid to the relationship between learners’ attitudes towards classroom language choice and classroom variables that they perceive to motivate their target language learning. This study examines this issue with Korean undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners enrolled in a conversation course based on a communicative approach. A participant questionnaire was administered to 233 EFL learners. Results revealed that the participants were generally in agreement with using their L1 in learning English, and critical of the English-only approach. The participants as a group revealed a division regarding their preference for native speaking teachers of English, and did not necessarily adhere to the notion that native speaking teachers of English are more effective than their non-native counterparts in teaching conversation. More importantly, participants with a strong preference for teachers’ L1 use were found to prefer a ‘safer’ learning environment, whereas those who appreciated English-only were more receptive to challenging environments and native speaking teachers of English.

Communication strategies of English native speaker teacher in the teaching and learning process in a kindergarten

In Dyatmika Kindergarten, the students came from different cultural backgrounds and nations. They were taught by English native speaker teacher in English sessions. The students sometimes might understand the intention of the teacher; however, sometimes they might not understand at all. Therefore, the teacher should know how they communicate with the students to avoid misunderstanding. This study aimed at identifying, describing and explaining communication strategies used by English native speaker teacher at Dyatmika Kindergarten during English sessions of the teaching and learning process. This study used descriptive qualitative design, and the data collected through observation and interview. The data were analyzed using taxonomy of communication strategies by Dornyei and Scott (1995). The result indicated there were thirteen communication strategies used by the English native speaker teacher in teaching and learning process. The use of communication strategies by English native speaker teacher was expected to inspire other teachers inside and outside Dyatmika Kindergarten when they communicate with students and make the students understand the message conveyed by the teachers.

판별분석을 통한 교대학생들의 원어민 영어수업 만족도 연구

Youngcheol Kim and Jaewoo Shim. 2017. Discriminant Analysis of Satisfaction Levels with Native Speaker Instructors Held by Elementary School Pre-service Teachers of English. Studies in Modern Grammar 96, 235-251. The current study investigated the levels of satisfaction with native speaker teachers of English that were perceived by a group of elementary school pre-service teachers of English in a teachers college. 79 subjects responded to a Likert-type questionnaire with 15 items aimed to assess their satisfaction with their current and former native speaker teachers on their campus. The questionnaire measured the four aspects of teaching: the ability to teach, the ability to offer learning opportunities, the ability to manage and create friendly classroom climate, and the ability to assess their performance. The discriminant analysis was used to identify aspects that separated satisfied from unsatisfied groups of students. The results of the discriminant analysis showed that two independent variables (i.e., the native speaker teachers’ ability to offer learning opportunities and their ability to teach) were statistically significant variables in separating the two groups. These findings indicated that native speaker teachers of English need to make efforts to design lessons that may prompt active student participation, while keeping high levels of teaching ability congruent with students’ expectations.

EFL 교실 상호작용 중 발생하는 반응 대기 시간(waittime)의 특징적 양상과 교사와 학생의 인식 연구

The purpose of this study was to analyze the aspect of wait-time length observed in the interaction between teachers and students using English in a Korean EFL classroom in relation to the type of questions asked by teachers. Characteristics of responses of students were also analyzed. Seventy-seven high school students and two English native speaker teachers participated in this study. Eleven hours of English conversation classes were observed for three weeks. Additionally, surveys, interviews, and stimulated recall interviews were used for in-depth data collection. Results of this study revealed that the length of wait-time differed depending on the type of question asked by the teacher. Waittime was the longest for wh-question and referential question but the shortest for tag question and echoic question. In addition, as the length of wait-time increased, the number of words used by students in response was also increased. There was difference between teacher and student perception of the length of wait-time. There was also difference between actual student

EVOLVING ATTITUDES TOWARDS NON-NATIVE SPEAKER TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

This paper is a discussion of a study into attitudes towards NNS teachers of ESOL in a London college of further education. Attitude towards ‘non-native’ speaker teachers of English is a heated topic because, ‘on a global level the ELT profession is perhaps the world’s only profession in which the majority face discrimination’ (Ali, 2009 p.37). It is not only the problem of discrimination which reflects poorly on the ELT profession but also the negative consequences of the strongly held ‘birthright mentality’ (Thomas, 1999 p.6). The data consists of seven semi-structured interviews with members of staff. The survey and the interviews confirm that there is little evidence that NNS teachers at this London are discriminated against by teacher trainers or colleagues. This is a challenge to the idea that NNS teachers are always and everywhere disadvantaged. Teacher learners should be made aware that ‘native speakerism’ or the ‘native speaker fallacy’ has no place in ELT and is not inevitable. Furthermore, there is no pedagogical basis for the notion that a native speaker teacher possesses any innate ability to teach more competently.

An Analysis of Videoconferencing Learning in Primary Schools

This study investigated how teaching English through an interactive videoconferencing tool develops learners’ language performance and also supports their psychological efficacy in primary English language settings. Videoconferencing in the English class involved 201 primary school students for eight weeks in Jeonnam Province. The results indicated that students showed positive learning behavior and productive achievement in language learning using the videoconferencing tool. In addition, the study found that interacting online with distant native-speaking teachers enhanced students’ motivation and interest in learning. This seems to indicate that multimedia assisted language learning (MALL) can facilitate learners’ self-directed language learning and other learning strategies. Furthermore, implementing videoconferencing teaching methodology can be a way of providing significant pedagogical benefits to the geographically disadvantaged areas including the large number of islands located in Korea.

Beliefs of a Korean native speaker teacher for the guidance of kanji writing-A case study of the semi-structured interview and PAC analysis-

Beliefs of a Korean native speaker teacher for the guidance of kanji writing-A case study of the semi-structured interview and PAC analysis-

We are English Professors: Identity Construction of Native English Speaker Teachers at a Korean University

As emphasis has increased on English as an international language and on the globalized image of universities, the number of native English speaker teachers (NETs) has also increased in Korean universities. From the poststructuralist view, teacher identity is constructed through participation in valued activities of the community of practice, and it is not fixed but constantly negotiated through the interaction of the context (Wenger, 1998). While previous studies focused on nonnative English speaker teachers’ identity construction, little attention has been paid to NETs in the EFL context. Considering the need to explore teacher identity from recent theoretical perspectives, the present study investigates how NETs negotiate conflicting identities and construct their teacher identities in the Korean university context. The findings show the NETs constructed multiple identities of an English educator, a collaborative volunteer, a non-tenured instructor, and a cultural and linguistic outsider, and they legitimize their professor identity through their participation in the present and imagined community of competent teachers. The findings support the claim that teacher identity is embedded in the sociocultural context that interacts with the individual agency in making sense of who they are. Implications and suggestions of the study are addressed based on the findings.

Navigating Native-Speaker Ideologies as FSL Teacher

Although a well-established domain of research in English language teaching, native-speaker ideologies have received little attention in French language education. This article reports on a study that examined the salience of “authentic French” in the identity construction of French as a second language (FSL) teachers in English-speaking Canada. Adopting a discursive-constructionist approach, the qualitative multiple case study analyzed FSL teachers’ discursive representations of their experiences while on professional development in France. Findings point to FSL teachers’ continuing orientation to a native-speaker ideal and its significant impact on their professional self-conceptions. The discussion focuses on how non-francophone teachers in particular negotiate a legitimate identity as FSL teachers through various discursive processes. Implications of the study foreground identity as a key factor in how teachers learn and practise their profession and remind us that non–native-speaker teachers must be given opportunities to develop alternative ideas about what it means to be a competent language teacher.

NS and NNS Teacher Identities: An Analysis of Teacher-Student Interaction in EFL Classroom

With a recognition of a profound effect that teacher identity has in students’ language learning, the present study explores how teacher identity, especially that of native speaking (NS) and nonnative speaking (NNS) teacher in EFL context, shapes the teacher-student interaction and influences students’ learning differently. Data was gathered through classroom observations and video recordings of teacher-student interaction of a total of six hours of class sessions. The data comes from the interactions of three nonnative Korean teachers, one native speaker, and six university students in Korean EFL co-teaching classroom. To analyze the data, the method of discourse analysis was used. The findings show that the native teacher acted as an interaction provoker who stimulated classroom discussion and also an expert of both target language and culture. On the other hand, nonnative teachers acted as an activity guider by helping student understand the classroom activities. As sharing L1 and the same culture, nonnative teachers were flexible with the language choice of the students and understood the difficulties they had in the class. The study further draws attention to the pedagogical implications regarding the co-teaching of native and nonnative teacher in EFL classroom.

Some Critical Issues on English in East Asia and Their Pedagogic Implications

In this study, we evaluated the current situation of English use and English language education in East Asia in conjunction with some critical issues relevant to ELT, such as EMI education, the recruitment of native speaker teachers, and the popularity of English Village. The role and status of English are changing with the globalisation for political, economic, cultural and business cooperation among nations. In several current contexts, English is no longer used to communicate only with native English speakers but is also employed as a common means of intercultural communication or English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Although the development of Asian ELF studies is at the early stage as compared to European ELF research, some research projects such as the Asian Corpus of English (ACE) have produced empirical findings on Asian ELF. Asian ELF studies provide pedagogic implications including the need for flexible and effective language use rather than native-speaker norms or grammatical accuracy. Therefore, from a curriculum development perspective, English education policy, classroom teaching methods and teacher education programs should take this changing nature of English use under consideration. From a marketing perspective, English language education and teaching approaches in East Asia need to raise student awareness regarding the opportunity English can provide for intercultural communication, which is characterized by variability and diversity, which is what is particularly important for engaging in effective and successful communication.