Native ESL teachers or nonnative ESL teachers? That is the question.

                                                                                       (Interactive-english-studio.com)

Dear all.

I would like to share with you my thoughts on the idea that native speakers of English make better teachers than nonnative ones (as some professionals have suggested me). Actually, this is still a controversial topic in the ELT world that started many years ago and has soared due to the current and fortunate mobility nowadays. Even today I came across this article by Rachel Kamplin, who highlights that nonnative teachers can make great teachers:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/english-isnt-my-native-language-can-i-teach-well-rachel-kampling

To start off, I would like to quote TESOL's "Position of Statement Against Discrimination of Nonnative Speakers of English in the Field of TESOL", which was published in March 2006.

"For decades there has been a long-standing fallacy in the field of English language teaching that native English speakers are the preferred teachers because they are perceived to speak “unaccented” English, understand and use idiomatic expressions fluently, and completely navigate the culture of at least one English-dominant society, and thus they will make better English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers than nonnative English speakers. As a result, nonnative English-speaking educators have found themselves often implicitly, and sometimes explicitly, discriminated against in hiring practices or in receiving working assignments in the field of teaching ESL or EFL. 

However, as English language learners, nonnative English-speaking educators bring a uniquely valuable perspective to the ESL/EFL classroom, and so can closely identify with the cross-cultural and language learning experience that their students are experiencing. Research has shown that students do not have a clear preference for either native English speaking educators or nonnative English-speaking educators, demonstrating that, in general, students do not buy into the “native speaker fallacy.” 

In many cases the nonnative English-speaking educator may also be an immigrant to an English-language-dominant country, and thus had to master both a second language and a second culture. These personal experiences may be similar to those of their students, and thus the nonnative English-speaking educator can serve as a powerful role model for students. 

The distinction between native and nonnative speakers of English presents an oversimplified, either/or classification system that does not actually describe the range of possibilities in a world where English has become a global language. More important, however, the use of the labels “native speaker” and “nonnative speaker” in hiring criteria is misleading, as this labeling minimizes the formal education, linguistic expertise, teaching experience, and professional preparation of teachers. All educators should be evaluated within the same criteria. Nonnative English-speaking educators should not be singled out because of their native language. 

TESOL strongly opposes discrimination against nonnative English speakers in the field of English language teaching. Rather, English language proficiency, teaching experience, and professionalism should be assessed along on a continuum of professional preparation. All English language educators should be proficient in English regardless of their native languages, but English language proficiency should be viewed as only one criterion in evaluating a teacher’s professionalism. Teaching skills, teaching experience, and professional preparation should be given as much weight as language proficiency." 

(https://www.tesol.org/docs/pdf/5889.pdf)


I have used this Position of Statement not only because it comes from TESOL, the most recognized entity in the ELT world when it comes to teaching, but also it contains some very interesting ideas when it comes to this topic. And what's more, I fully identify with it and I'd like to thank my teachers of English, most of whom were nonnative ESL teachers and excellent professionals.

                                                                                             (europeanlanguagejobs.com)

I have suffered the cases both explicitly and implicitly. I remember one occasion when I had succeeded in my job interview, but was later told that the company would only hire native speakers. So, after traveling for a long while and sitting this long interview with oral and written parts, I found myself discriminated against just because I was a nonnative ESL teacher. Then, more job interviews came up and I had the same problem stated overtly after the selection process or covertly after some time. Even nowadays, how many job offers do we come across where it is explicitly stated the company is only hiring native ESL teachers?

Don't get me wrong, if  a person is objectively more prepared or a better professional than me, I have no objection at all. Actually, if I had my own business, I'd try to hire the best possible professionals regardless of their native language. That's simple, isn't it? However, I've found myself, as many other colleagues, in that unpleasant situation where you are not chosen just because of being a nonnative speaker.

Now, as TESOL argues, being a native speaker doesn't mean being a better teacher. Years ago, any native English speaker would have a definite advantage over nonnatives. Even if they had no experience or qualifications! I've seen this happening in many countries. One example comes to my mind. I usually travel to Ireland with my students on an English language immersion trip for a month. As you know, students attend ESL classes in the morning and then have afternoon and evening activities in these programs. The case is the teachers who were working at that summer pogram were all native speakers of English, but none of them was actually a teacher and they didn't even have any qualification to teach. That happened many years ago and ,of course, we stopped going to that program. Not only classes were useless; they were a waste of time and money for my students.

                                                                                               (inboxtranslation.coom)

Luckily, since this debate started many years ago, most educational companies ask for qualifications (TESOL certs). It is true that legislation has enforced this in many countries, but at least there is a real standard so that the selection of professionals is fair and objective. However, discrimination still exists because, in marketing terms, it's easier to sell a program or a course in a language school if  prospective students (and their families) are told teachers are native speakers.

We cannot blame these people interested in learning a language, as they probably won't know whether having a native speaker will mean better teaching methods or practice. Nonetheless, what about the company itself? They have a real responsibility, but just care about marketing. Fortunately,the number of businesses which act in this way has decreased, but still there are a lot. Just take a look at LikedIn job offers!

I'm not going to write here about the advantages and disadvantages of having a native or nonnative ESL teacher. This is not a yes/no battle. There's lots of literature on this topic, but I will provide you with some links if you want to have a more in-depth knowledge about it:

a) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812017259

b) http://www.academia.edu/download/6334580/vol_31_3.pdf#page=178

c)https://books.google.es/books?hl=es&lr=&id=DSpGAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA145&dq=native+vs+nonnative+esl+teachers+tesol&ots=Kq2TomG_wt&sig=Hw7edCF054mTIlf-n8TV9-Ezmx4

d) http://www.academia.edu/download/4886644/mahboob.pdf

As I see it and according to literature, nonnatives, as long as they are fully prepared and show a C2/bilingual level, can offer many advantage to a learner. First of all, they have been in that situation before as learners. Thus, it is easier for them to anticipate problems and set solutions in advance or estblis parallelisms if tey share the same L1. These are probably the most important, but there is one I consider essential: our minds are shaped culturally as well as linguistically, which means processes of understanding may vary depending on where you are broght up. In other words, these factors shape you and your way of learning as well. It is at this point where nonnative ESL teachers could play a crucial role.

                                                                                                       (esolcentre.uk)

Of course, native teachers may make great teachers, but they need to be fully prepared. Actually, in cultural terms, they are able to bring elements nonnative speakers can't unless they have lived for a long time in an English speaking country. Nonetheless, it could be argued that cultural input is easier to obtain and transmit with new technologies, although I prefer "the human touch".

Finally, I'd like to focus on English itself as a language. I remember the times when every single English textbook came with a picture of London's Big Ben, the stereotypical red telephone box or the British flag. Everything was completely British, from the very first page to the last one. Then, as a counter response, there was a change and we started receiving American English textbooks that were like the British English materials,, but American.

Nowadays, we fortunatelly have materials which highlight the fact that English is a global language spoken around the worl, a lingua franca, that doesn't really belong to a nation, country or group of people. I love it when I come across listening tasks where you can listen to a variety of accents from native to nonnative, from English to Australian, from American to Indian, from Spanish to French, from Russian to Japanese... That's our reality: different nationalities with different backgrounds and native languages getting together and communicting in English most of the time.

                                                                                         (onlineteachersuk.com)

We need to prepare our students for this world, so why shouldn't a nonnative teach as effectively as a native one? Both can, and that's the answer. Why should marketing strategies separate and confront rather than focus on the current multicultural reality? English belongs to everyone who uses it and there are millions of uses shaping it everyday for whom it is their L1 or their L2. This is the reality. Maybe, some companies had better start redesigning their stances on this issue. First, because research has shown both natives and nonnatives can make excellent teachers. Second, because the idea of hiring only native speakers on the grounds of origin has got a not very lovely name: discrimination.

Please, feel free to share, post and comment! All my best.

David.