Page 28 - ELG1803 Mar Issue 455

FEATURE . FEATURES & COMMENT

Nirvana for come from the same cultural background

as their students can become near-peer role
models and increase student motivation
and learning pleasure.
The idea of ‘native’ vs
non-native Employment is based
‘non-native’ is a bit passé.

on qualifications and
capabilities
teachers? native-speakers? Students can still have
But do students have a preference for
a bias, and non-native-speaker teachers
‘could need extra help’ in dealing with these
students, Groesser says.
But in general, negative reactions are
rare. Levy says that in her ten-year career at
the school she can only remember three or
four instances where a student stated they
would rather have a native-speaker.
‘But I have seen scores of instances
The ‘native’ vs ‘non-native’ speaker debate is seen of students asking for the non-native
as outdated in Hawaii, which is embracing English instructor as their teacher,’ she adds.

teachers from all backgrounds, Claudia Civinini reports
The ‘native speaker’ debate

ot many topics inflame Tefl Village adds. ‘For students coming to n Worldwide, it is still not uncommon
debates like ‘native speakerism’. Hawaii, the expectation is that both in and to find job adverts asking for ‘native-
This is the belief that native- out of the classroom you will interact with TESOL Teacher Training at Hawaii speakers only’.
Nspeakers are inherently better at people from all over the globe.’ Pacific University
teaching their first language. Maria Levy, academic director at n In the EU, discriminating against
For the ELT world, this translates to language school ELS, herself a non-native training and qualifications. As Joel Weaver, For Kirshenmann, non-native-speaker a candidate because of their first
situations where 21-year-old untrained speaker, says there are nine different director of the Hawaii English Language teachers not only have a better knowledge language is illegal.
backpackers can have a better chance of nationalities on the current staff, ‘which Programme at UH Manoa and president of of how the language and the language-
finding a job than bilinguals with a PhD in mirrors the diverse population of Hawaii’. Study Hawaii, puts it, ‘As long as they are learning process works, but can also n Groups such as Tefl Equity
linguistics. She says the school hires teachers from the best qualified person and can connect potentially be better role models for their Advocates are campaigning for equal
So do you sometimes dream of finding with my students, I don’t care where they students. employment opportunities for native
a place where multilingualism is truly Non-native speaker are from.’ ‘They often have insights into the lives of and non-native English speaker
valued? A promised land where language teachers bring He says that about a third of his teachers their students and host culture that native- teachers around the world.
school owners casually drop statements like are non-native speakers, although there are speaker teachers may not be aware of,’ she n School associations such as the
‘the idea of “native vs non-native” is a bit important strengths no quotas. explains. She mentions the work of Tim Spanish Aceia are championing
passé’? We found it. And it’s sunny all year ‘We have a very strong belief that non- Murphey, who argued that teachers who bilingual teachers.
round. to the classroom, native speakers have a distinct advantage
In the US state of Hawaii, where white in terms of their experience of learning,’ he
English native-speakers are in the minority, mainly related to their adds. And he is not alone.
the native-speaker debate hardly registers. experience of language Non-native-speaker teachers bring Teacher Training in Hawaii
Our questions about how employers important strengths to the classroom,
and students perceive non-native- learning mainly related to their experience of n The two masters in town (Honolulu)
speaker teachers were met with mild language learning. - Masters in Second Language Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (more
amusement, not only by academics in the all over the world, mentioning twelve ‘Multilingual non-native-speaker research- oriented).
field of sociocultural linguistics but also different nationalities including Polish, English teachers often have a clear explicit - Masters in Tesol at Hawaii Pacific University (more pedagogy oriented)
by language school owners and academic Venezuelan and Chinese. But it’s not just a understanding of grammar rules. They can *Both programmes are also offered at undergraduate level.
directors, who employ teachers from all couple of enlightened language schools that often relate to the students’ experience very
over the world. employ non-native speakers. directly since they can still remember their Graduate students can apply for a J1 or F1 visa, and many of them stay after
‘The idea of “native vs non-native” ‘Bilingual employees are highly valued in own experience of learning English – as can graduation on an Optional Practical Training, which allows students who have
is a bit passé. Employment is based on Hawaii,’ explains Jean Kirschenmann, MA native-speaker English teachers who have studied in the US for more than nine months to work for a year.
qualifications and capabilities,’ Adam Liss, Tesol director at Hawaii Pacific University. learned another language,’ Levy says.
director of EL school Global Village tells She says many MA Tesol graduates elect Douglas Groesser from the Intercultural n Celta
the Gazette. to stay after they graduate for a year of work Communications College adds: ‘Non- Aspiring EL teachers can take a Celta course, for example at the
This could be down to Hawaii’s cultural experience, included in their student visa. native-speakers bring insights into language University of Hawaii at Manoa or at Intercultural Communications
diversity. ‘In Hawaii, asking someone ‘As far as I am aware, none has failed to find learning that native-speakers might not College. English language schools also offer other professional
“where are you from?” can be a complex a position,’ she says. have, especially if they have never learned a development programmes for qualified teachers.
question,’ a member of staff at Global And that’s because the focus is on second language.’
28 March 2018 editorial@elgazette.com 29