In today’s globalised world language knowledge becomes more and more important for good and skilled communication. Especially the knowledge of one language – the world language English – is necessary to be competitive and able to communicate worldwide. The status of English as a world language is obviously due to its large amount of native speakers all over the world, but also its simplicity in grammar, structure and vocabulary makes it to one of the most important languages in the world.
There are approximately 380 million native speakers of English and more than 700 non-native speakers of English all over the world, which results in large parts of today’s communication taking place in English. Thus good English language knowledge is a precondition for many jobs and educations. This places great importance on today’s English language education. It has to be of high quality and learners have to acquire the language as good and as fast as possible. But who can perform the job of an English teacher best?
There has been lots of discussion in the past years about whether native or non-native speakers are better at language teaching. Due to globalisation also the amount of English teachers available is rising steadily. Today’s English teachers come from a broad range of different countries and thus have differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Those backgrounds have again influence on the teachers’ teaching styles and methods and their general understanding of the teaching context and their students. Moreover, today’s English teachers have different levels of knowledge of the target language and culture.
In this paper, I will thus have a look at the following question: Native speakers of English or non-native speakers of English – who are the better English teachers? Native speakers, on the one hand know their language perfectly, faultlessly and naturally. Non-natives on the other hand are more familiar with the students’ language learning process and have a better understanding of the learners’ needs. Thus, who is the ideal language teacher for the challenging task of teaching the world language English?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Native or Non-Native
2.1 Defining Native and Non-Native
2.2 Advantages and Problems of Native Speaker Teachers
2.2.1 Advantages of Native Speaker Teachers
2.2.2 Problems of Native Speaker Teachers
2.3 Advantages and Problems of Non-Native Speaker Teachers
2.3.1 Advantages of Non-Native Speaker Teachers
2.3.2. Problems of Non-Native Speaker Teachers
3. My Study
3.1 The Questionnaires
3.2 The Participants
3.3 The Study
3.4 Analysis
4. Conclusion
5. Future Perspective
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this project is to investigate the ongoing debate regarding whether native or non-native English speakers make more effective teachers. Through a quantitative study involving language students, the research seeks to identify student preferences, analyze the perceived advantages and disadvantages of both teacher types, and determine if a correlation exists between the type of instructor and the student's perceived language learning success.
- Theoretical definitions of "native" versus "non-native" speakers.
- Comparative analysis of pedagogical strengths and weaknesses of both teacher groups.
- Empirical data collection via student questionnaires on teacher preferences.
- Evaluation of the impact of teacher background on language proficiency.
- Synthesized recommendations for future language teaching collaboration.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.2 Problems of Native Speaker Teachers
Despite the many advantages a native speaker teacher has, using NESTs as educators can also result in several problems. One major problem mentioned by Braine (1999) is that native speakers often are hired as teachers simply because they are native speakers and not because of their teaching competences. This can result in having a teacher with good language skills, but little or no teaching skills. But language knowledge is not enough to be a successful teacher, as a teacher also has to know teaching methods and strategies and has to understand his or her students, their problems and their cultural backgrounds.
Native speakers might also have problems to understand their students' mistakes and problems with the language or the learning process, as they often are not able to speak or understand their students' L1 and thus can neither understand the problems occurring through negative transfer from the native language nor make use of the students' L1 in the teaching context to explain certain concepts or problems (Gill and Rebrova, 2001). A further disadvantage is that the native speaker ideal is almost an unattainable goal for learners, and the perfect use of the language might overwhelm or even intimidate students, as they feel that they do not make enough progress and will never reach the goal of a perfect language user (Cook, 1999).
Additionally, Gill and Rebrova (2001) have found out that many native speakers are not strict enough as teachers and do not correct their students' mistakes as often as non-native speakers would. This might lead to the fossilisation of wrong structures by the students as they do not get enough or appropriate feedback. Moreover, native speakers might not always be conscious of the language rules and structures of the language they teach, as they use those innately and not as conscious as a teacher who himself has learned the language as a second language (Cook, 1999).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the global significance of English and outlines the research question concerning the comparative effectiveness of native versus non-native English teachers.
2. Native or Non-Native: Defines terminology and discusses the distinct advantages and challenges associated with both native and non-native speaker educators.
3. My Study: Details the methodology, participant demographics, and findings of the author's survey conducted among university students regarding their teacher preferences and experiences.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting a preference for native speakers despite minimal differences in actual learning outcomes, and recommends cooperative teaching models.
5. Future Perspective: Forecasts future trends in language education and emphasizes the need for synergy between the unique strengths of both native and non-native teachers.
Keywords
English language teaching, Native speaker teachers, NEST, Non-native speaker teachers, Non-NEST, Language learning success, Pedagogical competence, Student preferences, Language proficiency, Sociolinguistic competence, Teacher education, Globalisation, Classroom methodology, Second language acquisition, Educational collaboration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research project?
The study examines the long-standing discussion in linguistics and education regarding whether native or non-native English speakers are better suited to teach the English language.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The themes include defining teacher identity, comparing the inherent advantages and disadvantages of NESTs (Native English Speaking Teachers) and non-NESTs, and assessing student perceptions through empirical data.
What is the central research question?
The primary research question asks: "Native speakers of English or non-native speakers of English – who are the better English teachers?"
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The author conducted a quantitative study by distributing e-mail questionnaires to 53 university students to gather data on their teacher preferences and self-evaluated language proficiency.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the theoretical framework, a detailed comparison of pedagogical strengths and weaknesses, the specific methodology of the student survey, and an analytical discussion of the results.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Native speaker teachers, Non-native speaker teachers, pedagogical competence, language learning success, and teacher preference.
Does the study find that one group of teachers is objectively superior?
No, the study concludes that while students show a general preference for native speakers, there is only a minimal difference in reported learning outcomes, suggesting that teacher quality is not strictly defined by native status.
What recommendation does the author provide for future language teaching?
The author advocates for the cooperation and synergy between native and non-native teachers, arguing that both groups offer unique, complementary benefits to the learning process.
- Quote paper
- Svenja Christen (Author), 2008, Native or Non-native speakers. Who are the better English teachers?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/140542
