The profession of teaching English as a second/foreign (ESL/EFL) language seems to question non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in the profession and their advantages in comparison to native English-speaking teachers (NESTs). This article will address a number of advantages that NNESTs can bring to ESL/EFL classrooms.
I believe that a strong case can be made for NNESTs in the profession. Five advantages will be highlighted, including (a) firsthand experience, (b) patience and understanding, (c) multicultural understanding, (d) a living model, (e) ease of identification through similar experiences, and (f) better insights into the structure and use of the language. My references are to well-trained and well-qualified NNESTS.
An important advantage possessed by NNESTs is that they have experienced firsthand the same problems and difficulties that English learners are grappling with. The importance of this lies in the fact that NNESTs are better able to understand fully the problems that English learners may confront. Additionally, NNESTs are expected to exploit this learning experience in order to inform their teaching and guide their students to more effective learning strategies.
Another advantage is that NNESTs have a higher degree of patience with learners. They are more tolerant of mistakes and also more aware of the slow process of English-language learning. On the other hand, NESTs may find it difficult to adjust to the fact that their students have trouble with a structure or a word which to them may seem easy as well as obvious.
A further advantage is drawn from the belief that a NNEST brings to his or her class an understanding of a culture other than the mainstream American or English one. This will enable him or her to be more aware of the various cultures that are present in the classroom and also to help him or her ease the students into appreciating and understanding the culture of countries other than their own.
Some people may argue that NNESTs frequently make errors in grammar and pronunciation. Thus, they are not as able to present the language correctly as they should be. In contract, the belief is that NESTs never make such mistakes and so they are the best models to emulate and the only ones who should be allowed to teach English. In fact, language educators and practitioners do not expect NNESTs to be on the same level as NESTs insofar as every aspect of the language is concerned. Therefore, the presence of an English teacher who makes an occasional grammatical, structural and pronunciation error is an advantage since learners will see an imperfect model of English teaching whose English ability is within their grasp. In other words, learners will come to the conclusion that if they work hard, they will become like their teachers.
Yet another advantage is the idea that NNESTs are easy to identify with. They create a rapport with English learners. Similarly, learners look upon NNESTs as one of them which increases their motivation. In other words, when learners have moments when they feel that learning English is very difficult or even impossible, they will see NNESTs who are a reminder that English can be learned and mastered.
A final advantage is that NNESTS have better insight into the structure and use of the language than NESTs. This is very important in the process of learning English. Reports indicate that NNESTs exceed NESTs simply because they study and learn the language formally whereas NESTs acquire it naturally and painlessly.
It should appear from what I have said that NNESTs have a number of advantages over NESTS and that these advantages can be successfully utilized in teaching English. At the same time, however, the field is wide open to both NESTs and NNESTs. In addition, efforts should be made to create an environment allowing more collaboration between the two groups. It is time to change the question that we always ask — not should non-native English speaking teachers be allowed to teach English but how can we best utilize non-native English teachers in the ESL/EFL classroom?
(Dr. Khalid Al-Seghayer is a Saudi academic. He is based in Riyadh.)
