The need is greater than ever
ELT forums such as http://www.esl-jobs-forum.com/, blogs and web pages such as http://www.eslbase.com/ on the Internet almost continuously post comments, advice and various opinions on the native viability. against Non-native English Teachers of TESOL, EFL/ESL. Native English speaking teachers could not begin to fill the large number of TEFL English teaching positions that continue to develop around the world. The need for competent, non-native English teachers is greater than ever. Let’s follow some comments that identify some typical problems and their possible solutions.
there are some problems
“Watch out for mistakes, not mistakes” I always tell my EFL students in business and university classes. But either one can cost the non-native English teacher looking for a position. Consider this comment from the ELT forum. A non-native English teacher “can have stellar qualities regarding their teaching skills and can be a charismatic mentor to their students. However, their first impression to a potential employer, in most cases, an email or other form of written communication, may determine the employer’s decision whether or not to consider you for the job.” So the first thing I would do is improve my written grammar skills. Minimize the reasons the employer may have to NOT consider you.
Other comments advise EFL teachers of English who do not speak English as their mother tongue to emphasize their knowledge of the cultures of the many English-speaking countries. That can include personal experiences, interesting anecdotes, including the origin of a word or phrase. “I also believe that employers, parents, and students want the ‘total package.’ Therefore, non-native English speakers should maximize the employer’s reasons for hiring them.”
Another commenter states that “…you don’t have to be a ‘white’ (or pink) person with blue eyes and blonde hair to get the job. The employer won’t see you anyway while reading your first correspondence. That gives you time to present yourself in a very attractive way”.
be honest with yourself
“When it comes to non-native speakers teaching ESL/EFL, especially in an English-speaking country, it’s important to be brutally honest with yourself,” another ELT professional comments. Ask yourself these questions in response to another ELT forum comment:
o Do you speak intelligible English with little or no native language accent (L1)?
o Can you speak and write grammatically correctly? Remember, you are the role model for your students. If you can’t pronounce the words you need to learn correctly, how can you expect them to?
o If you don’t speak and write grammatically correctly, how can you expect them to?
These are drawbacks for any non-native speaker teaching in another language.
A bit of a sticky wicket
Culture is an integral part of teaching English or any other foreign language. What happens with those linguistic, cultural and idiomatic situations that arise in class? Questions about local sayings, events and customs? How do you handle these? One commenter noted, “…I’ve taught at all levels and have found that students have questions that I know a non-native teacher couldn’t answer.”
He goes on to make this point: “…I’ve come in contact with some amazing non-native teachers, but in general the native speakers were better…I’ve heard some of the teachers ask me questions that were just obvious and use idioms incorrectly in an attempt to from sounding like they were better than they were.
While the need for competent non-native English-speaking TESOL English teachers will continue to outstrip the supply, teachers must be careful to do their best. For more ideas, information, and feedback, be sure to read the companion article, “Do EFL Schools of English Really Need Native English-Speaking Teachers?”