TESL 0100 Unit 1 - Reflections

 

TESL 0100 Unit 1 – Reflections

Brown and Lee (2015) have a discussion regarding native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) (p. 165). They claim that non-native English-speaking teachers have an advantage over native English-speaking teachers for several reasons: they can serve as role models of successful L2 learning; understand the students’ culture and language; understand the challenges of learning an L2; can provide better explanations using the L1; can simplify the L2; and can understand the role of the L2 and the suitability of the teaching and materials.

However, most of these advantages are only advantages if the teacher’s L1 is the same as the students L1. If the NNEST is teaching students with a different L1, they are in virtually the same situation as the NEST. They no longer necessarily understand the students’ language and culture and they are less likely to be able to provide efficient explanations and simplify the L2 by using their L1. NNESTs still may have an advantage in knowing what it is like to learn the target language, but a NEST who has learnt another language will have some idea about the difficulties learning another language.

The potential advantages of being a NEST were not discussed by Brown and Lee (2015). I see a few possible advantages of being a NEST. A NEST is more likely to identify pronunciation problems in the students’ speaking, although there are some instances where pronunciation differs between different groups of speakers. NESTs should be more likely to identify grammar mistakes such as missing articles and noun/verb agreements with the students’ speaking and writing. A NEST should be able to help more with idioms and colloquialisms having been using them for longer than a NNEST.

I do agree with Brown and Lee (2015) when they indicate that training and experience are the best qualifications for any language teacher. All the advantages for the NESTs and NNESTs become less important and less distinguishable with the more training and experience a teacher has.

Brown, D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (4th ed. revised).