You may have noticed that this blog entry capitalizes the conjunction AND. There's a good reason for this. After so many years of working in this field as a teacher, trainer, and student, I've come to believe there's more to say about this than the simplistic dichotomy Native VERSUS non-native speaker teachers debate which overflows so many websites and conference panels.
I truly believe both native and non natives can perform equally well in any classroom setting provided they are, well…teachers! This means if you’re looking for someone who will teach you the language system and skills, make sure they’re qualified, professional and passionate about what they do. If your teacher displays these three qualities, you’re just fine!
These three qualities form an energy triangle, if I may say so, that strikes the right balance between the objective and subjective variables involved in teaching.
The problem is not the national background of your teacher but, many times, the students’ (understandable) lack of knowledge of what makes a good teacher. I believe being a good teacher has nothing to do with where you were born, but what the teacher does for the students. For example: Has the teacher the necessary qualifications to teach not only English but the kind of English you need (for business, for international exams, etc.)? Is the teacher preparing lessons properly? Is the teacher taking time to care for the human components involved in teaching? Is s/he caring for you as a learner after the 60 minute lesson ends? Is s/he being responsive to your needs? Is the teacher showing interest in keeping up to date with research in the field?
Schools who promise native speakers to their students sometimes care more for the marketing component than for the teaching/learning component. I’ve known of schools which would hire just US or UK citizens no matter what their qualification was…That means that in the classroom students would find a native backpacker just trying to get by on a teaching monthly salary while the visit a foreign country for a term. Not surprisingly the classroom results were terrible.
Business considerations aside, as a student you may want to know that years ago the TESOL association (one of the largest and most influential associations for the teaching of English) passed an influential resolution condemning any form of discrimination between natives and non natives. Please check it out http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=87&DID=244
I will keep posting on this subject matter periodically as I’m really interested in this situation as a teacher and as a human being. Any contribution to the debate is greatly appreciated. Send me an email. Thanks!
