Bahraini Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Differences with Native English Speaker Teachers of English

Hasan, Mohamed

doi:10.12785/ijbmte/010103

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 25 publications

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“…We understand the cultural aspects of these students". As a Saudi teacher, she viewed the cultural background and the social values shared with her students as an advantage that allowed her to understand the students better than NESTs (Alwadi, 2013;Wang & Lin, 2014). This perspective was shared by another Saudi teacher (1AS):…”

Section: Questioning the Ns Fallacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond and within the NS/NNS discourses: English teaching in the Saudi PYPs

Alshammari¹

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In the field of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), the emergence of studies and scholarly publications questioning the dichotomy between Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) has been gradually gaining momentum over the last 25 years. Tensions resulting from this dichotomy have contributed to the "NNEST movement" which seeks to problematise the contested categories of "NS" and "NNS" and to advocate for non-discriminatory practices in the TESOL profession. With the purpose of advancing the movement's research agenda and responding to the call for research into post-recruitment, context-specific situated experiences, this qualitative case study explores how the NEST/NNEST division plays out in the Preparatory Year Programs (PYP) in two KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) universities. A central part of this study is an investigation of the lived experiences of three groups of English teachers working side by side in these programs: NESTs, Saudi NNESTs and NNESTs from overseas, the latter in particular representing a largely under-researched group in the literature. Although this research does align with previous work within the NNEST movement, it goes beyond it in that English teachers, both NESTs and NNESTs, are negatively influenced by the discourses of native-speakerism, and they are not necessarily the ones to blame for this impact; they cannot be perceived as opponents and, most importantly, they cannot be restricted to the NEST/NNEST identities. This study draws on data from three sources: 25 online advertisements, 18 demographic profiles and face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 18 practicing teachers (six from each group). The analysis, interpretation and in-depth discussion of these data are articulated around three themes, each presented in a core chapter. First, Becoming focuses on recruitment strategies in the PYPs; second, Being centres on the participants' positioning within English teaching in the Saudi PYPs and the third and final chapter focuses on Reflecting and present teacher-participants' views on speakerhood. With respect to how job recruitment takes place in these programs, analysis of the data reveals discourses of inequity underpin many descriptions of job requirements in the Saudi PYP context. Ninety-two percent of the job advertisements analysed used speakerhood status or nationality as essential requirements, which indicates "unjustified" professional hierarchies. The most required qualification in these PYP job advertisements was CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults). According to the analysis of the participants' opinions, CELTA appeared to replace the NS status requirement; that is to say, employers seemed to use this qualification rather than speakerhood in their hiring practices. However, CELTA does not escape criticism as an English teaching qualification and it will be argued that it acts as a colonialist tool in the ELT Publications during candidature "No publications" Publications in...

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Section: Questioning the Ns Fallacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond and within the NS/NNS discourses: English teaching in the Saudi PYPs

Alshammari¹

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From experienced to professional practitioners: a participatory lesson study approach to strengthen and sustain English language teaching and leadership

Al-Wadi

Mohamed

Wilson

2020

IJLLS

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PurposeThis study arises from a recent school-based professional development (PD) programme conducted for English language teachers (ELTs) in a secondary school in the Kingdom of Bahrain, where a participatory lesson study (PLS) strategy was implemented to develop four ELTs' teaching skills and their senior teacher's leadership. The influence of the PLS on creating a participatory PD experience for the participants was investigated through exploring their perceptions of their professional growth during their PLS experience.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a qualitative interpretive approach, a total of eight lesson study cases and 16 meetings were conducted and analysed.FindingsThe main factors that influenced the participants' perceptions of their professional growth in PLS were high self-efficacy and confidence; dominancy of their peers; the informality of the PLS practice; and reflective practice. Relatedly, the results revealed critical thoughts about PLS as a means for ELT's self-directed PD in non-native English-speaking contexts.Originality/valueThe study provides an alternative approach to PD that can be offered for ELTs in any ESL/EFL context that focusses on supporting non-native English-speaking teachers' practices by associating theory with practice. This approach has enabled them to gain the practical skills they need and develop their awareness about the theoretical principles of these practices. For the first time, teachers were given the role to act as the trainers and the theorisers of their own teaching practices.

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Bahraini Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Differences with Native English Speaker Teachers of English

Cited by 2 publications

References 25 publications

Beyond and within the NS/NNS discourses: English teaching in the Saudi PYPs

Beyond and within the NS/NNS discourses: English teaching in the Saudi PYPs

From experienced to professional practitioners: a participatory lesson study approach to strengthen and sustain English language teaching and leadership

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