Leaving the NEST

#TESL0100

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As someone whose L1 is English, I have wondered why many of my TESL professors and classmates are L2 English speakers. After reading Chapter 8 of Brown and Lee (2015) and the introduction stories of my current classmates, I am now able to understand why this is the case. I can also see how this can be a great advantage, both to students and to the ESL teaching community.

Brown and Lee (2015) use the terms “native English-speaking teachers” (NESTs) and “nonnative English-speaking teachers” (NNESTs), and further states, “NESTs are…not better teachers than NNESTs by virtue of their ‘native’ language background. The most important qualification for a teaching position is training and experience in teaching languages.” (p. 165) I felt discouraged when I first read this, but then I realized that “not better” doesn’t mean to imply worse, and that training is the most important factor.

Among the advantages of being a NNEST listed by Brown and Lee is that of “familiarity with what it is like to learn the target language as an L2 and be more empathetic with students about their needs and challenges.” As a NEST, I do not have this advantage. However, as a lifelong L2 learner of French, I find that I can relate to the concepts, situations and difficulties that are presented by my TESL courses. I have been exposed to a number of different learning situations in the process of my L2 learning, and I can reflect on how they were successful or not, and identify the methods and teaching philosophies behind each of them.

I also have the advantage of being able to call on my ever-expanding PLN – my classmates, my instructors and the wider ESL teaching community. This community is geographically diverse, but they are most welcoming and willing to share their experiences, resources and opinions with teachers and learners alike. I look forward to the resumption of the bi-weekly #CDNELTchat (formerly #LINCchat) sessions on Twitter.

Resources:

Brown, H.D. & Lee, H., (2015), Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, 4^th ed., Pearson Education Inc., White Plains, NY, pp. 156 - 174.