2 Strengths Of Non-Native English Teachers

The ESL community is separated into two sides: native English teachers and non-natives English teachers. The seven countries* and the rest of the world. While natives get the best opportunities, non-natives struggle to find some respectable offers. This is how the system works. Experience and education come after nationality. Sometimes, even the professional background does not matter if the applicant is American or British.

Being native in a language does not mean being more qualified in teaching it. Competence is a process of acquisition. It is not inborn. Without any doubt, being native in English is an advantage to learn how to teach it in a short period. However, at the end of the day, both natives and non-natives have the same chance to acquire this skill, even if the pace could differ.

Many schools prefer the natives only for marketing purposes. It is more profitable for them to tell the parents that they have an American teacher. This is how marketing works. Some nationalities sell better than others in the ESL market. You cannot blame the school, the parents, the recruiter, or the whole system for that. That is a given datum that you cannot fight back, at least for the moment. Though, you can activate your quit skills to overstep the native English teachers in the recruitment procedure.

The majority of non-native ESL teachers do not know about their strengths. Some of them belittle their skills, while others marginalize them. The marginalization could be observed in the resume or the interview with the recruiter. This article will highlight some skills that distinguish the non-native English teachers.

1. A non-native English teacher is a former English learner.

As opposed to natives, non-native English teachers have been through the language learning journey. Therefore, they are more likely to understand their students’ struggles with the language. Thus, they can provide them with practical solutions. Non-native English teachers go beyond theories. They know what works when it comes to learning English as a foreign language. During their language learning journey, they acquired a sense for teaching it.

Correspondingly, learners appoint their non-native English teacher as a model to imitate. The teacher becomes a vivid motivation for the students. Someone who has been in their shoes and made it to language fluency. In addition, students feel that they have many things in common with the teacher. Therefore, they grow a sense of belonging. It is always great to have someone who feels your struggles, and this is exactly what a non-native English teacher does.

2. Proficiency in other languages.

Non-native English teachers are fluent in two languages at a minimum. In addition to English, they can be fluent in a language or two. Some of these languages could be a real advantage considering the targeted opportunity. For example, fluency in Spanish makes the difference when applying for a job offer in Argentina or Mexico.

According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, there is a close relationship between language and culture. The two theorists claim that language encodes society. Despite the criticism of this hypothesis, there is an agreement about the way language determines the manner we think. If you are fluent in Mandarin, you are more likely to think like Chinese. Therefore, you unlocked Chinese society.

It is like a video game. Fluency in a language unlocks a whole new world. In other words, it means being more broadminded and open to other cultures. That is one of the essential and most crucial characteristics of an ESL teacher. To be tolerant.

Furthermore, fluency in students’ L1 helps the teacher to understand their needs and struggles. It guarantees the development of an adequate lesson plan based on their foreknowledge of their L1.

* The seven countries, aka the big seven, are the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.