Native speaker dichotomy: Stakeholders’ preferences and perceptions of native and non-native speaking English language teachers

Abstract

Addressing the perceptions and the preferences of the upper-secondary school students, teachers, parents and administrators of the native speaking (NS) and non-native speaking (NNS) English teachers as well as investigating the variables affecting these preferences and perceptions, this study explores whether or not the native speaker myth is still prevalent. Contrary to common assumptions with regard to student and parent preferences being in favour of NS English teachers, this study purports that English as a foreign language (EFL) students who have participated in this study which is conducted in the Turkish Cypriot context favour the English teachers with good teaching skills, regardless of their NS/NNS status. The students’ perceptions and preferences are compared with those of their parents, teachers and administrators. The data are collected from 185 students, 86 parents, 18 teachers and two administrators, and analysed adopting a mixed-methods research design, being predominantly quantitative. Overall, mother tongue and grade are found to be the two variables that influence the participants’ perceptions and preferences with regard to the NS and NNS English teachers. Significant differences are found between student and teacher responses and between parents’ and teachers’ perceptions and preferences.

Keywords: administrators; English as a foreign language (EFL); native speaker dichotomy; parents; teacher preference