The native speaker fallacy in english teachers recruitment practices

Abstract

This study looks into local English teachers’ problematizing perceptions around the native speaker fallacy and its role in recruitment practices for english teachers in Bogotá, within the context of digital discussions in two social network groups. The purpose was to understand from a critical perspective, how non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) as digital users, perceived and problematized native-speakerism. It examines how the local English language teachers (ELT) users interacted, discussed, posted and replied to other users; bringing forth their stances towards scenarios deriving from the native vs. non-native speaker dichotomy. In doing so, I sought to characterize emerging resistance or accommodation practices stemming from such positioning and problematizing views. Through a qualitative, descriptive and interpretive approach supported in digital ethnography and web content analysis, I elicited, analyzed and interpreted ten naturally occurring discussion threads from 2014 to 2018 where users shared, externalized and reacted towards native-speakerism beliefs within two Facebook ELT groups. Findings revealed that local teachers problematized the fallacy by questioning its monetization effects in the ELT practice, by reflecting on their struggles as Colombian English teachers and by contesting its standardization in the way English teachers are employed. The study concluded that NNEST users used the social network groups to resist stereotyping, discrimination, injustice and control when they posted, replied and engaged in discussions to support or reject beliefs around native-speakerism. Consequently, they revealed their aspirations, frustrations, opinions and ideas to challenge perceived effects in the way students, institutions and recruiters regard on local English teachers. These findings contribute to the study of English teachers' subject construction as subjected to these practices and their effects.