The non-native English-speaking teacher abroad : the Maltese experience : a case study into the experiences of Maltese teachers of English overseas

Abstract

The considerations which go into the employment of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) with English schools abroad are often viewed as unfair when compared to those set out for hiring native English-speaking teachers (NESTs). When it comes to determining the prospects of employment for NNESTs in TEFL schools, several studies generally take either a quantitative approach to recording opinions on NNESTs’ reliability compared to NESTs, or a mixed approach where quantitative analysis is accompanied by a qualitative section. As a trend, quantitative research indicates that TEFL applicants are chosen based on things such as qualification and the candidate's adaptability to a new setting, to name a few things (Kiczkowiak et al., 2016; Kiczkowiak, 2020; Walkinshaw and Duongthi, 2014). However, research also discovered some differences in the data collected between quantitative and qualitative findings, as Alenazi’s (2014) and Fitzel’s (2015) dissertations indicate, both in support of other research done (Medgyes, 1992; Duff, 2002; Clark and Paran: 2007), that while quantitative research shows an impartiality towards NNESTs who are qualified, qualitative research shows that accents and appearance do make a difference to employers, which would mean that a qualified NNEST might face more of a challenge based on their background, before being hired, which could also imply discrimination. This has made the researcher wonder how consistent the attitudes expressed towards NNESTs are on paper compared to what actually transpires according to NNEST teachers who have had experiences teaching abroad the attitudes they faced by employers from foreign schools of English. This is an area of interest for the Maltese context, a bilingual nation which prides itself on its understanding and grasp of the English language. The ELT Council Malta describes Maltese NNESTs as ideal for English learning given Malta's 'cultural, historical and linguistic heritage’ (ELT Council, 2019; Visitmalta.com, 2013). However, several studies give more credibility to NESTs for their handle on standard native English accents and grasp of a native English-speaking culture, rather than the more accessible explanation of grammar that NNESTs are alleged to give in lessons to learners. Bearing these things in mind, it is worth asking how credible the image of Maltese NNESTs as ‘a country that has English as one of its two official languages’ (Visitmalta.com, 2013), is to overseas employers. This empirical qualitative study will aim to explore this through semi-structured interviews with qualified Maltese teachers of English who do not possess a native-English speaker's passport, or did not possess one when teaching abroad, and who have had experiences teaching with foreign schools, and to explore how receptive the school environments were of them. The study will explore how such teachers found employment, what facilitated this employment, how they perceived their reception by the students they taught, how staff interacted, cooperated and were welcoming towards them, what their superiors requested of them and other relevant factors. This will be done in the hope of documenting how receptive schools in foreign countries are to qualified NNEST Maltese-nationality teachers.