Challenges and Truimphs of Nonnative English Speakers in IEPs - Part 1

Challenges and Triumphs for Challenges and Triumphs for Nonnative-English Speaking Nonnative-English Speaking

Teachers in IEPsTeachers in IEPs•Dr. Denise Murray - Professor Emeritus, Macquarie University and San José State University

•Dr. Silvio Avendano – Instituto Especializadode Nivel Superior, Centro Cultural Salvadoreno, Americano and Binational Center of El Salvador

•Leo Schmitt – Pennsylvania State University

•Dr. Julie Yang – San José State University

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 1

WHOSE ENGLISH IS WHOSE ENGLISH IS IT?IT?COMMITTING TO COMMITTING TO

EMPOWERMENTEMPOWERMENT

Prof. Denise E. Murray

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 2

DatabaseDatabasePersonal experiencesSJSU◦Practicum supervisor◦Hiring of teachers for “remedial”

coursesExecutive Director of National

Centre for English Language Teaching and Research, Macquarie University◦Certificate in TESOL(with practicum)◦Research on multilingual teachers◦Large IEP (80+ staff)

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 3

PERSONAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 4

United KingdomUnited KingdomI became interested in issues of

different language varieties and people’s attitudes to them when I lived in the UK for 7 years. I was a high school English and math teacher, but became interested in EFL. I applied for several positions in Europe teaching English and was refused on the grounds that I spoke Australian English and then only hired British English speakers.

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 5

United Kingdom cont.United Kingdom cont.So, my response was to sound

just like the Queen! This I achieved and even got a position in a private girls’ school. I was hired to teach in EFL intensive programs.

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 6

United StatesUnited StatesMy experiences in the US were

completely different, with people commenting on my accent and saying how “nice” it was. Even students in their evaluations would comment. This positive feedback led me to maintain much of my British/Australian variety.

I didn’t however, adopt sufficient salient features of American speech for Australian and British speakers to think I’m American!

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What I learnedWhat I learnedIt’s not a question of whether one’s

English is proficient, but people’s attitudes towards both the country of origin and its speech patterns. Ignorance about language leads to prejudice.

If I, as an educated, professional native-speaker experienced prejudice, how much more might NNESTs.

For a fuller account, see Murray, D.E. (2010). Changing stripes - Chameleon or tiger? In D. Nunan, & J. Choi (Eds.), Language and culture: Reflective narratives and the emergence of identity (pp. 164-169). New York: Routledge.

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 8

SAN JOSE STATE SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 9

Practicum requirements, Practicum requirements, SJSUSJSUPeer/micro teaching – videotaped,

critiqued10 hours of observation (2-3

settings)10 hours of teaching in one setting◦Class of own choosing

Tutoring/aiding/clerical – 6 hoursVideotaped lessons – critical incidentJournalClass discussions of the role of

multilingual teachersTESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 10

Practicum placementsPracticum placements

Placement of multilingual teachers◦Adult education◦University◦IEP

The role of graduates from the program

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Chair, Linguistics and Chair, Linguistics and Language Development, Language Development, SJSUSJSU

Role models of hiring for university courses

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 12

MACQUARIE MACQUARIE UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 13

Certificate in TESOLCertificate in TESOL

Practicum◦10 hours of supervised teaching over

10 weeks◦15 hours of observation over 10

weeks◦Lecturers arrange placements

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 14

Research ProjectResearch Project

with Erica GarveySubjects◦6 trainee teachers

China, Japan, Thailand, and Serbia

◦4 placed in IEP, 2 in adult immigrant classes

◦3 immigrants, 3 international students

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 15

DataData

Pre- and post- interviews with trainees

Interviews with mentor teachersVideotapes of trainees teachingLearning journalsWritten evaluations of lessons by

trainees and mentor teachers Observation task on “the learner as

cultural being” TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 16

Issues investigatedIssues investigated

Trainee English language proficiency

Trainee expertise as TESOL professionals

Trainee perceptions of their being role models

Trainee perceptions of their students’ responses to them as English language teachers. TESOL 2010/Intensive English

Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 17

Themes that emergedThemes that emerged

English language proficiency ◦Intelligibility◦Linguistic accuracy

Syntax and register

◦TESOL terminology Difficult using English

◦Students’ responses to trainees’ English Often negative

◦Cultural knowledge◦Mentor teachers rated them higher

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 18

Themes that emergedThemes that emerged

Acting as models or mentors◦ Empathy◦Bilingual skillsMultilingual mentor teachers as

role models

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Themes that emergedThemes that emerged

TESOL knowledge and skills◦Trainees’ teaching abilities

Responding to “teachable moment” Providing corrective feedback

◦Prior language learning experiences “Apprenticeship of observation” Difficulties of trying new approach Discipline – concept & language

Class level◦General class with adult beginners

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 20

Themes that emergedThemes that emerged

Placement◦IEP

Similar experiences, BUT“The students resist them strongly. They will come and complain. People who are non-native speakers have a lot to overcome, but once they do the students are very loyal. “

◦Adult immigrants

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Recommendations for Recommendations for Teacher Education ProgramsTeacher Education Programs

Deconstruct the myth of the native-speaker – in all courses

Developing language proficiencyDeveloping cultural knowledgeChoice of ◦working with a multilingual mentor

teacher and/or working with a bilingual class

TESOL 2010/Intensive English Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 22

Large IEP at Macquarie: Large IEP at Macquarie: Practice what we preachPractice what we preach

In the IEP program at Macquarie, we put our money where our mouth was. We hired many NNESTs for their expertise in teaching English. Our policy was that if students complained, we’d explain that the NNEST was just as effective, and also an excellent role model. The student should try the course and if they finally decided they still did not want a NNEST, we’d refund their money. We never had to refund!TESOL 2010/Intensive English

Programs and Nonnative Speakers of English in TESOL Intersection 23