Collaboration between Native and Non-native

Description

Collaboration between Native and Non-native

English-Speaking Teachers

Mohammad Nurul Islam 1

Abstract: This study is designed to be an empirical study of the nature of the

collaboration between three NESTs and three Taiwanese teachers of English (TTEs),

who are NNESTs, in elementary schools in Taiwan. The aim of this study is threefold: (a)

to explore the nature of collaborative teaching by NESTs and TTEs, (b) to look into the

support structures that I might have been developed during the collaboration between

NESTs and TTEs, and (c) to gain insights into the experiences of NESTs and TTEs in

connection with collaborative teaching in elementary school classrooms. The author

wishes to build up knowledge of the practice of collaborative teaching by NESTs and

NNESTs and accordingly to make viable suggestions on improving collaborative

teaching of this kind.

Key words: Collaborative-teaching; Native English-speaking teachers (NESTs);

Non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

1. INTRODUCTION

Including native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) in school systems has become a prevalent practice in

some Asian countries, for instance, the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and the English

Program in Korea (EPIK). Since 1987, the Japanese government has recruited native speakers of English as

teaching assistants through the JET Program in order to improve English language education at the junior

and senior high school levels in Japan. Likewise, EPIK, sponsored by the Korean government, was

established in 1995 “to improve the English speaking abilities of Korean students and teachers, to develop

cultural exchanges, and to reform teaching methodologies in English”. In Taiwan, NESTs have been

recruited by local governments through non-state education agencies since 2001. According to the

guidelines posted on the website of the Ministry of Education (MOE) (2003), NESTs are defined as

teachers who are native speakers of English-speaking countries, four-year college graduates, and have a

teaching license for elementary schools or language arts. As of 2005, ten cities/prefectures in Taiwan have

implemented NEST programs, i.e., including NESTs in elementary school English classrooms.