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    The Decline and Fall of The Native Speaker

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    Rizki Dian Retno
    1. The concepts of "native speaker" and "non-native speaker" have come under scrutiny in applied linguistics, as "native" is often perceived positively while "non-native" is seen negatively. 2. The term "language user" may be a more adequate label that does not distinguish between native and non-native, bringing a new dimension of proficiency to consider. 3. Research on non-native English teachers was scarce until the 1990s, when studies began challenging the assumption that native speakers are always preferable language teachers over non-natives.

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    The Decline and Fall of The Native Speaker

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    Rizki Dian Retno
    59 views3 pages
    1. The concepts of "native speaker" and "non-native speaker" have come under scrutiny in applied linguistics, as "native" is often perceived positively while "non-native" is seen negatively. 2. The term "language user" may be a more adequate label that does not distinguish between native and non-native, bringing a new dimension of proficiency to consider. 3. Research on non-native English teachers was scarce until the 1990s, when studies began challenging the assumption that native speakers are always preferable language teachers over non-natives.

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    The Decline and Fall of the Native Speaker

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    1. The concepts of "native speaker" and "non-native speaker" have come under scrutiny in applied linguistics, as "native" is often perceived positively while "non-native" is seen negatively. 2. The term "language user" may be a more adequate label that does not distinguish between native and non-native, bringing a new dimension of proficiency to consider. 3. Research on non-native English teachers was scarce until the 1990s, when studies began challenging the assumption that native speakers are always preferable language teachers over non-natives.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    59 views3 pages

    The Decline and Fall of The Native Speaker

    Uploaded by

    Rizki Dian Retno
    1. The concepts of "native speaker" and "non-native speaker" have come under scrutiny in applied linguistics, as "native" is often perceived positively while "non-native" is seen negatively. 2. The term "language user" may be a more adequate label that does not distinguish between native and non-native, bringing a new dimension of proficiency to consider. 3. Research on non-native English teachers was scarce until the 1990s, when studies began challenging the assumption that native speakers are always preferable language teachers over non-natives.

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    of 3

    The Decline and Fall of the Native Speaker

    Introduction
    'Native speaker' and 'non-native speaker' are concepts that have come under scrutiny in
    applied linguistics. As Matsuda (2003) has claimed, the discussion has typically been based on
    the overall perception of 'native' as positive, in contrast to 'nonnative', perceived as a negative
    feature. 'Passing for a native speaker' questions and destabilises the categories of native and non-
    native speakers themselves. 'Native speaker' is no longer an identity category, and rather than
    being something that someone is, it becomes something they do. Some L2 users claim they can
    pass as native speakers in some contexts.
    The term 'language user' may be more adequate and less tendentious. This is in line with
    current discussions on the role of English as a Lingua Franca at international levels. It also
    renders the labelling of 'native' and 'non-native' useless, and brings a new dimension of
    proficiency. Most language users in the world can use more than one language, that is, they have
    some degree of bilingualism or multilingualism. According to Cummins' Linguistic
    Interdependence Hypothesis, languages spoken by a bilingual speaker are not stored in separate
    compartments.
    Native speakerism was at its height when Commonwealth conference on the Teaching of
    English held at Makarere (Uganda) in 1992. Recently, non-native speakers who devote their
    professional lives to languages which are not L1 have enjoyed increasing recognition. No
    research has been done to date on NNS teachers of other languages.

    Research on Non-native Speaking Teachers


    Native vs. non-native identity of language teachers was not researched until Peter Medgyes
    devoted his attention to NNSs in ELT. Communicative Language Teaching had an implicit rule that
    native speakers were ideal for promoting natural and spontaneous communication, and therefore
    should naturally be preferred over non-natives. Medgyes (1992, 1994) introduced the question that
    challenged the above assumptions: who is worth more as a language teacher, the native speaker or
    the non-native speaker? For the first time, NNSs were the object of research and were mentioned in
    academic literature.
    Llurda (2009) argues that NNESTs suffer from a syndrome similar to the Stockholm
    Syndrome. Language teachers and researchers' lack of positive attitudes towards English as a Lingua
    Franca was revealed by Jenkins (2007).

    1. Is There Anything Wrong with NS Teachers?


    Claiming the need for a higher role and better appreciation of the NNS condition does not
    carry with it a downgrading of the NS. All teachers, NS or NNS, need pedagogical training and
    knowledge of the language being taught. And this includes those NNS teachers who do not share
    their students' L1.
    2. Outcomes of Research
    Several researchers have recently addressed the artificial construct of the separation
    between native speakers and non-native speakers in language teaching that was discussed
    at the beginning of this chapter. They have used two major arguments to eliminate such
    discrimination: (a) minimizing any perceived differences between the two groups; and (b)
    vindicating the role of the non-native speaker. Speaker as a legitimate language
    instructor.
    (a) Minimizing perceived differences between NSs and NNSs
    The need to establish boundaries that separate NSs and NNSs has been the focus of a
    few studies. The fact that three of the participants could not affiliate themselves with
    either the NS or the NNS category indicates that such a clear-cut distinction may not
    be easy or plausible to make.
    (b) Vindicating the role of non-native speakers in language teaching
    Language teaching has never been a straightforward activity. NNESTs are founded on
    the premise that they have walked along the same path as their students. They have a
    high level of awareness of the language and can anticipate the difficulties that will
    appear in the learning process.

    3. Internal Diversity among Native and Non-native Speakers


    An important distinction needs to be made between well-trained teachers and what
    Árva and Medgyes (2000) call 'backpackers', who spend one or two years teaching
    English in a foreign country without any previous training, experience or knowledge of
    the local language and culture. Acknowledging the existence of internal diversity within a
    group is the first step to accept their complexities. Ellis (2006: 4) argues that a key
    dimension in ESL teachers' content knowledge is 'the teacher's knowledge/experience of
    the acquisition of the content in formal contexts'. (Ellis, 2006: 3). V. Cook demonstrates
    that what ELT really is concerned with is the development of the L2 user – 'somebody
    who knows and uses a second language at any level'.

    Critical Approaches to Language Teaching: The Decline and Fall of the NS


    Native speaker teachers have traditionally enjoyed the benefit of being considered default
    language teachers. Only recently have we come to grips with the idea that non-native speakers
    may be as good teachers as natives. Good language teaching requires a good command of the
    language plus the right amount of training and ability to teach it. The need to be native is only
    perceived as reasonable when we use the word 'language', instead of 'history' or 'geography'.
    NNSs have now finally gathered the strength to voice their concerns and claim their right to be
    heard in the language teaching and research community.

    Final Remarks
    Sifakis (2004) makes a useful distinction between three areas in the debate surrounding
    EIL: 'theory', 'reality' and 'application'. Theory is concerned with the delineating and defining of
    the EIL paradigm. Reality is related to observations of actual EIL communication and an
    understanding of the various cognitive and communicative processes involved. The foundations
    of 'native speakerism' have been hit hard by critical research on language teaching, but in no way
    have they been destroyed. There is a strong defence made up of the thousands of teachers and
    laypeople who associate one person with one language. The native speaker is under attack but I
    would dare say it still is in pretty good shape.

    Reference:
    Wei Li, Vivian Cook. (2009). Contemporary Applied Linguistics Volume 1 Language
    Teaching and Learning. New York: Continuum; Reprint edition

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