Rationale
The thesis will compare the experience of Native English Speaker Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English Speaker Teachers (NNESTs) in Korea. Previous research has revealed that NESTs have better opportunities and experience compared to NNESTs in teaching English in the Korean context. Up to 70% of the opportunities advertised on tefl.com are reserved for NESTs (Medgyes 191). Regardless of this reality, there is inadequate research focusing on the actual teaching experience of Korean English Speaker Teachers compared to Native English Speaker Teachers. There is limited research on the perceptions of the teachers about the disparity. Therefore, the proposed study will explore this area, and further investigate how the experiences shape the language teacher identity of the Korean English Teachers.
As a teacher, I understand the importance of having a positive teacher identity, but this can be hampered by negative experiences. It is important to uncover the differences in the teaching experiences of the Native English Speaker Teachers and Korean English Teachers. I would understand the complexity and contradictions of the teaching situation, and critically explore the background of pay inequality, race, native/non-native inequality, and how the so-called native “backpackers” and the non-native (trained) teachers form their teacher identity. I want to understand the reality of the situation and to provide suggestions as to how the system can be improved practically rather than argue, which one is better than the other. The current studies show that the disparity exists, but they do not go further to explain the factors behind the problem. Understanding the factors behind the inequality will build on the body of knowledge and inform potential teachers about the odds of seeking employment in Korea, especially for Korean English Teachers (Medgyes 191). It will also influence the current policies on hiring English teachers. When an individual is trained as a teacher, the identity is critical for positive outcomes. However, the identity does not form when one graduates as a teacher, but it is developed through the teaching career. The outcome of the study will point to the effect of the different experiences on the formation of a teacher identity, especially for Korean English Teachers.
Research Questions
- How do the Korean teachers’ English language teaching experiences compare to native teachers’ English language teaching experiences in Korea?
- How do the experiences shape the language teacher identity?
- How does the so-called native “backpackers” and the non-native (trained) teachers form their identity?
- What role do factors such as pay inequality, race, and native/non-native inequality affect the experiences of the two kinds of teachers?
- What policies can be instated to improve the experiences of the Korean English Language Teachers?
Methodology
The research will be a qualitative case study using a social-cultural lens to explore the identity, practice, and discourse of English teachers in Korea (Native English teachers, Korean teachers, and Foreign-educated Korean teachers). The proposed case for the study is in Korea, meaning that research will be performed in the country. Also, the study is based on unraveling the experiences of Korean English teachers as compared with Native English teachers. The population for the proposed study is all English language teachers in Korea, both the native English speaking teachers and the Korean English teachers. The proposed study will include four participants identified using a purposive sampling method. The researcher will purposefully select four students, two from each class taught by the respective teachers. The researcher will collect data in two phases; the first one will be a pilot and the second one the actual research study using an in-depth semi-structured interview. Data will also be collected from documentary evidence to show the opportunity and experience of the teacher. One of the sources that will be used is the hiring advertisements relating to Korean teachers and through observation and field notes to achieve triangulation. Documentary evidence will be analyzed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), while the Gee’s Discourse Analysis will be used for the analysis of data collected using the other two methods, including interview schedules and field notes.
Work Cited
Medgyes, Péter. “Nonnative Speaker English Teachers: Research, Pedagogy, and Professional Growth.” ELT Journal: English Language Teaching Journal, vol. 65, no. 2, Apr. 2011, pp. 190-192.
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