Native and Non-Native English Speaking Teachers in China

Native and Non-Native English Speaking Teachers in China

Zheng Huang Native and Non-Native English Speaking Teachers in China Perceptions and Practices 123

Zheng Huang Shanghai Normal University Shanghai China ISBN 978-981-10-5283-5 ISBN 978-981-10-5284-2 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-5284-2 Jointly published with Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press Library of Congress Control Number: 2017945246 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publishers, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publishers, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publishers nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publishers remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore

Contents 1 Introduction.... 1 1.1 Personal Interest in This Topic... 1 1.2 Contextualizing the Study.... 3 1.2.1 Globalization and ELT in China... 3 1.2.2 Culture of Learning and CETs Classroom Practices.... 8 1.2.3 College English in China... 10 1.2.4 Unique Features of College ELT in China... 11 1.3 Research Focus.... 13 References.... 14 2 Conceptualizing (Non-)Native Speaker Identity... 19 2.1 Theorizing Identity... 19 2.2 NS Versus NNS... 21 2.2.1 (Non-)Native Speakerhood in the ENL/ESL/EFL Framework... 22 2.2.2 (Non-)Native Speakerhood in the WE and EIL/ELF Framework... 23 2.3 Language, Ideology and Power.... 26 2.4 Features of and Differences Between NESTs and NNESTs... 28 2.4.1 Research Based on NNESTs Self-perceptions... 28 2.4.2 Research Based on Students Perceptions... 32 2.4.3 Summary of the Features of and Differences Between NESTs and NNESTs in the Existing Literature.... 35 2.5 NNESTs Professional Identity... 36 2.5.1 Existing Literature.... 36 2.5.2 A Poststructuralist View on NNESTs Professional Identity... 39 2.6 Summary... 41 References.... 42 v

vi Contents 3 Presenting the Study... 47 3.1 Research Design and Settings.... 47 3.2 Interview-Survey-Interview Procedure to Elicit Students Perceptions... 49 3.2.1 Questionnaire Survey... 49 3.2.2 Follow-up One-to-One Interviews... 53 3.3 Methods Used to Elicit CETs Self-perceptions... 53 3.3.1 Settings and Participants... 54 3.3.2 Diary Study.... 55 3.3.3 Focus Group Interviews... 56 3.3.4 One-to-One Interviews... 57 3.4 Classroom Observation... 57 3.5 The Pilot Study... 59 3.6 Analysis of the Data... 61 3.6.1 Analysis of the Data Collected from Students.... 61 3.6.2 Analysis of the Data Collected from CETs... 62 3.6.3 Analysis of the Data Collected from Classroom Observation... 64 3.7 Summary... 64 References.... 64 4 Voices of Chinese College Students... 67 4.1 Features of NESTs and CETs According to Students Perceptions... 68 4.1.1 Features of NESTs... 68 4.1.2 Features of CETs... 78 4.2 Differences Between NESTs and CETs According to Students Perceptions... 87 4.3 Summary... 90 References.... 93 5 Voices of Chinese English Teachers... 95 5.1 Features of NESTs and CETs According to CETs Self-perceptions... 96 5.1.1 Features of NESTs... 96 5.1.2 Features of CETs... 102 5.2 Differences Between NESTs and CETs According to CETs Self-perceptions... 110 5.3 Summary... 114 References.... 116 6 Chinese English Teachers Professional Identity... 117 6.1 NS/NNS Identity... 118 6.2 CETs Perceptions of Their Professional Identity... 123

Contents vii 6.3 CETs (Re)Construction of Their Professional Identity Within the Dominant Ideology and Disempowering Discourses of Native-Speakerism... 130 6.4 Summary... 138 References.... 141 7 Possible Impacts of Globalization.... 145 7.1 A New Generation of Students Who Have Acquired Fairly High Proficiency in English... 145 7.2 A Call for a High Proficiency in English at Both Micro and Macro Level... 147 7.3 Ideological Changes at Both Micro and Macro Level.... 148 References.... 150 8 Recommendations and Reflections... 153 8.1 Cultivating a Critical View of the Dominant Ideology and Disempowering Discourses of Native-speakerism Among CETs... 153 8.2 Arousing Awareness of WE and EIL/ELF... 154 8.3 Taking a Liminal View on China English and Chinese English Speakers NNS Identity... 156 8.4 Functioning Positively in Glocalizing CLT.... 158 8.5 Promoting More Collaboration Between NESTs and CETs... 160 8.6 Limitations... 161 References.... 162 Appendix A: Benke and Medgyes s Questionnaire (2005, p. 211)... 165 Appendix B: Features of and Differences Between NESTs and CETs Identified from Students Focus Group Interviews... 167 Appendix C: Pilot Student Questionnaire... 169 Appendix D: Student Questionnaire... 175 Appendix E: Sample Transcript and Key for Classroom Observation Transcripts... 183 Appendix F: Mean, Median, Mode and SD Scores for All Statements in NESTs Questionnaire Set.... 185 Appendix G: Mean, Median, Mode and SD Scores for All Statements in CETs Questionnaire Set... 187 Glossary.... 189 Index... 191

Summary English is today a truly global language. As Rubdy and Saraceni (2006a) have highlighted, one consequence of the global dominance that English has gained over the last few decades is that today NNSs of English have far outnumbered its NSs. Situated in globalization, this project aims to investigate, in the context of China, the CETs self-perceptions and Chinese college non-english major students perceptions toward the NEST/NNEST issue, how CETs (re)construct their professional identity in the globalizing China, and how the classroom practices of the two groups of teachers match or reflect the perceptions of the students and the CETs. Employing the diary study, interviews (both focus group and one-to-one interview), questionnaires and classroom observation, this study aims to shed new light on the research of NESTs and NNESTs in the EFL contexts. The features of and differences between the two groups of teachers were identified first. The students views were generally in agreement with CETs. Both students and CETs agreed that NESTs usually conducted the class in a communicative way with many group activities though their classes were considered to be relatively simple due to their unfamiliarity with the local context and students. CETs, on the contrary, were reported to teach in a traditional way with an emphasis on the basic knowledge of the English language. Meanwhile, CETs were considered to play a significant role in ELT due to their systematic way of teaching and their ability to prepare the students for examinations. In general, classroom observation supported the students and the CETs views except for one aspect: the transmission of culture-related knowledge. Both students and CETs depicted NESTs as culture transmitter, supplying more cultural information. However, classroom observation showed that CETs actually provided more explicit culture-related instruction than NESTs. NESTs were reported to transmit culture-related knowledge in a different way: NESTs did it implicitly in the process of teaching. Besides the features of and differences between the two groups of teachers, findings also include the following: ix

x Summary 1. Some strengths of one group of teachers were not necessarily the weaknesses of another group. For example, language proficiency, which is considered to be one of the most obvious strengths of NESTs, was not reported as CETs weakness by the students in this study. 2. The Chinese learners began to see English less as an object of foreign study but more as an additional language of their own to facilitate their life. 3. Many of the features of NESTs valued by the students were connected to CLT. 4. Unlike Medgyes (1994) hypothesis that the discrepancy in language proficiency accounts for most of the differences in the practices of the two groups of teachers, findings in this study suggested that, besides language proficiency, external constraints also played a significant role in the differences in teachers practices. 5. The ideologies of Standard Language and native-speakerism seemed to be rooted in CETs mind. Weedon s (1987, 1997) theorization of discursively constructed subjectivity, Norton/Norton Peirce s (1995, 1997) understanding of identity as multiple, a site of struggle and changing over time, and Omoniyi s (2006) Hierarchy of Identity theory serve as the theoretical underpinnings for my conceptualization of CETs professional identity. The findings suggested that CETs perceived and (re)constructed their professional identity under the NS ideology. They applied three identity options, namely, college teacher, teacher in the Chinese traditional ideology, and English teacher, to create their own meaning of being CETs, which supports Omoniyi s (2006) HoI theory. With more NESTs coming to China with their imaginary monolingual linguistic ability greatly valued by the ELT market, the native-speakerism ideology inevitably became more powerful in CETs professional identity (re)construction. However, with their subjectivity and agency (Norton/Norton Peirce 1995, 1997; Weedon 1987, 1997), CETs managed to reach a relatively balanced power relationship with their NS counterparts through three ways: othering the NSs, exploring their unique strengths and roles, and establishing their credibility through hard work. The findings point to a number of implications. It is important to empower the CETs by cultivating a critical view among CETs about the dominant ideologies in ELT, and by arousing CETs awareness about WE and ELF/EIL. CETs can be advised to take a liminal view on China English and Chinese English speakers NNS identity and to function positively in the glocalization of CLT. A closer cooperation between NESTs and CETs should also be promoted. References Medgyes, P. (1994). The non-native teacher. London: MacMillan. Norton, B. (1997). Language, identity, and the ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly, 31, 409 429. Norton Peirce, B. (1995). Social identity, investment, and language learning. TESOL Quarterly, 29, 9 31.

Summary xi Omoniyi, T. (2006). Hierarchy of identities. In T. Omoniyi & G. White (Eds.), Sociolinguistics of identity (pp. 11 33). London: Contiuum. Rubdy, R., & Saraceni, M. (2006a). Introduction. In R. Rubdy, & M. Saracani (Eds.), English in the world: Global rules, global roles (pp. 5 16). London: Continuum. Weedon, C. (1987). Feminist practice and poststructuralist theory. New York: Basil Blackwell. Weedon, C. (1997). Feminist practice and poststructuralist theory (2nd ed.). New York: Basil Blackwell.

List of Figure Fig. 6.1 How do CETs Perceive and (Re)construct their Professional Identity within the NS Ideology... 140 xiii

List of Tables Table 2.1 Differences in teaching behavior between NESTs and NNESTs.... 30 Table 3.1 A summary of the research design... 48 Table 3.2 The number of respondents from each university... 50 Table 3.3 Personal profile of the NESTs participating in classroom observation... 58 Table 3.4 Personal profile of the CETs participating in classroom observation... 59 Table 3.5 A summary of the pilot study... 60 Table 4.1 Mean, Median, Mode, and SD scores of the statements with the top ten highest mean scores in NESTs questionnaire set... 68 Table 4.2 Mean, Median, Mode, and SD of statements 24, 4, 11, 16, 13, and 26 in NESTs questionnaire set... 76 Table 4.3 Mean, Median, Mode, and SD scores of the statements with top ten highest mean scores in CETs questionnaire set.... 79 Table 4.4 Statements in which students responded most differently... 88 Table 4.5 Mean scores for statements 18 and 28 in both NESTs and CETs questionnaire sets... 90 Table 5.1 Features of NESTs according to CETs self-perceptions.... 96 Table 5.2 Features of CETs in CETs self-perceptions... 102 Table 5.3 Differences between NESTs and CETs according to CETs self-perceptions... 110 xv