Non Native Language Teachers

[Roseflare]

Hello people of Gaia International.

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Anyways, I was looking at websites to try for some under the counter kinds of jobs of teaching as a private tutor. On this site I noticed a lot of Second Language English speakers offering to teach.

Now here is my question. When you are looking for a Language teacher, would most of you care whether the teacher was a native speaker or non native speaker of the language?

I used to hate the idea of having a non native speaker teaching me a language, but then realized that at least a non native speaker would understand the same problems you have with learning the language rather than a native speaker.

What do you all think?

[An Unknown Kunoichi]

Well, here English tutoring is fairly 'common' in a sense, for the final year of high school. I'm actually looking for one myself. sweatdrop

Even though English isn't my first language, I still need one to be able to pass adequately well. >.<

I look for experience, qualifications, and appearance. xP Always important. And yes, my mum's requirement is that it has to be a white native person... >.<

[PAnZuRiEL]

Roseflare

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Then you've got it all a**-backwards.

You're going to teach English as a FIRST language in Japan, and as a SECOND language in the US? rolleyes



I think a native English speaker can teach a different language to other English-speakers, and that's fine. If they're good, they'll still lag behind in pronunciation, but they might surpass a native speaker in other areas, having learned the language formally.

At my university, I'm learning Japanese, and several of my teachers have been native English speakers -- they taught the "translation" component, which was ideal for them, because it required the translating of Japanese texts into accurate and natural English. It is always easier to translate a foreign language into your own language than it is to do the reverse.


But I wouldn't want, say, a Chinese guy who learned both English and Japanese as second languages to teach me Japanese.

[An Unknown Kunoichi]

PAnZuRiEL

At my university, I'm learning Japanese, and several of my teachers have been native English speakers -- they taught the "translation" component, which was ideal for them, because it required the translating of Japanese texts into accurate and natural English. It is always easier to translate a foreign language into your own language than it is to do the reverse.

Funnily enough, I have a family friend who had this exam for translating, and he failed the English--> Chinese component, but excelled in Chinese--> English.

And his English isn't that crash hot as a second language. neutral

[Britomartis-the-Valiant]

PAnZuRiEL

Roseflare

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Then you've got it all a**-backwards.

You're going to teach English as a FIRST language in Japan, and as a SECOND language in the US? rolleyes

EFL = English as a Foreign Language
ninja

[PAnZuRiEL]

Britomartis-the-Valiant

PAnZuRiEL

Roseflare

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Then you've got it all a**-backwards.

You're going to teach English as a FIRST language in Japan, and as a SECOND language in the US? rolleyes

EFL = English as a Foreign Language
ninja

...then what's ESL? neutral

[An Unknown Kunoichi]

PAnZuRiEL

Britomartis-the-Valiant

PAnZuRiEL

Roseflare

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Then you've got it all a**-backwards.

You're going to teach English as a FIRST language in Japan, and as a SECOND language in the US? rolleyes

EFL = English as a Foreign Language
ninja

...then what's ESL? neutral

English as a Second Language? xD

Perhaps she wants to teach English to foreigners, and non-English background speakers alike. It could be more enjoyable than teaching English background speakers. =]

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

Having a non native speaker who's first language is the same as your own is the best place to start, but to become any good you do eventually need to study with a native speaker. There are just too many subtleties to a language that a non native speaker isn't likely to know.
And of course, immersion is a fabulous way to learn if you can manage it. I learned more being taught Japanese IN JAPANESE for a single semester than I did in years of being taught Japanese in English. Immersion forces your brain to learn more than you could imagine because there's a point of survival at stake.

And teaching ESL is fun! I'm in Korea right now, but I hope to get a job in Japan in the future. biggrin

[Roseflare]

PAnZuRiEL

Roseflare

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Then you've got it all a**-backwards.

You're going to teach English as a FIRST language in Japan, and as a SECOND language in the US? rolleyes

no, no, no. EFL stands for English as a Foreign Language. At least that is what it says in all my language teaching textbooks written in English and Japanese...

Edit: ops, didn't realize so many people already posted about that. xd

@Tennyo_Oujo : Yes I agree with how students or anyone for that matter to learn a second language. That is why I decided to go to college in Japan and learn about the school system and learn the language in order to understand my students in the future.

Also good luck with finding a job in Japan. Korea sounds fun too. biggrin

[Sakura Latte]

When it comes to Asian languages, I usually prefer the native speaker. But then again, the Chinese/Japanese/Korean languages at the colleges I currently go to/am going to transfer to are taught by native speakers. All the Japanese teachers at my community college are native Japanese speakers. I originally thought my Japanese teacher for this semester was a non-native speaker because her surname was Johnston, until I found out she had a Japanese first name. So that means my Japanese teacher this semester got married to a Caucasian or something.

[miilla oats]

Roseflare

Hello people of Gaia International.

I am studying in Japan to later become an EFL teacher here, and possibly later an ESL teacher if I move back to the US.

Anyways, I was looking at websites to try for some under the counter kinds of jobs of teaching as a private tutor. On this site I noticed a lot of Second Language English speakers offering to teach.

Now here is my question. When you are looking for a Language teacher, would most of you care whether the teacher was a native speaker or non native speaker of the language?

I used to hate the idea of having a non native speaker teaching me a language, but then realized that at least a non native speaker would understand the same problems you have with learning the language rather than a native speaker.

What do you all think?

Awesome, this is what I was also interested in however I plan to do EFL in Europe somwhere~