It does not Matter Who you are, but it does Matter How you Teach and What you Know

Abstract

Abstract

 A growing number of studies have explored how students prefer Native English Speaker Teachers (NESTs) (e.g. Elyas & Alghofaili, 2019). On the other hand, research has also emerged to investigate the qualities that can help to develop an effective English teacher (e.g. Tatipang, Manuas, Wuntu, Rorintulus & Lengkoan, 2022). This paper tries to examine English teachers’ attitudes towards native-speakerism and teaching effectiveness, from the perspective of NESTs and Non-native English Speaker Teachers (NNESTs) working in Saudi Arabia. The findings reveal that an effective English teacher, as perceived by the teachers, is flexible, motivated, self-confident and builds rapport with students. Teacher participants discussed the characteristics of an effective English teacher in relation to Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and affective qualities but without reference to linguistic background, thereby supporting the central argument of this paper: that it is not who you are but what you know and how you teach that makes you an ‘effective’ teacher of English.

Keywords: Native English Speaker Teacher, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Effective English Teacher.