Job Discussion Forums

BajaLaJaula · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 267

Any time you have a company that is actively looking to hire non-native speakers of English so that they can pay less money, it is a clear indication of their lack of professionalism. No offense, but if you were trying to learn Spanish, would you want to learn it from a Gringo with a limited vocabulary and a terrible accent?
If the MTC were really a top-notch institution, they would hire only native speakers of English with the proper qualifications.

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 5:50 am Post subject:

I don't know what's going on with MTC, but, I've worked with a Ukrainian, two German and two Polish EFL teachers and they were all excellent at their jobs.

BajaLaJaula · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 267

No offense to your Ukrainian and Polish colleagues...I am sure they are highly qualified to teach beginner level English. It's not like it's rocket science. It is just language, after all.
But, generally speaking native speakers cost more to hire... the order of desirability for English language programs could be something like this...

1. British
2. Canadian and American
3. Australian
4. Kiwi
5. South African
6. Other Europeans who speak English
6. Indian
7. Pilipino
8. Other nationalities like Arabs

Right or wrong. Politically correct, or not. Fair, or unfair. This is the order that is followed, more or less. Of course, nationality without credentials or experience does not get you a pass.

3, 4, and 5 are probably interchangeable. 1 and 2 can drop down below if they have a terrible accent. An American from the south with a drawl, or from the east coast with a Long Island accent, for example, should probably not even make the list.

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:58 am Post subject: Re: the list

wailing_imam · Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 580 Location: Malaya

Canadians eh?

BajaLaJaula · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 267

Eh. You're right, eh. Lumped them in with the Americans, just like everyone else does.

MuscatGary · Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 10:31 am Post subject: Re: the list

BajaLaJaula · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 267

Lump em in with the Brits....but, truth be told, I suspect they be speaking another language half the time.

ayatollah · Joined: 16 Jun 2017 Posts: 46

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

Ayatollah

Everyone has an accent and I see the Irish and Scots singled out time and time again when I've heard difficult accents from every part of the globe.

However, it did remind me of a rather arrogant American in Kuwait who asked a classroom of students to decide who was clearest between himself and his Scots and Irish colleagues. Order of preference - Scots, Irish and a long way behind, American.

Exit one embarrassed American.

madrileno · Joined: 19 Aug 2010 Posts: 270 Location: Salalah, Oman

BajaLaJaula · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 267

Yes a reflection of the times....good for NNS but means lower salary for NS of English. As a consumer I would choose a NS as a language teacher.

Arenta · Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 125

In my last three jobs native speakers were in a very small minority. Most of the teachers were from the sub-continent, a lot were teaching English and had very strong accents. It was difficult to understand what they were saying some of the time and it was quite strange to hear the students speaking with these accents instead of their own native ones. There was also a sizable minority of E. Europeans teaching English whose English was quite good but basic errors were made at times and of course had very noticeable accents themselves.

There was a feeling among the native teachers of being marginalized by the non-native teachers which was actually justified, e.g. the refusal to share resources despite the school rule on this being very clear, finishing classes on time, interrupting classes by coming in to get books etc, and a general unwillingness to socialize with the native teachers or to cooperate on a professional level.