Job Discussion Forums

[davelister]

To start with I'd like to say that I have worked with a French woman and a Filipino lady, both of which spoke and understood English perfectly well. This is not about nationality because both of the two I mentioned were as good if not better teachers than at least a couple of native English speaking teachers I worked with. I have however worked with other non-native English speakers that, while have a fairly good or a good understanding of the English language also had (and presumably still have) strong non-native accents and problems with grammar. With the seemingly increasing restrictions/requirements or of ESL teachers in China, are non-native speakers of English subject to stricter non-native restrictions? Are tests such as IELTS a requirement for non-native English speaking English teachers?

[tangal]

You might want to consider your own grammar and writing style when you question the grammar of non-native speakers of English. Based on what you've written you appear to be a native speaker with poor grammar skills.

Just for fun, I'll point out a few mistakes:

both of whom, not which
that, while having, not have
I have, however, worked with...(When you use however, furthermore or therefore as intensifiers or for emphasis, you need commas around both sides of them.)
tougher or more rigorous non-native restrictions (avoid repeated words)

Just because they speak and understand English doesn't make them good teachers. What matters is their skill level based on tests like IELTS, which rates 9-bands as expert users and 8-bands as very good users, etc., and the education, training, and experience they bring to the classroom.

Your reasoning, in my opinion, is flawed and naïve. For pronunciation the key questions are do they use a wide range of pronunciation features and are they easy and/or effortless to understand. This is IELTS 101 and maybe something you should look into IMO.

The truth is that many non-native speakers, especially Filipinos, have fully operational command of the language and are just as capable and perhaps more so of teaching English than some native speakers.

This includes writing and grammar, something you may want to consider improving before assuming that your nationality justifies your obvious lack of skills in this area.

[MisterButtkins]

it's a message board. r u gonna correct my lack of capitalization? furthermore, only pedantic tools use 'whom' anymore

[davelister]

[robbie_davies]

[GeminiTiger]

911 or 110?

or 911110

[roadwalker]

I think the considerations from the Chinese side will continue as it's been. That is, in an effort to find qualified teachers, they will start with the applicants' passports. That leaves out good teachers and includes not-so-good teachers. In the areas that traditionally have had a hard go at finding interested teachers that meet the first requirement, it will be fudged here and there. If the number of degree-holding applicants from English-speaking countries increases, and especially if more of that group expresses willingness to live in less popular locations throughout China, then the restrictions will be applied more uniformly. Supply and demand, blah blah blah.

Whether a passport is a good determiner of English teaching ability is debatable, but that is the system. And until anyone can convince the relevant decision makers of a better approach, that's what they are going to use.