The CATESOL Journal

A survey of elementary school teachers in Southern California was conducted by mail to identify their perceptions of supports and resources that were necessary and available for the education of English language learners (ELs) within their classrooms. A total of 306 usable surveys was returned (61%). The findings indicated that while many resources were available, others such as materials, training, access to paraprofessionals, support for release time for meetings, parental support, and contact with bilingual educators were less available. Future professional development activities for teachers serving ELs can be successful if they take into account these perceived needs of teachers.

This study investigates the learning styles of college and university Russian-speaking students of English as a second language (ESL) through an analysis of their responses to Reid’s (1984) Perceptual Learning Styles Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ), of their responses to a background questionnaire, and of data from oral interviews. The research questions are: 1. What learning styles emerged from Reid’s PLSPQ? 2. How well did the PLSPQ findings correspond to the oral interview results? 3. Did the learning style preferences reflect more the students’ individual preferences or their cultural traditions? Findings from the data indicate that the preferred learning style of these Russianspeaking students is kinesthetic, closely followed by auditory. In addition, the results of the data suggest that the learning style preferences of these subjects reflect more their individual learning style preferences than the influence of cultural traditions. Discrepancies, however, arose in the findings among the three elicitation instruments. The article also provides insights into the area of research design and methodology and questions the validity of the PLSPQ.

In this article, the author describes the three stages of his own professional development—puzzlement, endeavor, and empowerment. In describing these stages, he seeks to empower other nonnative English speaking (NNES) professionals in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The article describes the author’s experiences, which range from learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in China to teaching English as a Second language (ESL) in the U.S., from writing and publishing in his native language, Chinese, to writing and publishing in English, and from being a graduate student in a university in the United States to serving as a doctoral dissertation committee chair. The article further reveals the hurdles overcome, the challenges encountered, and the academic success in teaching and research that the author has experienced as a NNES professional. The author concludes by sharing his belief that the success of a TESOL professional does not depend on whether one is a native speaker or a non-native speaker of English.

This study compared the perceptions of two groups of kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) practitioners, native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and nonnative English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), in relation to their professional preparation, their level of job satisfaction, and their degree of comfort teaching various skill areas. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of a survey administered to 55 NESTs and 32 NNESTs in Southern California showed that a complex set of similarities and differences characterized the K-12 NESTs and NNESTs who participated in this investigation. The similarities identified included the positive views of the two groups about their professional preparation and the support received from formal networks (e.g., mentoring programs) and informal networks (e.g., colleagues, friends, and relatives). The two groups were also similar in their positive self-reported level of job satisfaction and their positive perceptions of their English language skills. One of the differences was the grades they taught, with a higher percentage of NNESTs teaching early elementary grades. Additionally, NNESTs were slightly more negative than NESTs in their evaluation of school administrators, exhibited more positive self-perceptions about their instructional abilities, and saw their nonnative status as contributing to their professional abilities. The results of this preliminary investigation suggest the need for further research on NNESTs and for the development of collaborative projects between master of art (MA) degree programs in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and K-12 programs designed to benefit future teachers, regardless of their language background.

In this article, the author argues that the “native speaker of English” concept is a linguistic manifestation of nativist discourses that construct visible minority immigrant women in First-World countries as being nonnative to the nation state and, thus, as being nonnative speakers of English. This study is based on the experiences of eight minority immigrant women who have taught English as a second language (ESL) to adults in Toronto, Canada. The article explores the teachers’ encounters with native speaker ideologies and recounts how they negotiated challenges in the classroom. Using data from the study, the author raises questions about the validity of the native speaker model that is used in ESL programs and suggests that the native-nonnative speaker dichotomy be dismantled, and the native-speaker norm be reconceptualized.

This article presents a successful case of collaborative teacher development that draws on the diverse backgrounds of emerging teachers, including their native languages. Specifically, the article focuses on the use of electronic dialogue journals as a way of facilitating autonomy and collaboration in teacher education. The roles of teacher educators in facilitating greater autonomy and collaborative relationships between native and nonnative English-speaking teachers are also discussed.

Although most educators recognize the benefits of collaboration with other colleagues, many may not be aware of the numerous benefits attained by collaboration between native and nonnative-speaking educators. In this article, the authors discuss these benefits, beginning with a history of their collaborative relationship that began in graduate school and has continued for several years. They discuss both their individual differences and similarities that have contributed to their relationship and enhanced their understanding of their students, their ability to teach more effectively, and their professional lives. Lastly, the authors conclude with recommendations for how others can establish and maintain a lasting collaborative relationship.

This study analyzes the diary entries of four nonnative English-speaking (NNES) students enrolled in a master of art’s (MA) program in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) in Southern California. A qualitative analysis of the diary entries shows that, in spite of the differences in the participants’ background in English language learning, length of U.S. residence, and professional goals, there are four common themes in the diaries: (a) feeling language anxiety, (b) coping with feelings of inferiority, (c) coping with their language needs, and (d) bringing strength to the TESOL program. The study shows that the students experienced language anxiety but were able to use coping mechanisms to overcome difficulties. At the same time, this study highlights the strengths that these NNES students brought to the MA TESOL program in which they were enrolled.

This article discusses issues that influence the job search of nonnative English speaking (NNES) teachers in the U.S. Recent publications (Medgyes, 1994; Tang, 1997; Thomas, 1999) have shown that NNES teachers encounter discriminatory practices in employment because neither employers nor applicants grasp all the issues involved. Using the resolution from the organization Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) on NNES teachers and hiring practices (“A TESOL Statement,” 1992) as a basis, this article will present a set of guidelines for administrators and NNES applicants to improve employment opportunities. The authors, themselves community college administrators, discuss factors that account for the attitudes of administrators, English as a second language (ESL) learners, and NNES job applicants.