Becoming Legitimate Native English–Speaking Teachers in South Korea: From Places of Superiority and Periphery

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: Expanding Orientations in Language Teaching and Teacher Education

Abstract

Native English Speaking Teachers’ (NESTs) roles have been commodified and limited to advancing learners’ communicative speaking skills in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. The field could be expanded if we know more about how NESTs navigate their assumed roles and negotiate their professional aspirations in an EFL context. This case study illustrates experiences of two NESTs in South Korea that were enrolled in an online graduate teacher certification program in the U.S.A. A qualitative data analysis revealed that they gained legitimacy as teachers by finding their niche as literacy teachers as well as seeking collaboration and taking on leadership positions. The findings have implications for EFL teacher education, especially for NESTs, and for research regarding teacher identity.

Author

• Jayoung Choi, Kennesaw State University