non-native English teachers

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by RealJames

I agree entirely.
In the few times this topic has come up in the forums I feel that there is a biased comparison of trained non-native versus non-trained native (and in that case each has their strengths and weaknesses) when training can be acquired but nativity can not.

I've had lots of applications for positions at my school by both native and non-native, over a hundred at least.
The non-native tend to have awkward sentence structure and spelling mistakes far more than the native... in their resumes!

I'd like to point out that I agree with a point acjama made about the priorities of the native speaker going to Japan. It does tend to happen a lot that they are here to have fun and teach English as a meal-ticket and visa-extender.
I'm not impressed with the insinuation that non-native foreigners are somehow exempt from this same behavior, it's the same shit from a different pile.

Also, Masaegu, "ironical" is correct but so is "ironic" and if you want to sound native and a little less awkward, use the ladder.

That would be "latter", RealJames! good to see ya back!

[RealJames]

lol look at me making a fool of myself with a 5am post :P
time to go to bed I guess!!

And thanks, I've been ridiculously busy but I hope to have some time to throw spelling mistakes around here now and then.

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by RealJames

lol look at me making a fool of myself with a 5am post :P
time to go to bed I guess!!

And thanks, I've been ridiculously busy but I hope to have some time to throw spelling mistakes around here now and then.

Yes, I did notice the time differential and thought you had an all-nighter!!!

[acjama]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

what a rude arrogant person you are acjama.

Agreed. But that doesn't invalidate my point in any way.

Here's another one: a person goes into university and studies six years for his/her Masters degree in English. After that, he/she enters the pedagogic curriculum, and finishes that as minor. Then he/she gets a teaching job and ends up in a class with 20 kids who do not speak a word of English and who are ten years old. By the time they are 13, the homework includes essays and classes have complete conversations in English. Mistakes and weird sentences occur, sure, but they are 13 years old. By the time they get to the university, they don't even notice that the lectures were switched to English because there is a guest student from Trinidad attending.

This is not a hypothetical situation, I was there.

You take a course and you expect the same respect as my teacher? I might be rude, but you are by far more arrogant than I.

Originally Posted by RealJames

I'm not impressed with the insinuation that non-native foreigners are somehow exempt from this same behavior, it's the same shit from a different pile.

Native vs. non-native speaker was really not my point there, but rather that Japanese favor native speakers far more than professional teachers of any origin, and native speaking non-qualifieds are just using that to party in Japan, with obvious results. Non-native speakers can't really abuse the system the same way. Instead, in order to have English skills, they need to go through everything that Japanese want their kids to go through.

[jcj]

Great...some people are getting the point. The best way for a young child to learn a second language is to play with a native speaker of that language. No doubt...but how real is that?
I said the key is non-native speakers because they are the ones teaching the youngest kids... for the most part. Most parents don't have the money or the opportunity to get their kids into classes taught by natives and by the time kids get into such a class it is a formal situation, part of a long day, in a big group, and often with team teachers not doing things exactly right.

The key is taking advantage of what is given...not arguing about what should be. AND non-natives are great teachers for a number of reasons..many of which have been pointed out.

the advantage of natives pronunciation which will not be learned from natural conversation anyway. It has to be explicitly taught. How many natives are aware of the work of Patricia Kuhl?

ps for those interested...it is Jennifer Jenkins...no Jessica

[jcj]

let me repeat my question:

anybody know any non-native teachers teaching kids... I'd like to contact them

[acjama]

Originally Posted by jcj

let me repeat my question:

I understand your frustration. This kind of thing happens a lot.

Were you looking for private persons such as forum members, or organizations such as were referenced in messages #2 and #4?

[jcj]

thanks acjama.

I looked at those groups. Little Angles are speakers of Indian English (as I understood it) and so are really native.

Rarejobs seems to be an online service so not exactly what I'm looking for.

I'd like to contact the Japanese moms who enjoy English, maybe spent some time overseas, and are teaching small groups of young kids at home. How do I contact them? What do I even search for?

thanks again

[acjama]

Originally Posted by jcj

Rarejobs seems to be an online service so not exactly what I'm looking for.

Oh, sorry. I could have been clearer.

The JT article presented Rarejobs.com as a service where you can contact non-native English teachers who teach via Skype. For a payment, of course.

I once participated in a joint lecture with Sokendai and Irkutsk State University via Skype. Powerpoint presentations were a slight pain but improvements were found for even that, so I think VoIP schooling is something worth considering.