Two-in-One Instructors…Ikisi bir Arada…The Best of Both Worlds

Two-in-One Instructors…Ikisi bir Arada…The Best of Both Worlds

Ozturk, Nursel

This paper will argue for the benefits and prosperity of native/native instructors as defined by Medgyes. I add that instructors with the knowledge and ability to utilize, for learning purposes, the language, culture, and religion of L1 students as well as a firm grasp of these features in their native culture and language provide the most beneficial English language learning environment; 2 in 1 instructors: those who are both native (foreigners) and native (to the populous they teach). A befitting example: a Canadian/American English instructor who is also a Turkish national, familiar since childhood with the customs and language of Canadians/Americans as well as Turks. This paper will not explore, per say, the strengths or weaknesses of non-native vs. native or vice versa, but the fortes, and if any, the shortcomings of a native/native instructor as well as advocate these types of instructors as being a future asset to the EFL world and thus employers and students of English teaching institutions. Thus, it must be assumed that experience, training, and other EFL qualifications are accorded. It is certainly the case, as Medgyes claims, where variables such as age, sex, aptitude, charisma, motivations, training, and so on play a decisive role in the teaching/learning process…yet he notes, are non-language specific variables. What we are interested in here are the best of both worlds…an instructor with a multitude of variables (charisma, motivation ...) as well as language specific ones. Here I argue that non-natives no matter how much L2 they have acquired will most likely not be completely native as is the case with the native who tries to become non-native. I conclude, contrasting to Medgyes, that native/native instructors are the repositories of NESTness and non-NESTNESS, a rare commodity that should be amplified.

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2012

945