I watched closely the advertising campaign some private schools initiated prior to the beginning of the new academic year. Some English language institutions and some academic sectors also participated in the campaign. The advertisements clearly expressed the desire to attract and employ only English teachers who were native speakers. Priority was given to those whose mother tongue was English and then to those who spoke English fluently as a second language. I would like to share a few incidents with you regarding those who insist on recruiting native English speakers only.
A government sector once hired a number of native English speakers. I found out that some of them used to work as dog-trainers back in Chicago. Another incident was shared by a group of students studying in some of the so-called English language institutions located on every corner of the country’s main cities. They said that their teachers were a bunch of former company employees and some had worked in Western embassies. What’s even worse is that some countries — specifically America and Britain — took advantage of the scholarships the Kingdom offered them to study the Arabic language in local universities. They did not take advantage of the available opportunities provided by English language institutions to teach English during the evening after they had finished with their daily morning shifts in the universities.
I don’t understand how everyone, including officials, investors and even parents, could forget the fact that speaking a language as a mother tongue qualifies nobody to be able to teach it to others. Teaching languages requires skills, competence, training and knowledge. The basic qualification for teaching English is an undergraduate degree in any subject, plus a TESL or TEFL certificate.
In general, language academies around the world typically require a four-week, 120+ hour TEFL/TESOL certificate of some kind. To the employer, this means that the teacher candidate has had teaching practice, completed the various projects and assignments and is willing to adapt to a foreign culture or environment if that is where the job is.
English language learners also need a role model in order to be able to share the experience of learning the language. They also need to communicate with teachers and share their worries and the obstacles they face. They definitely need a language in common other than sign language in order to communicate.
Whether teaching to travel or traveling to teach, an English language teacher’s lifestyle is not without difficulties. For example, one common concern of new English language teachers is issues related to cultural integration. Even with prior mental preparation, culture shock can take a real toll on one’s ability to work effectively. Problems with language, cultural and religious differences, financial infrastructure, climate, administration, access to medical care, and food quality are also potential trouble spots. It is best to research any country and company fully for which you would be working and potential teachers should request the e-mail addresses of current ESL teachers at the institution that is interested in hiring them and inquire as to the actual working conditions of the contract.
My point is that having knowledge to speak a language fluently doesn’t necessarily mean that a person could teach others how to speak it. Having a perfect British accent or an American one isn’t comprehensive enough to explain how grammar works or how to compose correct sentences.
The process of learning a foreign language is more than just sitting in a classroom; it’s an experience. Meeting other people, networking, pushing yourself into new comfort zones, adapting and helping others are all a part of the teaching process.
