This is an abridged version of a featured talk given at the 1999 MEXTESOL Conference, in Mazatlan. The oral character of the
talk has been preserved. How many of us have heard something like

 "I don't want my child to be taught by a non-native English speaker" but now find that same parent to be our greatest supporter.
How many of us have felt that our schools and departments favor native English speaking teachers but now find the same institutions promoting projects that require collaboration and cooperation between native and non-native English speaking professionals?

How many of us have felt self-doubt because of our status as non-native English speaking teachers only to find that our students view us as their role model?

I am sure that these experiences are not unique to me or to some of you reading this article. It is against these background questions that I will examine some of the emerging themes arising from current research on nonnative English speaking professionals. I will then discuss ways in which all of us, non-native and native English speaking professionals, can collaborate and act proactively to advance the cause of non-native English speakers in the TESOL profession.

What are the Emerging Themes Arising from Current Research on Non-native English Speaking Professionals?

Up until the mid 1990s, research on non-native English professionals published by non-native English speakers was almost very limited except for a couple of articles and a book by Peter Medgyes (1986; 1994). Currently, it is possible to identify three themes arising from current research on non-native English speaking professionals:

1. Advantages and disadvantages of being a non-native English speaking professional (Amin, 1997; Kamhi-Stein, 1999; Kamhi-Stein, Lee, & Lee, 1999; Medgyes, 1986; 1994; 1996; Reves & Medgyes, 1994; Samimy & Brutt-Griffier, 1999; Tang, 1997);

2. Administrators' and students' attitudes toward nonnative English speaking professionals in English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts (Marquez,1998; Medgyes, 1994; Wei, 1997); and

3. Personal accounts, personal histories of non-native English speaking professionals (Connor, 1999; Thomas, 1999).

There is a fourth theme that is beginning to emerge in the literature. This theme focuses on the meaning and implications of the native and non-native English speaker labels (Liu, 1999).

Briefly, I will summarize findings within each of the three major areas:

1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Non-native English Speaking Professional

The researchers cited above agree that non-native English speakers are role models of successful language learners, and they can use their status to raise their students' confidence that they can achieve success in learning English. Non-native English speakers also have an enhanced understanding of their students' needs. As noted by Medgyes (1994), having gone through the L2
learning process and sharing their students' mother tongue make non-native English speakers better predictors of their students' language needs and problems. Empathy is another advantage unique to non-native speaking teachers. Their non-native status allows them to better understand their students' feelings and frustrations.

In addition to these attributes, I have found that former English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners have an enhanced knowledge of grammar. My own research shows that the grammar knowledge that teachers have gained as EFL students promotes a feeling
of self-confidence in their ability to teach grammar (Kamhi-Stein, Lee, & Lee, 1999). On the other hand, according to Tang (1997) and Medgyes (1994), nonnative English speaking teachers are disadvantaged in the areas of fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening comprehension, and in contrast to my research, grammar. Much like Tang (1997) and Medgyes (1994), I, in collaboration with Lee and Lee (1999), have found that non-native English speaking teachers have language needs. For example, a group of experienced and novice teachers from a non-native English speaking background reported that no matter how much they studied, it would be impossible for them to know all the idioms, slang, or cultural history that native English speakers have acquired over a lifetime. However, the experienced teachers admitted that after working in the field for some time, they had learned to accept their
limitations and felt self-assured to admit to those needs.

Here is what an experienced non-native English speaking teacher had to say about this issue:

There's nothing wrong with who I am and what I am. I accept myself the way I am....It takes a lot of struggle [to accept yourself] and I guess I read a lot of books and psychology has a lot to do with that. I learned to feel comfortable with myself and that has a lot to do with self-esteem too. So I think you look at yourself, within yourself as a whole person. Teaching experience definitely helps...

Another important concern expressed by the novice teachers in my study was their lack of self-confidence. When I make the point that novice teachers are affected by a lack of self-confidence, practicum supervisors, who are native English speakers, usually ask: Well, isn't that typical of all novice teachers? My response to this question is the following: If all novice teachers feel lack of confidence, novice non-native English speaking teachers often are two times less confident and twice as unsure.

What is the result of this lack of confidence? Low self-efficacy. It is not uncommon to find non-native English speaking teachers who spend a lot of time and effort preparing, and many times over preparing for classes in order to make up for their non-nativeness. It is by over preparing that non- native English speakers expect to gain the respect of their students and colleagues. For example, this was the case of Elis, an Asian teacher born and raised in Brazil who immigrated to the US in her early 20s and obtained her MA degree at CSULA. Elis found herself working twice as hard as any of her colleagues in order to gain the acceptance of her
students.

Another result of lack of confidence seems to be the teachers' career choices. In the study by Kamhi-Stein, Lee, and Lee (1999), novice and experienced non-nativein Argentina, I agreed with EFL teachers that in Latin America hiring done on the bases of qualification and preparation. However, recently I received an e-mail message from an Argentine EFL teacher with a Master's
degree from a US university. In her message, this highly qualified teacher called to my attention recent hiring and advertising practices in Argentina requesting that "Nonnative English speakers need not apply." I am not sure whether this situation is unique to Argentina and to the "proceso de globalización" that the country is experiencing. Given that Mexico and Argentina are going through the same economic transformation process, it would be interesting to look at hiring practices in the two countries.

In the study by Kamhi-Stein, Lee, and Lee (1999), it was the Asian participants who were the most concerned about prejudice on the basis of ethnicity. The Asian participants expressed their concern regarding hiring practices in Asian countries where native English speakers, regardless of whether or not they have had TESOL training, have an advantage over Asians with training and experience in the TESOL field. However, the teachers noted that prejudice in Asian countries is not limited to administrators and instead, it can be extended to students and parents who often demand that they and their children be taught by teachers who fit
the "American stereotype" - blond and blue-eyed.

Another disadvantage identified by the non-native English speaking professionals in Kamhi-Stein, Lee, and Lee (1999) was prejudice based on accentedness. Accentedness was perceived to be an important factor in judging the language skills and teaching ability of non-native English speakers. Teachers argued that in contrast to children, adults and young adults sometimes
challenge the credibility of their teachers on the basis of their accent. As noted by Amin (1999), there is a belief that only a White accent qualifies teachers to be native speakers.

2. Administrators' and Students' Attitudes toward Nonnative English Speaking Professionals in ESL Contexts (Marquez,1998; Medgyes,1994; Wei,1997)

Marquez investigated the hiring practices of three community colleges and five Intensive English Programs (IEP) in a large metropolitan area. In her study, Marquez (1998) found that for community college administrators, the native/non-native distinction was not a consideration when hiring professionals. When hiring ESL teachers, administrators took into account training and qualification. I have found that this is very much the case in southern California community colleges, where non-native English speakers are valued in many ways. For example, Kathleen Flynn (1999), Director of the Credit ESL Program at Glendale Community College, recently published an article in which she described the attributes that compel her to hire NNES teachers.
Included in the list of attributes are: the patience with students which is sometimes lacking in monolingual speakers of English, the ability to serve as a role model, and intercultural awareness. Flynn argues that nonnative English speakers who want to be hired by a community college should have a good grasp of grammar, an easy to understand accent, and an understanding of US cultural norms of classroom behavior.

Marquez (1998) found that, in contrast to community college administrators, IEP directors did not favor hiring non-native English speaking professionals. As indicated by an administrator she interviewed, IEP directors were part of a consortium of ESL program directors in the area that had a policy of not hiring non-native English speakers. However, these results should be taken with extreme caution and should not, in any way, be generalized. For example, I have found that many IEP administrators in California do hire non-native English speakers. However, it is unclear to me the extent to which these professionals are retained after two or
three years on the job.

Marquez (1998) and Wei (1997) found that students did not have preconceived preferences for either native or non-native English speaking professionals. The ESL students in Marquez's study assumed that whoever stood in front of them the first day of class was qualified to teach. Additionally, the more courses students had taken from non-native English speaking professionals the more
positive they were toward non-native English speaking professionals. Much like the students in Marquez's study, the students in Wei's research stated that the key to being a successful teacher was training and not nativeness in English. For these students, the
components of successful teaching were "teaching skills", "understanding the L2 culture", "teacher training", and "English language competence". Wei (1997) also found that students believed in the facilitative role of nonnative English speaking professionals. ESL students reported that their non-native English speaking teachers' learning experiences helped them understand their students' problems and needs. They also said that their own status as non-native English speakers was positive for building ESL/EFL student confidence. On the other hand, Wei found that while more than half of the students he surveyed were not uncomfortable having non-native English speaking teachers, nearly 20% indicated they did not feel comfortable with non-native English speaking teachers.

3. Personal Accounts, Personal Histories of Non-native English Speaking Professionals
Only recently have personal accounts begun to be published. I would like to highlight the book edited by George Braine (1999) titled Non-native Educators in English Language Teaching. In this book there is a very powerful chapter by Jacinta Thomas. In her chapter, Jacinta Thomas describes the many challenges faced by non-native English speaking professionals. These include discriminatory hiring practices, organizational invisibility, student challenges, and peer challenges. In her chapter, she further discusses how the experiences that challenge her credibility make her apologetic and nervous about her ability to succeed and
sometimes lead her to some kind of paranoia.

The second chapter George Braine's book that I would like to highlight is the one by Ulla Connor. Ulla Connor is the author of more than 50 published articles, two edited books and one sole-authored book. In her chapter, Ulla Connor (1999) describes her development as a writer in English as a second language as a graduate student after moving to the United States. Central to Ulla Connor's chapter is her message: Don't give up. Keep writing and presenting.

How Can All of Us, Non-native and Native English speaking Professionals, Act Proactively to Advance
the Cause of Non-native English Speaking Professionals in the TESOL Field?

In this section, I would like to suggest ways in which non-native and native English speaking professionals can work together to advance the cause of non-native English speaking professionals in the TESOL field. This section includes five suggestions:

1. Engage in collaborative projects with native English speaking professionals. It is important that native and non-native English speaking professionals team-teach and collaborate in the development of curricula and materials.

A collaborative approach assumes that both native and non-native English speaking professionals have strengths (Matsuda, forthcoming) and that they can learn from one another. This collaboration can only result in stronger curricula and teaching practices, and these will ultimately benefit EFL/ESL students.

2. Give conference presentations and write articles and papers addressing issues related to non-native English speaking professionals. Currently, there are very few articles and books focusing on issues related to nonnative English speakers conducted by non-native English speaking professionals. It is important that non-native English speaking professionals give conference
presentations and write articles addressing issues related to non-native English speaking professionals if they want to have a stronger presence in the TESOL field. Mexican EFL teachers could not be in a better position to do this; they have access to EFL students and native and non-native English speaking colleagues. Some of the topics they could write about or give conference presentations on include successful practices, EFL students' attitudes toward non-native English speaking professionals, and hiring and retention practices in different Mexican cities.

3. Join the newly formed Non-native English Speakers in MEXTESOL Interest Group (IG) and become active IG members. The Interest Group was established under the leadership of Peter Hubbard during the MEXTESOL '99 Conference. It is only by becoming active JG members that the activities of the IG will reflect the interests, needs, and wants of non-native English speaking
professionals in Mexico.

4. Volunteer to mentor/network newcomers to the profession. One of the most successful practices that I have seen development in my MA TESOL program is that of newcomers being mentored by experienced non-native English speaking professionals. This practice involves having successful non-native English speaking practitioners model exemplary practices for novice nonnative
English speaking professionals and show them that they also can achieve in the profession. This practice allows novice non-native English speaking profession also to develop a firsthand understanding of how successful nonnative English speakers manage the demands of the second language classroom. As one of the participants in the study by Kamhi-Stein, Lee, and Lee (1999) put it:

It's important to have role models [referring to a non-native English speaking mentor teacher], no matter what you learn about non-native English speaking professionals and how much you study issues related to non-native English speakers, if you don't have a role model, the topic does not seem real, authentic.

5. Teacher educators need to redesign the curricula of TESOL teacher programs. Teacher educators need to work into their curricula discussions and activities related to non-native English speakers. In my case, I chose to implement a cross-curricular approach. In this approach, issues related to non-native English speakers are integrated across the curricula of courses like Educational Sociolinguistics, Theories of Teaching and Learning Second Languages, and Practicum in Teaching English as a
Second Language. In doing this, I wanted to provide my students with multiple opportunities to systematically examine the non-nativeness issue in relation to theories of language acquisition, teaching methodologies and curriculum design, and cultural and social factors affecting L2 development. There is a second approach to the integration of curricula relevant to non-native English speakers. In this approach, discussions on issues related to non-native English speaking professionals are integrated into the syllabus of a seminar. This approach, proposed by Samimy and Brutt-Griffler (1999), is implemented at Ohio State University, where Keiko Samimy offers a seminar on non-native English speakers open to all students.

Conclusion

To my knowledge, MEXTESOL is the first affiliate to establish a Non-native English Speakers in MEXTESOL Interest Group. MEXTESOL has taken a critical step in addressing issues that impact non-native English speaking professionals. Since it was in Mexico that the concept of the ola was created, I think it is appropriate that all MEXTESOL members, native and non-native
English speakers alike, unite and begin a new ola, one on behalf of all the non-native English speaking professionals in Mexico.

References

Amin, N. (1997). Race and the identity of the nonnative ESL teacher. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 580-583.

Braine, G. (1999). (Ed.), Non-native Educators in English Language Teaching. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Connor, U. N. (1999). Learning to write academic prose in a second language: A literacy biography. In G. Braine (Ed.), Non-native Educators in ELT.. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. pp. 16-29.

Flynn, K. (1999, March). Hiring nonnative English speakers to teacher ESL: An administrator's perspective. NNEST Newsletter. 1(7).

Kamhi-Stein, L. D. (1999). Preparing nonnative English-speaking professionals in TESOL: Implications for teacher education programs. In G. Braine (Ed.), Nonnative Educators in ELT. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. pp. 147-160.

Kamhi, Stein, Lee, E., & Lee, C. (August/September, 1999). How TESOL programs can enhance the preparation of nonnative English speakers. TESOL Matters. pp. 1, 5.

Liu, J. (1999b). Nonnative English speaking professionals. TESOL Quarterly, 33(1), 85-102.

Marquez, E. (1998). ESL student attitudes and the native speaker fallacy. Unpublished manuscript.

Medgyes, P. (1986). Queries from a communicative teacher. ELT Journal, 40(2), 107-112.

Medgyes, P. (1994). The Non-native Teacher. London: Macmillan Publishers.

Medgyes, P. ( 1996). Native or non-native: Who's worth more? In T. Hedge & N. Whitney (Eds.), Power, Pedagogy, and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 31-42.

Reves, T., & Medgyes, P. (1994). The non-native English speaking ESL/EFL teacher's self-image: An international survey. System, 22(3), 353-367.

Samimy, K., & Brutt-Griffler, J. (1999). Perceptions of NNS students in a graduate TESOL program. In G. Braine (Ed.), Non-native Educators in ELT. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. pp. 129-146.

Tang, C. (1997). On the power and status of nonnative ESL teachers. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 577-580.

Thomas, J. (1999). Voices from the periphery: Non-native teachers and issues of credibility. In G. Braine (Ed.), Non-native Educators in ELT. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. pp. 5-14.

Wei, J. (1997). Examining ESL Students' Attitudes toward Non-native Teachers. Unpublished manuscript

Resources [Note: Links no longer function]

Kamhi-Stein. (Ed). (1999, March). NNEST Newsletter: The newsletter of the nonnative English speakers in TESOL caucus.

Non native English Speakers in TESOL Caucus Website: http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/faculty/lkamhis2/NNestCaucus

TESOL. (1992, August/September). A TESOL statement on nonnative speakers of English and hiring practices. TESOL Matters, p. 23.