Is It Really Necessary To Be A Native Speaker?

[Tokker]

Most job openings state "native speaker only". Is it really necessary? I understand that they don't want a French guy talking like the "good meeuuwwwning" guy from "Alloo Alloo" (for those of you who know these classic series) but if you can get a Thai national to talk fluent English with a slight scandinavian or Dutch accent, I believe you did a great job.

What is your experience with this?

[kenkannif]

Well yeah if the non-native speaker's English comparable to that of a native speaker no problem at all. In fact a lot of the ads that ask for a native speaker really mean 'Asians need not apply' (sad but true IME). If you look like a Westerner (i.e. you're white) you'll often be accepted as a native speaker even if you're German, Dutch etc. We have a good few Swedes and Danes working for us and they're ###### fine teachers (often their knowledge of the English language surpasses that of native speakers and they seem to make more of an effort (or find it easier as they're used to learning other languages) to learn Thai than you're average Brit, American, Aussie etc.).

[Ijustwannateach]

Again, as with the infamous and eternal discussion of Filipinos in English language teaching, I think non-native speakers are fine for young children and beginners in a TEFL environment- but not appropriate at all for more advanced students, students being raised in an all-English environment, or for English classes taught as language arts- where questions of idiom, grammar, higher-level vocabulary, and more subtle nuances become important.

"Steven"

[PeaceBlondie]

In full agreement with the last two posters, I'd add that somehow, Europeans tend to learn excellent speech. I monitored a guy last month whose English was flawless. He's Dutch. The Luxembourger, however, had the occasional Germanic accent, and said a word wrong maybe once every ten minutes - otherwise, you wouldn't have noticed. There are some bad native speakers out there, as well.

Tokker, if your initial post is indicative of your command of English, you should do fine.

[Nordlys]

Well yeah if the non-native speaker's English comparable to that of a native speaker no problem at all. In fact a lot of the ads that ask for a native speaker really mean 'Asians need not apply' (sad but true IME). If you look like a Westerner (i.e. you're white) you'll often be accepted as a native speaker even if you're German, Dutch etc. We have a good few Swedes and Danes working for us and they're ###### fine teachers (often their knowledge of the English language surpasses that of native speakers and they seem to make more of an effort (or find it easier as they're used to learning other languages) to learn Thai than you're average Brit, American, Aussie etc.).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What if you are an Asian American or Asian whatever whose native language is English? Do European farangs who speak English as a 2nd language still have a better chance of finding employment as an English teacher than you as an Asian American?

[kenkannif]

IME generally yes and often they can earn more as well. Also it can depend on how Asian you look/act if you get what I mean?

Same as a white German will find it easier than a African American. Sad but generally true.

But it's getting better thank goodness.

[simon43]

I was speaking to a British guy a few weeks ago. Even though I'm also British, I found it very difficult to understand him because he had the strongest Northern Ireland accent I have ever heard!

'And what are you doing here in Bangkok?' I asked...

'Me? I teach English....'

So native-speaker does not necessarily mean good speaker. A Thai who speaks English as taught by this guy is in for a lot of problems getting himself understood.

As an aside, just take a listen to some of the announcer accents that the PC-correct BBC uses! Dire!!

[MikeRay]

I met a French-Canadian 2 years ago and he really had a noticeable french accent.

And he has a Diploma as a teacher .... in arts.It didn´t bother Thai-officials,as he came from a country where english is a native language and he holds a Teacher Diploma .

[otherstuff1957]

I've worked with a Dane, a Pole, a Phillipina, a Dutchman and a Indian-American. They all speak English at Native or near-native levels and can teach quite well.

Sort of off subject here, but I was discussing accents with an English friend and a Thai, who speaks English quite well, said that she really couldn't hear any diffence between our accents at all