The development of English teachers’ professional identity beyond the NNESTs discourses: the case of Saudi Arabia
The development of English teachers’ professional identity beyond the NNESTs discourses: the case of Saudi Arabia

Summary/Abstract: While there has been an increasing number of second language programs taught by both native and non-native speaker teachers, the native speaker NS fallacy that native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) are inherently better teachers is still dominant, hindering the construction of the professional iden- tities of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs). Several studies have explored the (re)construction of the NNESTs’ professional identity in their own country; however, little attention has been given to the professional identity of expatriate NESTs and NNESTs. Giving the fact that English has become the world’s language and multilingualism has become the norm in the global soci- ety, the NEST/NNEST dichotomy needs to be reconceptualized by taking into account the multiple identities of English teachers within and beyond the NEST and NNEST categories. This qualitative study explores the discursive negotia- tion of the professional identity of three groups of English teachers (i.e., NESTs, Saudi NNESTs and expatriate NNESTs) using semi-structured interviews with 18 participants in the Preparatory Year Programs in two Saudi universities. The findings suggest that they constructed “self” and “other” using different labels and categories to place themselves in a powerful position in the program.

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