Exploring Students’ Preferences for Courses and Instructional Strategies in Thai NNEST-Led Classes
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Abstract
Studies of learners’ attitudes toward native English teachers (NESTs) and non-native English teachers (NNESTs) show that native-speakerism is widespread, including in Thailand, where local teachers greatly outnumber native speakers. In this qualitative study of ways to optimize learning outcomes in settings where only Thai instructors are available, open-ended questionnaires and focus groups were employed to gauge students’ preference for English courses taught by Thai instructors as well as the instructors’ pedagogical practices. This research also explores both Thai instructors’ and students' perspectives on effective instructional strategies. Participants included 63 students in Phase 1, and 16 students and 6 Thai instructors in Phase 2. The results support previous studies indicating students’ preference for NESTs, with the additional finding that Thai students exhibit the least preference for Thai instructors in listening-speaking classes. However, the findings also suggest that the students prioritize their instructors’ supportive attitudes and personalities and their teaching proficiency over the proximity of their accents to native-speaker standards. The paper concludes by offering pedagogical recommendations that can be applied to contexts sharing similarities with the scenario discussed.
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