The Filipino issue
Are they native speakers?
In my opinion, Filipinos sometimes get agitated because of the general attitude towards them. I agree that it can get frustrating when your umpteenth job application is turned down. You pick up the phone to try to find out why your services are not wanted and you are told that the school doesn’t hire Filipino teachers.
TOEIC and other tests
Postbox letter from Dr John Smith
There is a lot of debate regarding the TOEIC testing for non-native English speakers and in my opinion it is a double edged sword and cuts both ways.
Who should take the TOEIC test?
Postbox letter from Jason Carmichael
There has been a lot of talk about the newly introduced TOEIC-requirement lately. Many teachers are angry because the MOE demands that Irish and South African nationals, who are considered NES teachers, are required to sit that test too.
Skin color does matter in Thailand
Postbox letter from Sano
I do agree that a language should be taught by a native speaker but it is also important to look at the person's qualifications.
NES or Non-NES?
Postbox letter from Keith
I've heard that the Ministry of Lack of Education in Thailand is now demanding that South Africans and wait for it, Irish nationals have to sit a TOEIC examination.
When is an NES not an NES?
Postbox letter from Jason
I have heard that South Africans are not NES now, and they have to take an English proficiency test if they wish to teach. How does the Ministry of Education define an NES?
There are always terrible teachers out there
Postbox letter from Lucie
I have to say that there are loads of native speakers out there who have no idea how to grade their language to an appropriate level for their students. There are even plenty of qualified teachers who may have been great at teaching, say, biology, in their home country, but cannot accept that to teach it to non native speakers, they have to change their methods and the way they introduce both concepts and vocabulary.
The death of General English
And if it isn't dead, it damn well should be
Students study English with local teachers or native English speakers (NES), or both, but what they're ultimately looking at is a textbook, many of which were never published with Asian markets in mind.
Max Weber 101
Postbox letter from Chris
In times where the majority of Western teachers were monocultural and monolingual – able to speak but English, and unfamiliar with other cultures in all but the most shallow of senses – native languages were thought to have no place in the second language classroom.
Asian features seal my fate (part two)
Postbox letter from Multi racial American
The example of being discriminated at Hooters for not being a sexy young female is not equitable with my discrimination here. That is the restaurant industry in America and this is education
