Native and non-native speaker English language teachers in an EFL context: a study of teachers' self-perception, students' attitudes, and institutional regulations in Libya

peer-reviewedThe main aims of this study are to investigate the attitudes of Libyan students towards Native and Non-native English language teachers in an EFL context, teachers‘ self-perceptions in relation to their teaching abilities, and institutional regulations related to hiring both teachers. In order to achieve the aims of this study adequately and precisely, a mixed methods research was implemented where qualitative and quantitative research instruments were used. Data was gathered from two language training centres at two different oil companies in Tripoli the capital of Libya in a period of five months through the distribution of questionnaires and conducting interviews. The results of this research showed that both teachers have their own advantages and disadvantages particularly when teaching in an EFL context. Most of the participants agreed that qualifications and experience are the key factors to judge teachers. However, there were other points to consider as the study showed on one hand that NESTs are better language speakers as they are fluent and accurate. They also have an original pronunciation. On the other hand, NNESTs are good grammar teachers as they went through the educational process. They are more sympathetic than NESTs and also they speak their students L1. Although everyone in the literature and in the study explicitly says that NESTs and NNESTs are equal but different, still there seems to be an implicit preference for NESTs in the comments and responses. For example, the valuing of fluency and proficiency and the focus on pronunciation are indirect ways of preferring NESTs over NNESTs. So, in a world where the concept of the native speaker has been challenged and where it may be unacceptable to express a blanket preference for native speaker teachers, certain attributes (e.g. pronunciation, fluency) become indirect ways of perpetuating the idea that the NEST is inherently better and for maintaining their advantage in the job market