English Native-Speakerism in the Teaching of Oral Communication in a Senior High School in Tarlac City

English language teaching in the Philippines is argued to be greatly influenced by native-speakerism ideology. Such ideology upholds the assumption that native speakers are the best models in terms of the use of the English language and of the methodology of teaching it (Holliday, 2005). It is thus assumed that the teaching of Oral Communication, which is one of the core subjects in Senior High School in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, is likewise governed by native-speakerism. In order to probe such argument, this study examined the language policies, instructional materials, teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices employed by 13 senior high school teachers in their Oral Communication classes. Through a survery questionnaire, interviews, and teacher narratives, it has been determined that the native-speakerism ideology is indeed prevalent in the teaching of Oral Communication in Senior High School. However, it has been revealed as well that teachers employ pedagogical innovations which involved negotiation and modification in the implementation language policies, use of materials, and choice of strategies in order to accommodate the needs of the students; otherwise, students will continue to feel embarrassed, labeled as incorrect, and remain silent in their Oral Communication classes