Which is Better: A Native or Non-Native Teacher?

Amelia — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:28:17 +0000

If you’ve ever looked into taking a course at a language school, you’ve probably been faced with the decision between a teacher whose native language is the one you’re learning and a teacher who’s native language is the same as yours.

So, is one better than the other? [Skip to the pros and cons list.] Really, this is another one of those questions like, “Which flavor of ice cream is better?” To some extent, it’s a matter of taste. Beyond that, though, there are some specific reasons why one person might only want native-speaking teachers and another only want those with the same native language they have.

I personally would rather work with a native speaker who doesn’t know much about effective teaching methods than with a non-native speaker who knows how to teach, but consistently makes errors in the language.

There are reasons for that, though. Part of it is because I’m already comfortable with the idea of self-guided language study. It’s also because I like to learn by insight (those “Ah ha!” moments), and have a high tolerance for ambiguity and, to put it bluntly, confusion. Lots of people aren’t like that, though, and may prefer learning from someone who shares a native language with them.

Nobody’s Perfect

Both types of teachers have their pros and cons. Which works better for you depends on your goals and learning style.

The typical scenario is that the non-native teachers have an excellent background in teaching, but their language skills aren’t near-native. Conversely, the native teachers know the language, but without training and experience, they may stumble when it comes to passing on that knowledge in an easy-to-digest form.

The Trouble with Natives

One of the major complaints people have about native speaking teachers is that they tend to favor unfocused “conversation practice” (mostly just chatting) and shy away from grammar or even serious vocabulary building.

Sometimes that’s because they either don’t know their own grammar well. They know what “sounds right,” but not the rules behind it. They can’t explain why you should say something a certain way.

Working with a teacher like this, you’ll become more fluent using what you already know, but may not learn more words or more complex grammar structures.

The Trouble with Non-Natives

The complaint with non-native speakers is that they may teach you something that isn’t correct. Once you memorize something wrong, it’s very difficult to “re-learn” it. There’s even a term for this: fossilized errors.

I met one unfortunate woman who had been taught to pronounce “subsidiary” is “subsi-dairy,” with the last part pronounced like the dairy in “dairy farm.” Despite getting the correct pronunciation and working to remember it, she was back with “subsi-dairy” when I met her again a year later.

The Ideal versus Reality

Both of those flaws are very difficult to over come. A native speaker can only know how your “language mind” works if they learn your language to near-native level or work with enough of your compatriots to get an idea. Similarly, a non-native speaker will only be able to avoid teaching you mistakes if they’ve reached near-native fluency in the language they teach.

Both these kinds of high-caliber teachers exist and, frankly, one type is probably as good as the other. At that point, it’s just a matter of which individual’s teaching style and personality you prefer.

When it comes to other teachers, though, here are a few things to consider before you choose:

The Benefits of Native-Speaking Teachers

Won’t teach you mistakes
Can demonstrate sounds correctly
Can explain nuances of words
Provides more fluent, natural conversation practice
Has a deeper understanding of language-related cultural matters
May go easy on you because they assume their language is “hard” for foreigners
Can understand the listening practice material every time

The Benefits of Non-Native-Speaking Teachers

Can clearly explain the intricacies of grammar
Can explain how to hold your lips and tongue to form certain sounds and, if needed, tell you exactly why the sounds you’re making aren’t coming out right.
Understands why certain things confuse you and can help you understand those things the same way they themselves did.
Can provide effective mnemonics (memory aids) based on your language
May have higher expectations of you, thinking if they learned the language as an adult, you can, too.
May have a better knowledge of which local course books are better and how to pass local exams

If you think of anything I left out, please leave a comment below.