Training non-native speaking teachers of English in Mexico

Jitka Crhová, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Autonomous University of Baja California), Facultad de Idiomas (Faculty of Languages), Tijuana, Mexico;     Abstract: Out of the languages most spoken in the world, English is the only one in which the nonnative speakers outnumber the native ones 2.64 times (Eberhard & Fenning, 2021). Given the number of English learners worldwide and the above-mentioned statistics, it is apparent that the majority of the English language teachers (ELT) are unmistakably nonnatives, at least in the “genetic” sense, within the model of concentric circles of English (Kachru, 1985). Nevertheless, we might argue that the non-native English-speaking teachers (NNEST) do “function” as natives. The present conference overviews the training of NNEST pre-service and in-service teachers in Mexico, reporting some data of a national research project, a longitudinal study of a generation of BA ELT language students, namely on linguistic and teaching competencies, and students´ beliefs on language learning. Furthermore, the concept of the native vs. nonnative competencies of ELT teachers is examined under the lens of the languages-in-contact situation (Spanish-English), where the local data from our University of Baja California and its program in Language Teaching student formation will be shared.

Keywords: Language teacher training, non-native speakers of English, BA in language teaching in Mexico