Stereotypes in Co-Teaching of Native English Speaking Teachers

Stereotypes in Co-Teaching of Native English Speaking Teachers

This study investigated the perceptions and stereotypes of English education in Korean Elementary schools that native English speaking teachers (NESTs) have towards the Korean English teachers (KETs), Korean students, and Korean education system. Two Canadian English teachers have participated in this study in which they were interviewed twice, respectively. During interviews the participants revealed their perceptions toward English language teaching in Korea and their difficulties they have in co-teaching. The overall results of this study show that participants tend to think the teaching style of KETs is teacher-centered, characterized by ‘memorizat- ion’ and ‘repetition’, while their own class is centered on ‘critical thinking skills and creative method’. These stereotypes resemble the discourses used in ‘Orientalism’ and ‘Native speakerism’ which reveal that such stereotyping is neither original nor creative. Moreover, the participants categorize KETs’ teaching styles and their culture based on the essentialistic view centered around unproblematic Self and problematic Other. This could be to resist the KET’s power and maintain hegemony in co-teaching which prevents them from forming a close relationship with their partner teachers necessary for successful co-teaching.