Is native speakerism a privilege in TESOL employment? A comparative study of self-reported hiring discrimination in native and non-native ESL teachers across Spain and the UK

Thesis

A quarter of a century has passed since the launch of The NNEST Movement, a consequential movement deriving from years of discrimination towards NNESTs, yet it appears very little has changed in the world of TESOL. This study examines whether TESOL employment and hiring practices are still subjected to native speakerism ideologies in Spain and the UK. This comparative mixed methods study examines self-reported discrimination of NESTs and NNESTs in Spain and the UK to temperature check experiences in 2023. A questionnaire was administered to n=210 ESL teachers across Spain and UK (n=134 NEST, n=76 NNEST), with 17 Likert-scaled statements and one optional qualitative question. Then, four follow-up semi structured interviews were conducted to gather further qualitative data from NEST and NNESTs. A principal component analysis was conducted, followed by independent samples t-tests, showing that participating NNESTs suffer significantly more (p<.001) self-reported discrimination when hired as an ELT than NESTs. Findings further show that NNESTs in Spain suffered significantly more (p<.001) discrimination than NNESTs in the UK. Thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data, which further triangulated this data and showed parallel findings. Suggestions to shape the future of hiring for TESOL teachers are made with calls to action for teachers, recruiters, and policymakers.

Authors: Atkinson, A

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-jndxomb4q
• Type of award: MSc taught course
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: NNEST; the NNEST movement; TESOL employment; native speakerism
• Subjects: The NNEST Movement; Discrimination of ESL teachers; native speakerism