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Native-English-Speaking Teachers: Do They Bring Values to EFL Learners? A Study on Listening Proficiency of Taiwanese Elementary School Students

英語為母語的外籍英語教師對於台灣小學生英語聽力之影響

English Teaching & Learning volume 45, pages 89–107 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Native-English-speaking teachers (NESTs) have not been examined to the same extent as the non-native-English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in research. A summary of research results focusing on NNESTs was found (e.g., Moussu & Llurda in Languae Teaching, 41(3), 315–348, 2008) while no such an article can be found on NESTs. However, in reality, the presence of NESTs in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classrooms continues to be evident in different countries. As such, a gap exists between language teaching research and practice. This study addresses this gap by focusing on the influence of NESTs in EFL classrooms with a particular focus on learners’ listening proficiency gain. The large sample size of 1025 Taiwanese elementary school students allowed this study to compare students’ listening performance before and after receiving listening input from NESTs for 1 year using a standardized English listening test as a measurement tool. It was found that students’ listening performance improved significantly. In addition, when comparing listening proficiency of students across different geographical regions, it was found that NESTs helped improve significantly listening performance of students from the East region, an area of Taiwan known to be low achieving. As well, this study captured a dynamic pattern of listening proficiency gain when comparing learners of various proficiency levels. The results of this study suggested that the use of NESTs as a provider of listening input can be one effective method of improving foreign language students’ listening ability.

摘要

相較於以英語為第二外語之英語教師(NNEST), 以英語為母語的英語教師(NEST)是一群較少被研究的族群。Moussu與Llurda於2008年發表一篇文章討論英語非母語英語教師(NNEST)的相關研究發現, 然而尚無研究聚焦於NESTs在這方面的討論。儘管相關文獻較少觸及NESTs, 英語為母語之英語教師在非英語系地區之教學現場卻經常是受重視與歡迎的主角。有鑒於研究較少探討NESTs的貢獻, 並期望能增進相關文獻對NESTs的討論, 本研究長期追蹤NESTs對於1025位台灣小學生在接受NESTs一年教導後英語聽力能力的表現, 探索NESTs針對不同聽力程度與不同地域學生是否有同樣之助益。研究結果發現不論學生背景如何, 在接受NESTs教導一年後, 學生的英語聽力普遍皆有顯著的進步。偏鄉地區學生英語聽力之進步更是明顯。另外, 本研究也發現NESTs明顯地提升低成就聽力學習者之英語聽力能力。.

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Notes

  1. For sample questions, please refer to the official website for GEPT Kids at the following address. https://www.geptkids.org.tw/Home/examContent#modeExample.

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  1. Department of English, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Angela Mei Chen Wu

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Wu, A.M.C. Native-English-Speaking Teachers: Do They Bring Values to EFL Learners? A Study on Listening Proficiency of Taiwanese Elementary School Students. English Teaching & Learning 45, 89–107 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-020-00064-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-020-00064-0

Keywords

  • Native-English-speaking teachers
  • English listening proficiency development
  • English listening input
  • Low-proficient listeners

關鍵詞

  • 英語為母語之英語教師
  • 英語聽力能力發展
  • 英語聽力輸入
  • 低成就聽力學習者