Native-Speakerism in Favor of Target Culture: Fairclough’s Practical Reasoning Framework

Khany, Reza; Kaabi Mofrad, Karim; Barzan, Pooria; Samaie, Mahmood

doi:10.22077/ali.2024.7997.1041

Native-Speakerism in Favor of Target Culture: Fairclough’s Practical Reasoning Framework

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Reza Khany ¹

Karim Kaabi Mofrad ²

Pooria Barzan ²

Mahmood Samaie ³

¹ Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

² Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

³ Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

10.22077/ali.2024.7997.1041

Abstract

This study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to interrogate the discourse of native-speakerism prevalent in English Language Teaching (ELT). It analyzes a research article that advocates for the superiority of Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) over Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs). By applying Fairclough and Fairclough's (2012) practical reasoning framework, the research reconstructs the article's argumentative structure and critically examines its underlying assumptions and values. The analysis reveals that the article's promotion of NESTs is underpinned by a pervasive native-speakerism ideology. This ideology constructs a hierarchical relationship between native and non-native speakers, privileging Western culture and language over others. The article's discourse naturalizes this hierarchy, obscuring its socially constructed nature and its role in perpetuating linguistic inequality. By focusing on the supposed innate superiority of NESTs, the article overlooks the complex interplay of factors influencing effective teaching, including pedagogical expertise, cultural competence, and learner needs. The research concludes by emphasizing the detrimental impact of native-speakerism on ELT. It underscores the need to challenge and dismantle this ideology in favor of a more inclusive and equitable approach to teacher education and professional development. By recognizing the linguistic diversity of the world and valuing the expertise of NNESTs, the field can move towards a more just and effective practice.

Keywords

native-speakerism

critical discourse analysis

English language teaching

practical reasoning

ideology

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