English as a foreign language teachers' understandings of the native/non-native dichotomy: An Argentine perspective

Abstract

This research, oriented towards a qualitative approach, investigates theconceptions of a group of 75 English language teachers from Argentina regardingthe expansion, use and teaching of English as an international language, withparticular attention to the native vs. non-native dichotomy. The study aims to revealthe participants? understandings of this issue in their specific sociocultural contexts.Research instruments comprise two questionnaires with open and closed questions,and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The questionnaires were designed andadministered online in October 2014 with the use of free software (www.eencuesta.com) and 21 in-depth interviews were conducted in November 2014.Data were analysed following the guidelines and procedures of content analysis,complemented by a quantitative perspective. General findings show that participantsview the hegemony of English as a language of international communicationuncritically; they have fluid and sometimes conflicting understandings about thelanguage, its varieties and the question of language ownership; and at the same time,they reflect critically on the native/non-native-speaker/teacher dichotomy. Thischapter focuses on the native vs. non-native dichotomy in this setting.