Issues in Hiring Nonnative English-Speaking Professionals to Teach English as a Second Language

Abstract

This article discusses issues that influence the job search of nonnative English speaking (NNES) teachers in the U.S. Recent publications (Medgyes, 1994; Tang, 1997; Thomas, 1999) have shown that NNES teachers encounter discriminatory practices in employment because neither employers nor applicants grasp all the issues involved. Using the resolution from the organization Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) on NNES teachers and hiring practices (“A TESOL Statement,” 1992) as a basis, this article will present a set of guidelines for administrators and NNES applicants to improve employment opportunities. The authors, themselves community college administrators, discuss factors that account for the attitudes of administrators, English as a second language (ESL) learners, and NNES job applicants.