Speakers
Description
Previous research has extensively examined issues of ‘nativespeakerism’ in education in Japan, particularly in the context of English language teaching. Numerous studies have highlighted a profound bias in favor of native English speakers, particularly white men from 'Inner Circle' countries (e.g., Appleby, 2013; Koshino, 2019; Kubota, 2011; Ng, 2017), while identifying power struggles that non-native non-white female instructors encounter (Kubota & Fujimoto, 2013; Nonaka, 2018). At the same time, non-native Japanese-speaking teachers may find themselves marginalized within the academic setting, often isolated from the rest of the faculty due to their race, gender, and accents (Rivers, 2019). Thus, the problem of nativespeakerism requires a multifaceted examination of identities and power instead of observing it as a fixed dichotomy of privilege and marginalization.
This panel aims to share the experiences of five university instructors from diverse backgrounds who work primarily using their second language. Some instruct and research in English as a second language, while others are non-native Japanese speakers who teach and conduct their day-to-day lives in Japanese. By sharing their experiences, the panelists seek to shed light on the marginalized and racialized experience they have encountered due to their "non-native speaker" status. The implications include how these educators utilize their multilingual and multicultural identities to establish meaningful connections with their students and colleagues, and seek to promote 多文化共生 (multiculturalism) in their workplaces.
