Speakers
Description
This presentation begins by reviewing research into discriminatory hiring practices based on speakerhood, race, gender, age, and disability. Then, employing a relational view of inclusion, it offers practical guidelines for language program managers at the pre-hiring, in-hiring, and post-hiring stages. The aim is to help audience members avoid exclusionary practices in their own institutions and adopt a hiring process that promotes fair and effective outcomes for their program, their teachers, and their students.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
The presentation reviews the literature on exclusionary hiring practices in language education and proposes guidelines for inclusive recruitment practices at three distinct stages. Pre-hiring steps include writing job postings with curriculum goals in mind and without language that signals bias, both explicit and implicit. In-hiring steps cover blind application screening, validity and reliability through structured rubrics and trained assessors, and interview design that takes into account a variety of needs. Post-hiring steps address teacher-centered supervision, ongoing professional development, and visible and welcoming channels for teachers to raise concerns. A checklist of eleven recommended steps for inclusive hiring will be provided.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The presentation will begin with a review of the literature on discrimination in ELT hiring and the negative effects they have on language programs and language education in general. It will then describe recommendations for inclusive recruitment, including writing non-discriminatory job postings, conducting bias-aware evaluations, and sustaining inclusivity through supervision and professional development. Participants will reflect on and share their own experiences with hiring processes and consider how the field can move towards greater inclusivity.
Abstract section 5: References
Dobusch, L. (2021). The inclusivity of inclusion approaches: A relational perspective on inclusion and exclusion in organizations. Gender, Work & Organization, 28(1), 379– 396.
Gras, C. (2024). Narratives of race and identity in English language teaching. The Language Learning Journal, 52(1), 77– 91.
Holliday, A. (2006). Native- speakerism. ELT Journal, 60(4), 385– 387.
Kiczkowiak, M. (2020). Recruiters’ attitudes to hiring native and non- native speaker teachers: An international survey. TESL- EJ, 24(1).
Neca, P., Borges, M. L., & Campos Pinto, P. (2022). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(12), 1192– 1210.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Discriminatory hiring practices remain an issue in language education. Native-speakerism, the privileging of so-called "native speaker" teachers on ideological rather than pedagogical grounds (Holliday, 2006; Kiczkowiak, 2020), as well as biases related to race (Gras, 2024), gender, age, and disability (Neca et al., 2022), continue to appear in job advertisements, interview processes, and beyond. While professional organizations such as TESOL and JALT have issued diversity statements, inclusivity in hiring practices remains inconsistent. This presentation responds to a need for practical, research-informed guidelines that move beyond declarations of intent toward hiring processes that focus on fair and effective teacher recruitment.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
This presentation aims to introduce a practical framework for implementing and sustaining inclusive hiring practices in language programs, with a detailed description of the three stages of: pre-hiring, in-hiring, and post-hiring. Based on a relational view of inclusion (Dobusch, 2021), its goal is to bridge current research on employment discrimination and best inclusive practices with actionable guidelines, providing academic managers with the tools to critically evaluate and improve hiring policies within their own institutions.
| Title | Inclusive Hiring Practices in Language Programs |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |