Exploring native-speakerism in teacher job recruitment discourse through Legitimation Code Theory: The case of the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Despite growing criticisms of native-speakerism in English Language Teaching (ELT), the ‘native speaker’ concept is still used in the recruitment of teachers (Mahboob & Golden, 2013; Ruecker & Ives, 2015). This study critically evaluates the impact of native-speakerism on ELT hiring practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). To identify qualifications desired by employers and to document the role of the ‘native speaker’ criteria, 53 online job advertisements are analysed. The data are analysed using Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) to understand what characteristics, knowledge, and skills are discursively legitimized in the advertisements. Our results suggest that the ‘native speaker’ is indeed used as a model against which ELT applicants in the UAE are benchmarked. Because native-speakerism reflects a knower code orientation, which downplays specialized knowledge and skills, we argue that to challenge discriminatory hiring practices, employers should place more emphasis on teachers’ language proficiency and relevant knowledge and skills.