The Relationship between Self-Perceptions and Instructional Practices Lía D. Kamhi-Stein California State University, Los Angeles

Our Goal Today To understand how our self-perceptions regarding our NNES status and our English language proficiency affect our instructional practices? To understand how issues of self-perceived English language proficiency and NNES status intersect with issues of professional and personal identity? What is your goal today? Why did you decide to participate in this discussion?

Who I am… Who you are…. Lía Kamhi-Stein “The Sound of Music,” Julie Andrews, and The Beatles. Trained to sound like the British Prime Minister and asked to sound like Ronald Reagan at the Buenos Aires Binational Center. Worked as an EFL teacher and program administrator. Married a Texan and immigrated to the US 19 years ago yesterday (2/8). Engaged in a process of professional and personal identity transformation. Obtained a Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. Now: Teacher educator in an MA in TESOL Program (California State University, Los Angeles) that integrates curricula focusing on issues related to nonnative English-speaking professionals. New mother, and even newer single parent (widow).California State University, Los Angeles How about you?

Before reading the articles for today’s session, I asked you to reflect on two questions: To what extent, if any, do your self-perceptions about your NNES status and your English language proficiency contribute to affecting (positively or negatively) your instructional practices? In turn, to what extent, if any, might your classroom behavior and practices contribute to affecting your students’ perceptions about your professional identity? To what extent, if any, can you be a successful professional if you perceive yourself as being a “deficient” or an “illegitimate” speaker of English?

The Readings…. What did you find interesting about today’s readings?

Strategies for Enhancing Self Perceptions (1) –Consider changing the language you use to describe yourself: Bilingual speaker, multicompetent speaker (rather than non-native speaker), etc., (unless you want to reclaim the term non-native: I identify myself as a NNEST). –Have intelligibility rather than native speaker competence as your goal (after all, who IS a native speaker? –Develop an understanding of World Englishes and cross-cultural communication

Strategies for Enhancing Self Perceptions (2) Reflect on your instructional practices: What is your action zone? Who do you make eye contact with? How do you use your body language in the classroom (“the pobrecita syndrome”)? What language do you use in the classroom and why do you use it? (Do you use your L1 because you believe that it will enhance student learning? Or do you use your L1 because you are concerned about your English language skills? ) However…… Don’t overemphasize “what didn’t work,” “what went wrong…” Continue enhancing your professional skills. Work on your language skills as needed; however, be aware that what might be a problem is your self- confidence, not your language skills.

Strategies for Enhancing Self Perceptions (3) –Draw on your strengths, your lived experiences: Develop instructional materials that draw on your knowledge of the local context, on your ability to be a bridge for your students. –Emphasize the notion of intercultural awareness in your teaching (students reflect on their own culture and the culture of the foreign language). –Communicate with colleagues, be informed of the hiring practices in your setting. Be ready to address and fight potential challenges to your credibility. –Become a member of a community (the NNEST IS, for example) and participate in the community. –Add your own!

References Kamhi-Stein, L. D. (forthcoming). Language teacher identity: Implications for classroom instruction. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Kim, T. (2007). The interrelations among accentedness, comprehensibility, intelligibility, and interpretability of nonnative English-speaking teachers from the perspectives of English as a second language students. Unpublished masters’s thesis. CaliforniaState University, Los Angeles. Pasternak, M., & Bailey, K. M. (2004). Preparing nonnative and native English- speaking teachers: Issues of professionalism and proficiency. In L. D. Kamhi-Stein (Ed.), Learning and teaching from experience: Perspectives on nonnative English-speaking professionals (pp ). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Pavlenko, A. (2003). “I never knew I was a bilingual”: Reimagining teacher identities in TESOL. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2(4), Velasco-Martin, C. (2004). The nonnative English-speaking teacher as an intercultural speaker. In L. D. Kamhi-Stein (Ed.), Learning and teaching from experience: Perspectives on nonnative English-speaking professionals (pp ). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.