Future Non-Native English as a Second Language Teachers : The Impact of Language Proficiency on Their Use of English in the Classroom

The purpose of the author's study was to better understand the perceptions of non-native future ESL teachers in relation to their language proficiency in English and the impact their proficiency had on their use of English with their pupils while on practicum. However, the impacts that were uncovered by the author were not necessarily related to the language proficiency of the student-teachers who participated in the study, but rather linked to the use of English as the language of instruction in the context of language teaching. This study took place in a medium-size French regional university in Quebec where several pre-service teachers were surveyed using an online questionnaire that they took at their convenience. As a follow up to the questionnaire, a few of these future teachers agreed to be interviewed. The author points out that even though English is one of the two national languages of Canada, most ESL teachers in the province of Quebec are non-native English speakers. He explains that for the most part, these student-teachers live in French communities and teach in French schools, which means communicating in French is necessary outside their classrooms. The author's research data were analysed and interpreted using a descriptive approach for the questionnaire and a thematic analysis approach for the semi-structured interviews. The author's study revealed some of the challenges of being a future non-native ESL teacher in Quebec and the perceptions they have towards their English proficiency. Although all the participants indicated that they were very fluent in English, some of them reported that they needed to use French at times to teach English, which reduced the amount of time spent using English in the classroom. Finally, the author's findings also exposed various factors that can account for the use of the mother tongue of the pupils in the classroom.

Master's Thesis

Université de Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke QC

2021

xii-99p.

en