English Language Teachers in South Korea: Issues of Whiteness and Native-speakerness

This paper examines the status and identity of teachers English as a foreign language in South Korea. In many parts world, is taught second, foreign, or additional language. The native non-native English-speaking debated often. However, dichotomy not straightforward it might appear because difference between speakers does sufficiently describe identities, linguistic abilities, teaching skills that those possess. Cho (2012) described two critical considerations for male Korean-American Korea: (1) capital ideal Asian countries (2) social Asian-Americans members minority groups United States. order to transcend idealisation West support learners Korea, this discusses issues whiteness native-speakerness relation by examining backgrounds characteristics Korean Americans well English-as-a-foreign-language education addition, experience abilities teachers. analysis identifies benefits risks commodifying capital. findings contribute developments English-language only East but also rapidly globalising world modern age, which competence more valuable than ever.