Shifting from Native-Speakerism to Trans-Speakerism: A Trioethnography of Language Teachers in Japan

Native-speakerism is an ideology that endows those classified as native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) the owners of English language, ideal models its use, and pedagogical experts in language teaching. These endowments, turn, intrinsically devalue non-native (NNESTs) (Holliday, 2006, 2017). In this study, a trioethnographic approach was adopted to investigate native-speakerism it related lived experiences two NESTs (Matt Joachim) one NNEST (Takaaki) EFL context Japan. Counterintuitively, exploration found that, our Japanese context, had adverse effects on academic lives professional trajectories not for NNEST, but rather NESTs, linguistically, culturally, institutionally speaking. Based findings, we explain compare what term classical, inversed, nuanced native-speakerism, introduce new empowering concept—trans-speakerism—an ideological stance committed advancing diversity, equity, inclusion all teachers, irrespective their first languages or cultures. The article ends with call research encompasses variety contexts approaches trans-speakerism education.