Co-teaching between native and non-native English teachers: An exploration of co-teaching models and strategies in the Chinese primary school context

This paper argues that co-teaching between native English teachers (NETs) and nonnative English teachers (NNETs) can contribute to the improvement of teaching quality of NETs, many of whom cannot achieve a desirable quality of teaching of English in Chinese primary schools largely due to lack of training in professional teaching. In this paper, four co-teaching models are examined—“One Teaching-One Assisting”, “Alternative Teaching”, “Station Teaching” and “Team Teaching”. In the context of Chinese EFL classrooms in Kunming, China, the paper takes the unique position that these four models should be implemented sequentially. That is, ‘One teaching-One assisting’ should be adopted first, moving on to ‘Alternative Teaching’, then ‘Station Teaching’ and finally ‘Team Teaching”, so that NETs can gradually build up their skills and experience in co-teaching. Strategies on how to create effective coteaching are also discussed to demonstrate how co-teachers with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds can create a dynamic teaching team and improve the quality of their teaching.