ELIZABETH HASHIMURA (UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS)

REFRAMING SPEAKERHOOD: EXPLORING LINGUISTIC IDENTITIES OF JAPAN’S ASSISTANT LANGUAGE TEACHERS THROUGH SELF-CATEGORISATION THEORY : GLOBAL ISSUES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION

Within Japan’s public-sector English language education landscape, assistant language teachers (ALTs) have traditionally been depicted as monolingual “native speakers” of English from the Global North. However, this characterisation overlooks the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of ALTs, many of whom now hail from the Global South. As a result, this oversimplification exacerbates inequalities in an already precarious industry and constrains pedagogical practice. As Selvi et al. (2023) have posited, discourses on native speakerism have evolved from rigid distinctions between “NES” and “NNES” toward a more intersectional conceptualisation of speakerhood. Recognising this epistemological shift, this mixed-methods study draws on Turner’s (1987) self-categorization theory to investigate how ALTs from the Global North and the Global South perceive their own speakerhood and how this influences their linguistic identities, professional identities, and teaching practices. By adopting an intersectional approach and allowing ALTs to define their own speaker identities, this ongoing research seeks to challenge binary categorisations of native speakerism and uncover how ALTs navigate the nuances of their linguistic repertories and discursive professional identities. This presentation will highlight the potential of self-categorization theory as not only an innovative lens through which to explore conceptions of native speakerism but also a framework through which to promote equity and inclusivity within the wider ELT industry.

Elizabeth Hashimura is a doctoral candidate in TESOL at the University of St Andrews. Her research interests include language learner and language teacher identity, native speakerism, ideology in language teaching materials, and feedback paradigms in pre-service teacher training programs.