Teachers' English proficiency is a significant qualification for successful teaching of English. However, the issue of what level of proficiency teachers believe they need for different settings has not received much attention. This study investigates this issue by looking at novice Chinese pre-service teachers (N = 113) in an MA TESOL program in…

This article presents a case study that examined the perceptions of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in relation to their experiences in a one-year study abroad TESOL program in Canada and its potential for enhancing their language proficiency. Sixty-nine novice teachers, originally from China, placed in four different cohorts,…

This article proposes a research agenda for future inquiry into the use of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) in the plurilingual Canadian context. Drawing on data collected from a research forum hosted by the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers in 2014, as well as a detailed analysis of Canadian empirical studies and…

This article recounts the experiences of six Generation 1.5 teacher candidates (TCs) as they grapple with the significance of their racial identity in asserting their native-English-speaking status. A one-year qualitative case study, it draws on critical race theory and positioning theory to elucidate how native-English-speaking status is linked…

Despite considerable discussion and controversy over the native/nonnative distinction, there is no satisfactory definition of the terms. In addition, the literature tends to reduce the complexity of the distinction to an overly simplistic and problematic dichotomy. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research article examines the…

This study reconceptualizes the native/nonnative dichotomy and provides a powerful lens to examine linguistic identities. In a study of 25 linguistically diverse teacher candidates in Canada, the respondents' native and nonnative self-ascription and self-assessed level of proficiency was juxtaposed with the judgment of their instructors. This…

This paper reports on findings of a qualitative study that explored the experiences, needs and challenges of internationally educated teacher candidates (IETCs) in a large metropolitan university in Canada. Interviews were conducted with IETCs as well as the teacher educator working with them. Findings revealed that IETCs required additional…