Abstract:

Purpose: The doubling share of private education institutions in the education sector between 2010 and 2017 reveals that these institutions also have a determining effect in the field of teacher training. This study aimed at examining the English language teacher employment approaches of private education institutions through job postings and understanding the approaches to the identities of the English language teachers to be employed in these institutions. Design/Methodology/Approach: This qualitative study examining 141 online job postings by private educational institutions in Turkey utilized the principles of content analysis. The job postings reviewed are to employ the English language teachers. Findings: The study showed that the native speaker orientation in the employment of the English language teachers in the private sector persists at different layers as traditional native speakerism (first layer) and latent native speakerism (second layer). In light of the findings, this study showed that the English language teachers whose native language is not English are perceived in a secondary position despite the pluralism and diversity in the field. Highlights: Native speakerism in the Turkish private sector existed in two layers. At Layer 1, latent native speakerism, a new form of native speakerism, was found. Although latent native speakerism foregrounded traditional native-speakerism, it disguised this orientation in the so-called expertise-oriented requirements. This layer is directly visible and a hidden version of the traditional native speakerism. At Layer 2, which is the source and the sub-layer of Layer 1, the presence of traditional native speakerism was found to persist. The findings are important in showing that with the rise of neoliberal educational policies, thus the increasing share of the private educational sectors, further studies are needed to reveal how the dichotomy can be overcome via a potential collaboration between teacher training programs, policymakers, and stakeholders.

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