Tell us about your research project and why it is important to you.
My research project seeks to understand what it is like to be a non-native English-speaking teacher (NNEST) and a native English-speaking teacher (NEST); how their professional identities differ or what they have in common, how teacher educators and students perceive the differences between NESTs and NNESTs, how NESTs and NNESTs might collaborate with each other, and what makes an English instructor effective in a country where English is not the primary language. It is important for me to address these issues because I am starting out as a non-native English-speaking teacher and I want to learn and develop the tools that will allow me to contribute something to those who, like me, are entering the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Have you presented or published your research somewhere? Tell us about the experience.
I'm still in the early stages of my research and I haven't published anything about it yet. However, I have already published a review of a book on native and non-native speaking teachers, which helped me enter the field of English teachers. The book is called Native and Non-Native Teachers in English Language Classrooms: Professional Challenges and Teacher Education (2017) by Juan de Dios Martínez Agudo. The review was published online in the journal Latinos and Education on January 25, 2021.
It was an interesting experience for me, since I learned about the process of putting together a publication, as well as how to write according to the guidelines required to publish a review. The most interesting and challenging thing was that I wrote it in English. It was very exciting to see my first publication written in English.
What would you say is something interesting about your area of study that most people do not know?
Something that I have found recurrently in the literature is the preconceived idea of who is to be a teacher or a native speaker of English. It is generally believed that this person will be Anglo-Saxon, will have white skin and light-colored eyes, and will eat hamburgers and celebrate Thanksgiving. It is assumed that these types of people are ideal to teach English and pronunciation. However, not all people with these characteristics are the best for teaching English, and we must bear in mind that knowing English is one thing and knowing how to teach it is another. There are people in the world who develop their language skills almost to the level of a native speaker and who have very adequate teaching techniques that make them very effective teachers, even if they are non-native speakers.
Tell us about your academic or professional collaborations with Mexico.
I am still in the first stage of my dissertation; however, the goal of my research is to carry out a project that involves professors from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) and The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Among the objectives is to understand the preparation, perceptions, and collaborations that exist among the faculty who teach English. The objective is to create a program that is focused on the collaboration between both universities in order to improve teaching.
What attracted you to Texas and The University of Texas at El Paso?
My economic and family situations did not allow me to move to another place further north in the United States or to another country where the official language was English. My first choices were New York or England. However, since my goals were to improve my English language skills and pursue a Ph.D. in education, UTEP was the best option in all aspects of my life—be it personal, academic, or professional—to continue on the same path that I had already planned.
What have been some good things you didn't expect from Texas or The University of Texas at El Paso?
UTEP changed my life completely. It gave me the opportunity to work as a Research Assistant, which allowed me to meet people who are experts in the field of teaching English. I have been able to broaden my horizons and see that there is much to contribute to the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) field. Regarding Texas, it is a very beautiful state with a large number of Latinos who, like me, are trying to learn English.
What have been the biggest challenges of studying at The University of Texas at El Paso and living in the United States?
My biggest challenge was the language. Although I had some knowledge [of English], learning to function in another country, another culture, and another lifestyle using a non-native language was complicated. I thought that because of the proximity of [Ciudad Juárez and El Paso], and since they are only divided by a river, things would be simple; however, it is a totally different world. I had to adapt to some things that I did not understand when it came to how they were said or done culturally. For example, I have noticed that culture here [in Texas] is colder, while Latinos are warmer and more effusive in expressing emotions. In this regard, I have had some culture shock. I have learned to manage my emotions better when I am in contact with people of different cultures.
How has the support of ConTex and Conacyt impacted you?
The support from ConTex has been positive. I never believed I could study abroad due to my economic situation, but ConTex and Conacyt made it possible. I hope to take full advantage of this opportunity and finish my program satisfactorily.
What kind of work do you hope to do in the future? In what ways do you hope your research will benefit people in the United States and Mexico?
As I already mentioned, after I finish my Ph.D., I would like for my research work to be the beginning or the basis for creating a collaborative program between UTEP and UACJ faculty for the preparation of English teachers. If this has a positive impact, I would like to expand the collaboration beyond the faculty at these universities to all schools or institutions that are interested in cooperating to improve the English teaching practices. The number of people who want to learn English is increasing, and so is the demand for English teachers. Many non-native speakers are working as teachers, and they need to be prepared to be effective in teaching the language to all the people who want to learn English. Creating a teacher preparation program in Mexico, with the collaboration of native-speaking teachers from the United States, is beneficial both countries.
What advice would you give other Mexican students considering studying in Texas?
I would tell them not to hesitate to study in Texas. There are very bright people here who can meet or exceed their expectations. I would also encourage them to make good use of the advantage of this area—specifically Juárez and El Paso—and the ability to generate close collaborations from one country to the other.
