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Native-speakerism in English teacher recruitment in Indonesian schools

ELT Forum: Journal of English Language Teaching · Vol. 14 No. 3 (2025) · pp. 102–116

DOI
10.15294/elt.v14iSpecial
ISSN
2721-4532, 2252-6706
Published
2025-08-17
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng

Abstract

Despite growing recognition of the limitations of native-speakerism in English language education, Indonesian schools continue to grapple with it. This study investigates Indonesian schools’ perspectives on recruiting English teachers, specifically examining attitudes toward Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs). Using a survey administered to 73 Indonesian school administrators, the research explored perceptions of teaching abilities, the capacity to address student learning difficulties, and departmental preferences regarding NESTs versus NNESTs. Respondents rated their agreement with Likert-scale statements concerning native and non-native speaker teaching abilities and recruitment preferences. The findings revealed that while NESTs were sometimes preferred, there was no consistent pattern of prioritizing them over qualified NNEST candidates, particularly within schools with an international curriculum. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions surrounding the phenomenon of native-speakerism within Indonesian English as a Foreign Language context. They highlight the complexities inherent in teacher recruitment practices and suggest that professional qualifications, rather than native-speaker status, should be the primary basis for teacher recruitment decisions, ultimately benefiting students through access to highly qualified educators regardless of their linguistic background.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 120 co-authorship links · showing the 40 most connected

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  • Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
SRI WAHYUNIAffiliation unknown2
Puji AstutiAffiliation unknown2
Dwi RukminiAffiliation unknown2
Abdurrachman FaridiAffiliation unknown2
Januarius MujiyantoAffiliation unknown2
YuliatiAffiliation unknown1
lidiana astutiAffiliation unknown1
Dwi Herwindha MahananiAffiliation unknown1
Henrikus Joko YuliantoAffiliation unknown1
Angga Pratama Armadi PutraAffiliation unknown1
Maria Kartika Primaquinna SejatiAffiliation unknown1
WidhiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Awanda Bramantika SaqifantyAffiliation unknown1
Issy YuliasriAffiliation unknown1
Alief Noor FaridaAffiliation unknown1
Pasca KalisaAffiliation unknown1
Girindra Putri Dewi SaraswatiAffiliation unknown1
Fahrur RoziInstitut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember1
Ali MasyharAffiliation unknown1
Heru SaputraAffiliation unknown1
Dolendra PaudelAffiliation unknown1
Indah HandayaniAffiliation unknown1
Abdurrahman FaridiAffiliation unknown1
Anindya PangestikaAffiliation unknown1
Sri Wuli FitriatiAffiliation unknown1
Lilis SulistiantiAffiliation unknown1
Rudi HartonoAffiliation unknown1
Hajar MunawarohAffiliation unknown1
Perwari Melati AkmiliaAffiliation unknown1
Endang SusilowatiAffiliation unknown1
Ainur Rosyidah Azmie PutryAffiliation unknown1
Sri Wuli FitriatiAffiliation unknown1
Ayu Jeanretno Tiara PutriAffiliation unknown1
Suwandi SuwandiAffiliation unknown1
Jarwanto JarwantoAffiliation unknown1
Jajang NooralamAffiliation unknown1
Frimadhona SyafriAffiliation unknown1
Amalia RosalineAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/elt/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 5 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Native-speakerism in English teacher recruitment in Indonesian schools</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Voorsmit, Stanley Chris</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Sakhiyya, Zulfa</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Native-speakerism</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">teacher recruitment</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">EFL</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Indonesia</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Despite growing recognition of the limitations of native-speakerism in English language education, Indonesian schools continue to grapple with it. This study investigates Indonesian schools’ perspectives on recruiting English teachers, specifically examining attitudes toward Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs). Using a survey administered to 73 Indonesian school administrators, the research explored perceptions of teaching abilities, the capacity to address student learning difficulties, and departmental preferences regarding NESTs versus NNESTs. Respondents rated their agreement with Likert-scale statements concerning native and non-native speaker teaching abilities and recruitment preferences. The findings revealed that while NESTs were sometimes preferred, there was no consistent pattern of prioritizing them over qualified NNEST candidates, particularly within schools with an international curriculum. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions surrounding the phenomenon of native-speakerism within Indonesian English as a Foreign Language context. They highlight the complexities inherent in teacher recruitment practices and suggest that professional qualifications, rather than native-speaker status, should be the primary basis for teacher recruitment decisions, ultimately benefiting students through access to highly qualified educators regardless of their linguistic background.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-08-17</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/elt/article/view/25645</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/elt.v14iSpecial Issue.25645</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">ELT Forum: Journal of English Language Teaching; Vol. 14 No. 3 (2025): ELT Forum: Journal of English Language Teaching - Special Issue (August); 102-116</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2721-4532</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2252-6706</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/elt.v14iSpecial Issue</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/elt/article/view/25645/5763</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2025 Stanley Chris Voorsmit, Zulfa Sakhiyya (Author)</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>