Comparing Native and Non-Native English Teachers’ Pedagogical ‎Knowledge in an English as an International Language Context

Abstract

This study examined the inner, outer, and expanding circle native as well as non-native English teachers’ Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) in an English as an International Language context. The data were collected from 14 native English teachers from the inner circle and 50 non-native teachers from the outer and expanding circle, using a Pedagogical Knowledge questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The quantitative results revealed that the participants in the three groups had high perceptions of pedagogical knowledge, and that there were significant differences between the inner, outer, and expanding circle teachers in terms of their total pedagogical knowledge except for the subscale of “knowledge of learners”. The participants considered English a communication tool while not finding it necessary but helpful to become familiar with all world Englishes and the knowledge type required in those contexts.

Keywords

• english as an international language
• expanding circle
• inner circle
• outer circle
• native and nonnative english ‎teachers