Interviewing an expert: Hami Suzuki

NNEST

https://nnestofthemonth.wordpress.com/

Today we are going to interview Hami Suzuki. She is an ESL instructor at the University of Hawaii English Language Program (HELP). She holds an MA degree in Second Language Studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has taught English in Japan, Thailand, and Hawaii to different age groups and proficiency levels. Her research interests include Second Language Learning/Teaching, Extensive Reading and topics relating to identity and language. Hami will be an instructor at INTO Oregon State University (Oregon State’s academic preparation program) starting in September 2014.

Thank you, Hami, for being here today.

1 When did you start learning English?

Well, I began learning English at the age of six, when I moved to Hawaii because of my father’s job. I only knew a couple of words in English back then, so I was put into an ESL class when I entered a public school. I studied English with a teacher one-on-one, and I gradually started to take the content-based courses with the mainstream group.

2 So it was not such an easy task for you, was it? Did you adopt any strategy to improve your English?

One of the biggest reasons why I improved English pretty quickly might have been the extensive reading assignment I had for one of my classes. In the beginning, I was motivated to read because I could get fancy smiley face stickers for every book I read.

However, after several books, I deeply fell in love with “reading”. It was to the point where my mother had to take the book away from me because I would keep on reading in the dark at night!

3 When did you realise you wanted to become an English teacher?

When I attended Sophia University in Tokyo. After Hawaii, we moved to Finland and then we moved to Tokyo when I was 15 years old. In those days I felt like “I-don’t-know-where-I-belong”. When I went to university, I met friends and professors who had similar backgrounds, took applied linguistics classes, and discovered my passion to teach English. One of my friends introduced me to a part-time job as an English tutor at an English language school geared towards pre-school to high school students.

4 So, there began your experience as a teacher…

Yes. Although I was not confident about teaching at first, I was lucky to have supportive mentors and staff who guided me through my four years of teaching. My foundation for teaching was established through these years. I discovered my love for teaching , saw a glimpse of light of where I should be heading, and learned to understand and accept myself as a bilingual. I genuinely felt the joy to teach, as well as appreciating my own abilities to help the learners find or pave their paths towards their goals.

5 You are now an ESL Instructor at the Hawaii English Language Program (HELP) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Could you tell us some of the challenges you have faced?

I feel that some of the challenges I have had in this program may not have necessarily been “because I am an NNEST (Non-Native English Speaker Teacher)”, but more so attributing to the fact that I was a novice teacher. I think many novice and experienced teachers have had a point in their teaching career when they  have struggled to create lesson plans and materials, felt anxious and excited about teaching the class, or gained/lost confidence because of student comments. I have experienced all of this, which is what makes me today a passionate ESL instructor.

However, I do remember an unforgettable incident that happened on the first day of my first class at HELP. I was assigned to teach a listening and speaking class for beginners. I was excited about meeting my “first” students, and I took hours thinking about icebreakers and activities to do in class. On the first day of class, I walked into the classroom as confidently as I could with a big smile on my face. The very first question I received after I greeted them was, “Are you Japanese? Not American?” with a suspicious look on the student’s face. As a novice teacher back then, I felt self-conscious, anxious, and insecure in an instant. Given my Asian appearance, I guess I did not fit into the stereotypical “American” image. That one simple question made me feel as though I had to prove to the students that I was as good as a native speaker.

6 Did anyone help you with it? How?

Yes, fortunately, I have worked with many supportive administrators and colleagues, who have helped me to understand that it is not what you look like or what you sound like. Rather, it is what you can do with the language and what you can bring into the classroom. That goes for the students who come into the classroom too.

7 Some authors say that for example, in Japan, English learners should try to learn “Japanese English.”. Do you think it is appropriate to integrate language awareness activities in classes like those you teach at UH’s HELP? What variety of English is appropriate for your students to set as their goal?

As an instructor, I think it is appropriate to integrate language awareness activities into IEP classes if they are relevant to the course learning outcomes. Sometimes, students at HELP bring up the topic of Hawaiian Creole English, or locally known as “Pidgin”, without knowing it. I think their realisation demonstrates the appropriateness of introducing this topic to them. The mix and fluidity of languages in Hawaii is amazingly beautiful, and it creates a localised knowledge that some “community” members may only know (Canagarajah, 2005). For students who are studying in Hawaii, I believe it is appropriate that they become aware of this local knowledge, as well as the varieties of Englishes around the world. In reality, students are more likely to engage in conversations with locals in Hawaii or people from different countries on a daily basis. However, it is also true that these students are expected to perform in class/university using “academic English”, or “American English” as you mentioned in your question.

Having said that, in an IEP class/program that is situated in America, I feel it is difficult to determine or set a certain variety of English to be a goal for the students. As an instructor for students who are aiming to be matriculated into an American university, I cannot ignore the expectation (i.e. knowledge of “American English”) that the students will most likely face. Nevertheless, as I mentioned earlier, language awareness activities are appropriate and important in students’ lives beyond the classroom.

8 What do you think of the Native/Non-native speaker dichotomy?

At one point in my career, I thought labelling myself as an NNEST was saying that I was “inferior”, which is absolutely not true. After educating myself about this “dichotomy”, and personally struggling to find an “answer”, I see it very differently. Labels can blind people and cross out an individual’s characters, traits, and qualifications. I have to admit that I was blinding myself at one point in my career.

In the globalising world, the dimension of complexity within individuals is increasing. As Higgins (2011) mentions, traditional assumptions of what it means to belong to a particular race, nationality, or ethnicity are constantly challenged. I feel that many individuals form their identities among many cultural worlds, which have created hybridity and diversity. Therefore, it is difficult, or maybe irrational, to claim that an individual should be tightly linked with clear-cut national borders or language. There are varieties of Englishes being spoken around the world by many multilingual/multicultural individuals. Ultimately, I hope that the dichotomy between NNES and NES will not be an issue. Rather, the discussion should go beyond the issue of the dichotomy. Seeing that

the topics of World Englishes and EIL are becoming more prevalent, the dichotomy of NES and NNES seems to oversimplify the richness that individuals bring into teaching.

9 Do you realise that NES teachers enjoy more privileges than NNES teachers in Japan and in the States?

That is an interesting question to ask. As a “new” MA graduate, I have recently experienced and witnessed the differences of how NES and NNES are treated in the job hiring process. Truth be told, I have been eliminated from a list of job applicants because I am an NNES. It is true that the native speaker fallacy still thrives in Japan. Some job applications list “must be a native speaker” as one of the qualifications. As a passionate and committed language instructor hoping to teach and collaborate with other language teaching professionals, it is quite disappointing to see and experience this prevalent discriminatory situation.

On the other hand, I personally feel that there is less dichotomy between NEST and NNESTs in the States, especially in Hawaii where it is very multicultural/multinational. I have been lucky to work with the administrators at HELP, who understand the strengths of having NNESTs  as ESL instructors in this program. Nevertheless, more professionals do need to be informed and educated that being NES or NNES should not be a criterion for judgment. In addition, students need to see through textbooks or realise through their teachers that, in the real world, they will most likely be using English to communicate with other NNES people. Being multilingual is an asset. 

10 You have presented in several conferences in and outside the United States. What were the conferences about? Have you ever faced any problem? 

I have presented at conferences in the States and Korea so far. I generally present on research and/or pedagogical approaches to extensive reading, since that was my focus while pursuing my MA degree. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to present on NNEST  issues yet. I am writing proposals related to NNEST issues for future conferences, so I hope to share that with you in the future.

One of the reasons why I have never presented on NNEST issues was because I had trouble positioning myself while “researching”. A lot of the research that I do takes a qualitative approach, which also means that it usually requires close collaboration with the participants. I was worried that I would have biased views and would take certain things personally.

11 But you have just said that you are writing proposals related to NNEST issues for future conferences… What changed your mind?

Yes [laughs]. My perspective greatly changed after attending the 2014 TESOL Convention in Portland. I met many NNEST presenters presenting on NNEST issues. Their presentations were sending out powerful messages, which sparked my interest and motivation to become a part of this discussion and research, too. It proved to me how empowering it can be to have our voices heard. I also “stumbled” into the NNEST IS meeting, and discovered how actively the members were contributing to the issues related to NNESTs. Now, one of my goals is to be able to contribute to this discussion very soon.

12 So, to conclude this interview we could say that mates and experienced teachers have helped and inspired you along your career…

Absolutely yes.

Thank you very much, Hami, for your attention and your answers.