I've seen debates on this issue for decades, and I think I largely disagree with the author's position.
For one thing, native speakers of a language do have something special that non-natives, no matter how educated, do not. That is a general intuition of what sounds right in the language. For a language with as much geographic distribution and variation as English, it is possible to have multiple intuitions in conflict, but it is still at a higher level of sensitivity than non-natives can reach.
This does not mean that native speakers are automatically better teachers. Teaching skill requires training. It is also generally believed among professional educators that non-native speakers are more effective teachers at the lower levels of language competency because they can draw on their own learning experiences when teaching. I believe it is well understood in the teaching profession that native speakers have an edge only when you are concerned with that elusive realm of native-like style.
I find myself very irritated by the argument in TFA, because the author, who I assume has a graduate degree in Linguistics, seems to be oblivious to the difference between Native and Near-Native language competency. The portrayal of employment practices also does not match my experience.
For one thing, native speakers of a language do have something special that non-natives, no matter how educated, do not. That is a general intuition of what sounds right in the language. For a language with as much geographic distribution and variation as English, it is possible to have multiple intuitions in conflict, but it is still at a higher level of sensitivity than non-natives can reach.
This does not mean that native speakers are automatically better teachers. Teaching skill requires training. It is also generally believed among professional educators that non-native speakers are more effective teachers at the lower levels of language competency because they can draw on their own learning experiences when teaching. I believe it is well understood in the teaching profession that native speakers have an edge only when you are concerned with that elusive realm of native-like style.
I find myself very irritated by the argument in TFA, because the author, who I assume has a graduate degree in Linguistics, seems to be oblivious to the difference between Native and Near-Native language competency. The portrayal of employment practices also does not match my experience.