Does Race Matter? Insights Into the Professional Experiences of Foreign Asian English Teachers in China

Lee, Loris, Nguyen, Mai ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1276-8589 and Dao, Phung (2024) Does Race Matter? Insights Into the Professional Experiences of Foreign Asian English Teachers in China. Asian Englishes. ISSN 1348-8678

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Abstract

This study explored the professional experiences of English teachers of East Asian descent (henceforth foreign-Asian (FA) English teachers) in China, with a specific focus on how these perceptions used race as a point of reference. Notably, to provide comparative accounts, the experiences of these FA teachers were examined from multiple vantage points, including their own perspectives and those of their colleagues. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with two foreign Asian native-English-speaking teachers (NESTs), two White-NESTs and one White-non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs). The findings indicate that FA teachers in China were susceptible to inequalities at work in terms of recruitment and salary compared to their White counterparts. Meanwhile, these teachers also recognized the advantages stemming from their shared racial identities as Asian, acknowledging that it facilitated stronger connections with their Chinese learners. These findings, analyzed through the lens of Critical Race Theory, highlight how the nuanced dynamics of racial identity impact the professional experiences of foreign Asian English teachers, revealing both the advantages and challenges they face in their professional contexts. They also provide implications for tackling racial inequalities in the field of English language teaching.