This study showcases an International Learning Exchange (ILE) program between North Korean (NK) refugee students in South Korea and American university students from the US. ILE programs connect two or more linguistic/ cultural groups for intercultural awareness, which provide authentic communicative environments. However, the prevalent use of English and research focus mostly on non-native English-speaking students reflect the ideology of native-speakerism embedded in ILE programs. The purpose of this study was to develop an ILE program that resists native-speakerism and to investigate its influences on native as well as non-native English-speaking students. Adopting a case-study approach, data were collected from video-taping, fieldnotes, student documents, surveys, and interviews. Findings show how the authors designed and implemented a principle-based ILE program. The responses of NK students show their growing motivation and communication ability. The responses of American students show their critical reflections on their native-speaker identities. This study offers insights into designing ILE programs based on multilingualism and translanguaging.

A body of research has reported that nonnative English-speaking teachers experience low professional self-esteem (Kamhi-Stein, 1999, 2000; Medgyes, 1994; Reves & Medgyes, 1994; Samimy & Brutt-Griffler, 1999). However, in the prior literature, the identities of nonnative English teachers enrolled in U.S. English teacher education programs remain relatively unexamined, especially in relation to native speakerism. In this study, the author investigates how nonnative English teachers see themselves as EFL teachers by employing critical theory and identity theory. The combination of these two theories provides lenses to examine how nonnative English teachers’ identities are affected by the native-speaker ideology within the intersections of power, language, culture, and race. These qualitative case studies show that nonnative English teachers are influenced by the ideology of native speakerism, leading to low professional self-esteem.