Abstract Summary/Description
In global ELT, the Philippines has established its position through English language proficiency as an economic resource, particularly in online English language instruction (Lorente, 2016; Tupas, 2016). Within this English-commodifying industry (Heller, 2010), a hierarchical structure persists – termed “Unequal English” (Tupas, 2015) – where Filipina/o English teachers navigate their perceived linguistic illegitimacy (Bucholtz & Hall, 2004; Creese, 2014) by emphasizing their hospitality (Jang, 2018; Panaligan & Curran, 2022). This study presents narrative analysis focusing on Ava, a Filipina online English teacher for Korean adult learners. Research questions are: 1) how does she define herself as an ideal English-speaking teacher, 2) what tensions she encounters, and 3) how she negotiates these, while (re)positioning her professional-self. The findings show, Ava reimagines online teaching as a transformative space where she negotiates her identity as a working mom, positioning herself as an agent of educational accessibility. Through her concept of “affordable nativeness,” she deconstructs traditional hierarchies in ELT from a potentially marginalized position into an empowered educator who makes English education accessible to underprivileged Korean students. The study highlights the shifting power dynamics in global, online English education, where traditional helper-helped binaries between Global North/South are reconstructed through the affordances of technology. This process contributes to understanding how Global South teachers can reposition themselves not as providers of “discounted nativeness” (Panaligan & Curran, 2022), but as enablers of educational equity through “affordable nativeness.” Her deliberate (re)positioning provides teacher agency and authority for current and future teachers navigating similar challenges.
