NN English speaker preference in U.S?

[hinomura]

Maybe someone can explain to me what I encountered as I perused the latest edition of Chronicles of Higher Ed. I looked for "ESL" positions and there was this junior college in Pennsylvania looking for an ESL instructor. I clicked on the link, and it said they were looking for someone with an MA in "Chinese" (they didn't specify Cantonese, Mandarin, or Szechuan). This "Chinese" MA person would then teach an ESL class (presumably at the full-time level, since I am looking for full-time employment).

Am I missing something? Does an MA in Chinese constitute adeqate prep. for teaching English??? or is something nefarious going on??

Furthermore, why is it that foreign universities are willing to allow MA TESL people to teach in universities that normally require Ph.d's??

Is the law of supply and demand incredibly out of whack?

[Tdol]

With the first, I would have thought that they would be better off with someone with an MA in Chinese and the relevant ESL qualifications; presumably they have Chinese students and think that a knowledge of Chinese would come in handy. Maybe they missed that part of the advert. If not, then I am as perplexed as you are.

With foreign universities, I think ESL MA people are generally regarded as teachers rather than lecturers. They want people better qualified than those with the CELTA, but are looking for ESL teachers who can work in an academic environment rather than budding professors. Those who wish to take things further are often expected to get PhDs. Demand and supply vary from country to country, but in some areas, competition for the universities is very tough and I know of more and more people with or taking doctorates to get the plum jobs.