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BREAKING BIAS: THE SILENCING OF ESL SPEAKERS PAUL STEVENS, CEO, MAYFLOWER COLLEGE While some companies still only pay lip service to diversity, more and more understand that having a diverse and inclusive workforce brings real benefits including higher-than-average profits. But while diversity and inclusion policies typically focus on race, ethnicity, disability, age, gender and sexual orientation, hundreds of millions of people are affected by another unconscious bias .... the English language. Studies show that international speakers of English are considered less successful, less intelligent and less believable than native-English speakers. English is undeniably the common language of global business. Companies like Siemens, Nissan, Honda, Sodexo, Rakuten, Renault have adopted English as their official working language. More than 1.5 billion people speak English but about 75% are non-native speakers. There is an expectation that employees will be able to speak English to a useful level, even if it is not their first language. Yet there is little or no expectation that native English speakers should have to learn a foreign language to be successful. Learning to speak English as a second language (ESL) requires commitment and hard work. However, research by Mayflower College, UK, suggests that ESL speakers are rarely given the credit they deserve. In fact, there appears to be considerable unconscious bias against them. In one study, the psycholinguist Dr Shiri Lev-Ari asked non-native English speakers to record statements like ‘Ants don’t sleep’ in English. Native-English speakers recorded the same statements. When native-English speakers rated the recordings for their veracity, they rated the speakers with the heaviest accents as least true, while native speakers were rated most true. ‘We’re less likely to believe something if it’s said with a foreign accent’ says Dr Lev-Ari. Magda Bowyer, a US citizen, originally from Poland explains: ‘It often happened to me that a customer questioned my answer to a problem, simply because of my accent. I was told ‘I don’t think you understand what I am saying, can I talk to someone else?’. They acknowledged it only after they heard the same answer in a ‘perfect’ English’. It is clear that in order to make better decisions we need to have diversity of opinion. But unconscious bias against international speakers causes ‘The Silencing Effect’. Non-native speakers can feel isolated and excluded and team meetings are impoverished as a result. Lennert Visser, a Quality Manager for a multinational organization in the Netherlands says: ‘I notice that native-English speakers tend to ‘take over’ during project meetings. They will start jumping in when non-native speakers leave time and space or are slow in coming back with replies. Sometimes we just need more time to formulate our thoughts in English’. Some go further than viewing the problem as one of unconscious bias. The Diversity and Inclusion specialist Dr Sarah Saska says: ‘This issue goes beyond ‘unconscious bias’ and is very much a form of classism, and elitism even. I’m always taken aback when native-English speakers tease, correct, or even mock those who speak English as a second language.’ And this communication barrier is not confined to formal meetings. Information flows, team unity and career progression can be built up just as effectively in informal settings (over lunch in the staff canteen, for instance) as in structured interactions like meetings. It is ironic that the very people who are struggling to have their voices heard at work due to English language differences, are the same people having a huge impact on the evolution of global English itself. WHOSE LANGUAGE IS IT ANYWAY? The very nature of the English language is changing. Pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar have been adapted as English reflects the first languages of international speakers. ‘English as a Lingua Franca’ (ELF) may be spoken with a Spanish twist, an Italian rhythm and a Japanese lilt. But research has found that native speakers often have a negative emotional response to ELF, regarding it as erroneous and substandard. Professor Barbara Seidlhofer of the University of Vienna, writes: ‘It is easy to dismiss ELF as the use of ‘incorrect’ English by people who have not learned it very well, but it is an entirely natural linguistic development, an example of how any language varies and changes as it is appropriated by different communities of users.’ Native speakers may be responsible for more communication breakdowns than they realise. It is not just how native speakers view English that causes problems, it is how they use it. NATIVE SPEAKERS DON’T KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THEIR ENGLISH The Mayflower College research with ~1000 non-native English speakers shows that 88% say it is more difficult to communicate with a native-English speaker than with another non-native speaker. Put simply, native speakers don’t know how to adjust their English. Dimitri Kovalov from Russia, illustrates the point from the safety-critical world of aviation: ‘I still have bad dreams about the first time I flew to USA. I was an experienced pilot and my English was ok but when the air traffic controller asked me ‘how are you riding today?’ I had no idea. I understood the words but not the meaning. In fact he meant 'is the flight bumpy, is there turbulence?' It's a scary thing when you're flying a plane and you don't understand an instruction or a question!’ A successful D & I Language Management Strategy needs to go beyond raising awareness of unconscious bias against international speakers of English. It needs to help native speakers adjust the way they communicate with their international colleagues and customers. But why are native-English speakers so bad at this? Some have accused native-English speakers of having a sense of superiority, even 'linguistic imperialism' .... ‘I’m a native-English speaker, therefore the problem cannot be mine, it must be yours.’ Certainly, a distinctly average record of learning foreign languages themselves results in many British and Americans failing to fully understand and empathize with the challenges faced by the non-native speaker. Education systems in English-speaking countries typically reward the use of idiomatic, ‘sophisticated’ language. This is usually the exact opposite of what is needed when communicating with international speakers. Grading our language can make us feel patronizing whereas if done well it shows tolerance and understanding. Native-English speakers who learn a second language are applauded for their intelligence and hard work. ‘Did you know Frank speaks really good Arabic?’ ‘Wow, really?’ However, the same is not true for non-native-English speakers. ‘In France it's no longer a bonus to have English on your resume ... it's just considered normal, something which is expected’ says Jean-Pierre Blavac, a post-grad student in Toulouse. Language training solutions have traditionally been designed to enable ESL speakers to improve their English. However, it may be time to consider the role of the native speaker as well. Kim Min-seo, a financial analyst from South Korea, eloquently explains the challenge: ‘I really find it difficult when I go to our office in the U.K. Most of the other people have English as their first language and sometimes I have no idea what they are talking about, especially when they are talking with each other. I just wish they could slow down a bit. It makes me feel stupid ... a little bit humiliated’. Native speakers need to: Learn how to filter and adapt their English when communicating with non-native speakers. Become more empathetic to the challenges faced by their international colleagues and customers. Change any unconscious bias they have that their opinion somehow matters more because they can say it in ‘perfect’ English. CHANGE IS RARELY EASY It is well documented that people tend to react with anger and irritation when confronted about their biases. But that is no argument not to confront them. The cost of behavioral change is cheap when compared with the benefits. There are currently few off-the-shelf training solutions available but one such option is SayWhatEnglish.com, a 60-minute online program to help native speakers improve English communication with their international colleagues and customers. James Webber, Director, explains: 'SayWhatEnglish.com provides a safe, individual learning space where employees can consider their cultural-linguistic ‘blind spots’, improve their empathy towards their international colleagues / customers and the challenges they face, and develop practical skills to adapt their language so that their workplace becomes more linguistically-inclusive'. Albert Einstein summed it up rather well: 'The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking'.
This article was published by SHRM and Thrive Global in August 2019
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BREAKING BIAS: THE SILENCING OF ESL SPEAKERS PAUL STEVENS, CEO, MAYFLOWER COLLEGE While some companies still only pay lip service to diversity, more and more understand that having a diverse and inclusive workforce brings real benefits including higher-than-average profits. But while diversity and inclusion policies typically focus on race, ethnicity, disability, age, gender and sexual orientation, hundreds of millions of people are affected by another unconscious bias .... the English language. Studies show that international speakers of English are considered less successful, less intelligent and less believable than native-English speakers. English is undeniably the common language of global business. Companies like Siemens, Nissan, Honda, Sodexo, Rakuten, Renault have adopted English as their official working language. More than 1.5 billion people speak English but about 75% are non-native speakers. There is an expectation that employees will be able to speak English to a useful level, even if it is not their first language. Yet there is little or no expectation that native English speakers should have to learn a foreign language to be successful. Learning to speak English as a second language (ESL) requires commitment and hard work. However, research by Mayflower College, UK, suggests that ESL speakers are rarely given the credit they deserve. In fact, there appears to be considerable unconscious bias against them. In one study, the psycholinguist Dr Shiri Lev-Ari asked non-native English speakers to record statements like ‘Ants don’t sleep’ in English. Native-English speakers recorded the same statements. When native-English speakers rated the recordings for their veracity, they rated the speakers with the heaviest accents as least true, while native speakers were rated most true. ‘We’re less likely to believe something if it’s said with a foreign accent’ says Dr Lev- Ari. Magda Bowyer, a US citizen, originally from Poland explains: ‘It often happened to me that a customer questioned my answer to a problem, simply because of my accent. I was told ‘I don’t think you understand what I am saying, can I talk to someone else?’. They acknowledged it only after they heard the same answer in a ‘perfect’ English’. It is clear that in order to make better decisions we need to have diversity of opinion. But unconscious bias against international speakers causes ‘The Silencing Effect’. Non-native speakers can feel isolated and excluded and team meetings are impoverished as a result. Lennert Visser, a Quality Manager for a multinational organization in the Netherlands says: ‘I notice that native-English speakers tend to ‘take over’ during project meetings. They will start jumping in when non-native speakers leave time and space or are slow in coming back with replies. Sometimes we just need more time to formulate our thoughts in English’. Some go further than viewing the problem as one of unconscious bias. The Diversity and Inclusion specialist Dr Sarah Saska says: ‘This issue goes beyond ‘unconscious bias’ and is very much a form of classism, and elitism even. I’m always taken aback when native-English speakers tease, correct, or even mock those who speak English as a second language.’ And this communication barrier is not confined to formal meetings. Information flows, team unity and career progression can be built up just as effectively in informal settings (over lunch in the staff canteen, for instance) as in structured interactions like meetings. It is ironic that the very people who are struggling to have their voices heard at work due to English language differences, are the same people having a huge impact on the evolution of global English itself. WHOSE LANGUAGE IS IT ANYWAY? The very nature of the English language is changing. Pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar have been adapted as English reflects the first languages of international speakers. ‘English as a Lingua Franca’ (ELF) may be spoken with a Spanish twist, an Italian rhythm and a Japanese lilt. But research has found that native speakers often have a negative emotional response to ELF, regarding it as erroneous and substandard. Professor Barbara Seidlhofer of the University of Vienna, writes: ‘It is easy to dismiss ELF as the use of ‘incorrect’ English by people who have not learned it very well, but it is an entirely natural linguistic development, an example of how any language varies and changes as it is appropriated by different communities of users.’ Native speakers may be responsible for more communication breakdowns than they realise. It is not just how native speakers view English that causes problems, it is how they use it. NATIVE SPEAKERS DON’T KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THEIR ENGLISH The Mayflower College research with ~1000 non-native English speakers shows that 88% say it is more difficult to communicate with a native-English speaker than with another non-native speaker. Put simply, native speakers don’t know how to adjust their English. Dimitri Kovalov from Russia, illustrates the point from the safety-critical world of aviation: ‘I still have bad dreams about the first time I flew to USA. I was an experienced pilot and my English was ok but when the air traffic controller asked me ‘how are you riding today?’ I had no idea. I understood the words but not the meaning. In fact he meant 'is the flight bumpy, is there turbulence?' It's a scary thing when you're flying a plane and you don't understand an instruction or a question!’ A successful D & I Language Management Strategy needs to go beyond raising awareness of unconscious bias against international speakers of English. It needs to help native speakers adjust the way they communicate with their international colleagues and customers. But why are native-English speakers so bad at this? Some have accused native-English speakers of having a sense of superiority, even 'linguistic imperialism' .... ‘I’m a native-English speaker, therefore the problem cannot be mine, it must be yours.’ Certainly, a distinctly average record of learning foreign languages themselves results in many British and Americans failing to fully understand and empathize with the challenges faced by the non-native speaker. Education systems in English-speaking countries typically reward the use of idiomatic, ‘sophisticated’ language. This is usually the exact opposite of what is needed when communicating with international speakers. Grading our language can make us feel patronizing whereas if done well it shows tolerance and understanding. Native-English speakers who learn a second language are applauded for their intelligence and hard work. ‘Did you know Frank speaks really good Arabic?’ ‘Wow, really?’ However, the same is not true for non-native-English speakers. ‘In France it's no longer a bonus to have English on your resume ... it's just considered normal, something which is expected’ says Jean-Pierre Blavac, a post-grad student in Toulouse. Language training solutions have traditionally been designed to enable ESL speakers to improve their English. However, it may be time to consider the role of the native speaker as well. Kim Min-seo, a financial analyst from South Korea, eloquently explains the challenge: ‘I really find it difficult when I go to our office in the U.K. Most of the other people have English as their first language and sometimes I have no idea what they are talking about, especially when they are talking with each other. I just wish they could slow down a bit. It makes me feel stupid ... a little bit humiliated’. Native speakers need to: Learn how to filter and adapt their English when communicating with non- native speakers. Become more empathetic to the challenges faced by their international colleagues and customers. Change any unconscious bias they have that their opinion somehow matters more because they can say it in ‘perfect’ English. CHANGE IS RARELY EASY It is well documented that people tend to react with anger and irritation when confronted about their biases. But that is no argument not to confront them. The cost of behavioral change is cheap when compared with the benefits. There are currently few off-the-shelf training solutions available but one such option is SayWhatEnglish.com, a 60-minute online program to help native speakers improve English communication with their international colleagues and customers. James Webber, Director, explains: 'SayWhatEnglish.com provides a safe, individual learning space where employees can consider their cultural-linguistic ‘blind spots’, improve their empathy towards their international colleagues / customers and the challenges they face, and develop practical skills to adapt their language so that their workplace becomes more linguistically-inclusive'. Albert Einstein summed it up rather well: 'The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking'.
This article was published by SHRM and Thrive Global in August 2019