From Challenges to Mastery: Non-Native Teachers in Business English and Business Negotiation Courses

This research paper examines the unique challenges faced by non-native instructors teaching Business English and Business negotiations at Slovak universities. These educators often encounter difficulties with fluency and confidence, leading to potential doubts about their authority due to accents or occasional language errors. Cultural nuances and diverse classroom backgrounds further complicate communication, resulting in misunderstandings and differing expectations regarding negotiation tactics and styles. Teaching non-verbal communication skills adds complexity, especially when cues vary across cultures or are conveyed virtually. Additionally, mastering specialized business vocabulary and industry-specific jargon requires significant professional development efforts to stay current with business trends. Broader challenges include balancing language teaching with business content and addressing diverse linguistic backgrounds, necessitating tailored and differentiated instruction. Limited access to professional development and constrained lesson times (typically once a week for 1.5 hours) hinder comprehensive role-plays and interactive activities essential for developing practical negotiation skills. The research adopts a qualitative approach, employing thematic analysis to explore insights and solutions from 8 non-native ESP teachers at four Slovak universities. Data collection was conducted through interviews, gathering qualitative data on teachers' perceptions and strategies. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes and patterns, providing valuable insights into common challenges and effective strategies. Findings suggest enhanced cultural competence training, collaboration with experts, and use of authentic materials as strategies to address these challenges. Future research should investigate these solutions' effectiveness and explore innovative teaching methods and technologies to overcome time constraints, enhancing learning experiences in business negotiation courses.