Some of the researchers argued that second language acquisition research under the dominance of idealized native speaker model creates a "monolingual bias in second language acquisition (SLA) theory",[5] and "elevates an idealized native speaker above a stereotypical 'nonnative' while viewing the latter as a defective communicator, limited by an underdeveloped communicative competence".
[6] On the other hand, it was further argued that the native speaker "exists only as a figment of linguist's imagination"[7] and concluded that it is "more like a myth than a reality".
[8] The problematic nature of the native speaker-non-native speaker dichotomy was blended with the growing body of literature discussing the unfair treatment and marginalization of non-native English-speaking teachers in the ELT profession.
Below are some of the alternatives to replace the term "NNEST": Despite the fact that today, about 80% of English language teachers in the world are non-native English-speaking teachers,[17] English is no longer considered to be an exclusive possession of native speakers,[18] and it "belongs to all people who speak it, whether native and nonnative, whether ESL or EFL, whether standard or non-standard" (Norton 1997),[19] NNESTs encounter discriminatory practices all around the world.
There have been several research studies exploring the hiring preferences of administrators[20][21][22][23] which empirically demonstrated the importance of 'nativeness' as a job requirement.