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[non-native English speaking graduate student teachers] are

disproportionately assigned responsibility for such high-anxiety

classes.

(1992: 512)

Thus it seems likely that preconceptions and fear are strong enough
motivators to cause students to construct imaginary accents, and fictional
communicative breakdowns.

The proposed rationale for the rejection of instructors with foreign
accents in teaching must be carefully examined:

ACCENT → COMMUNICATIVE BREAKDOWN → POOR

CLASSROOM/LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Rubin’s study indicates that whether or not an instructor actually does
need further training in English may be irrelevant, if racial and ethnic cues
are more important than degree of accentedness. If any cue is enough to
shift the communicative burden entirely to the other party, the formula
takes on another dimension:

INSTRUCTOR’S PERCEIVED ACCENT → STUDENTS’

NEGATIVE EXPECTATIONS

↓

COMMUNICATIVE BREAKDOWN → POOR CLASSROOM

EXPERIENCE

Of course, it is possible that a true communicative breakdown may cause
difficulties between a non-native speaker of English and a student. One
important difference remains, though. A student new to the lecture hall has
no way of knowing whether or not the person teaching the course is going
to be a good communicator and dedicated teacher or not, but the native
language of the instructor is incidental to this question. Native speakers of
English are usually given the benefit of the doubt; some turn out to be
good teachers, and others do not. However, non-native speakers of English

• specifically, speakers of Asian, African and South American languages –
  are often not given a chance at all.