A Comparative Analysis of NEST and NNEST Lesson Plans: Examining Cultural Influences, Autonomy, and Teaching Objectives in EFL Writing Classes

As English remains a predominant global language, the demand for high-quality English lesson plans, delivered by both native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), is increasingly critical in EFL contexts such as China. The present study investigates the disparity between lesson plans and pedagogical beliefs among Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) in writing lessons for primary students, with particular emphasis on the influence of their linguistic and cultural backgrounds on classroom decision-making. The study employs Bloom's Taxonomy to evaluate the alignment of classroom activities with diverse cognitive requirements, utilizing four actual lesson plans and interviews with two NESTs and two NNESTs. The results show that NESTs often plan their lessons in a way that moves from simple recall to more creative and open-ended assignments. This shows how important it is for students to be able to work on their own and communicate with each other. On the other hand, NNESTs tend to focus more on aligning with the textbook, structured practice, and grammar accuracy. This focuses give students a strong foundation through modeling and repetition. The interviewees' responses, which showed differences in training, classroom priorities, and limitations, also show these differences. The study suggests that writing lesson plans could benefit from the collaboration of each group's distinct strengths, combining creativity and structure to better address the diverse needs of young students in writing classes.