A Much-Needed Conversation with Native-English-Speaking Caucasian Teachers: Emotion Labor and Aff ect in Transnational Encounters

Our participants teach English writing in the foundation program at Mannar University in Saudi Arabia. There are two English learning tracks in the program: the academic track and a general track that students have to take and pass before they can start their majors at the university. Both tracks have four levels that follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR; Council of Europe, 2001) descriptors. Those levels are A1, A2, B1 and B2. Writing instruction is integrated into the other language skills – listening, speaking and reading – and no separate, stand-alone writing classes are offered.