This paper reports research which focussed on a group of non-native speakers of English who had completed an entry-level TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other
Languages) qualification in a tertiary institution in New Zealand. The non-native teacher trainees were asked to describe their experiences of participating in the programme, which included both native speaker (NS) and non-native speaker (NNS) trainees. They were asked to rate the difficulty of programme requirements and suggest improvements, describe any difficulties they had encountered on the programme and how they overcame
those difficulties, and describe any advantages or disadvantages which they perceived of being a non-native speaker of English on the programme. They were also asked to
comment on their interactions with NS trainees, as well as any comparisons they may have made between themselves and the NS trainees. The research has applications for
those who train NNS English language teachers, and who wish to understand more about NNS trainee teachers’ experiences and perceptions, with a view to improving such programmes for NNS trainees.