Teaching English at the intersection of language, race, ethnicity and nationality: black Jamaican teachers in Japan

This critical qualitative inquiry explores the professional and personal experiences of twenty-four Black Jamaican English teachers in Japan. Drawing on Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, and Narrative Inquiry, the study reveals how native-speakerism, racial/cultural bias, and White supremacy intersect to shape these teachers’ positioning in the ELT landscape. Participants reported marginalisation, microaggressions, and cultural stereotyping that limited their professional roles and opportunities. Despite these challenges, many actively resist through cultural expression and pedagogical excellence; using Jamaican music, storytelling, and other Caribbean folklores to create dynamic and inclusive learning environments. These practices not only enrich classroom environments but also demonstrate forms of Black mobility and motility, where teachers strategically navigate, adapt, and move through educational spaces in ways that challenge dominant hierarchies and enact presence. Through this embodied engagement, they generate what McKittrick (2011) conceptualises as a Black sense of place. This study underscores the need to interrogate hegemonic norms within ELT and to value the contributions of racially diverse native English-speaking teachers in Japan.