It is the first day of class in college and most students are concerned about two things, from what I have observed: "When is the first homework due, and can I understand the professor?" People may complain when a professor is difficult to understand at first, and this is reasonable, but there are three clear advantages to having a foreign professor. They bring a different perspective to teaching, often times they explain things differently, and the language barrier can actually help with understanding content.
Foreign professors are often trained differently on how to teach a subject and this can make them connect with students in different ways that may create new levels of interest in a course. If the professor was trained at a small university in England with an average class size of 10 they will probably teach a bit different from a teacher who went to Ohio State where the college had well over 40,000 students. This is not to discredit the professor who received their training at Ohio State, but the English professor may bring a different perspective and style to the classroom which is always beneficial.
Foreign professors often times explain things differently. This can be for a variety of reasons but the variance in teaching style can be beneficial. Differences could be a foreign teacher instructing chemistry with a less analytical perspective, and more through thought-provoking questions like a writing course would include. The opposite of this situation could occur with a foreign professor teaching a philosophy class with a more analytical style like what one would traditionally see in a math or science course. This can help a struggling student see things from a different perspective and maybe pass a course they would not have otherwise. The teaching style could also make a student reconsider a new major or not discredit their initial choice of a major after struggling with traditional teaching styles.
A small language barrier can be potentially beneficial to students enrolled in a course because it requires the professor to explain complex problems in simple terms. This may be troublesome at first as students will hear terms and vocabulary they are not accustomed to, but the fact that professor has to truly listen to the student's needs will allow for better overall understanding. The students will also be exposed to a small amount of a new culture they may not be familiar with and better global perspective is always beneficial for students moving into a global workforce.
