Teaching English as a second or foreign language

rdf:langString Teaching English as a second or foreign language

rdf:langString November 2008

rdf:langString Teaching English as a second language (TESL) or Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) are terms that refer to teaching English to students whose first language is not English. The terms TESL, TEFL, and TESOL distinguish between the location and student population of a class. TEFL describes English language programs that occur in countries where English is not the primary language. TEFL programs may be taught at a language school or with a tutor. The minimum TEFL requirement is a 100-hour course, however, the 120-hour course is strongly recommended because it will help you get hired for the highest-paying teaching position available. TESL and TESOL include English language programs that occur in English-speaking countries. Oftentimes, these classes serve people who have immigrated there (either temporarily for school or work, or permanently) or whose family speaks another language at home. TESOL is a general term that describes TEFL and TESL programs and is a widely accepted term in the field of English language teaching. TEFL teachers may be native or non-native speakers of English. Teaching English as a second language is regarded as an outdated term because students may speak more than one language prior to their study of English. Students who are learning English in their home country, typically in a school, are EFL (English as a foreign language) students. More generally, students learning English are referred to as ELLs (English language learners).