FAQ CATEGORY: Other
Date: Aug-25-2004 09:16
What is the difference between TESL, TEFL and TESOL?
Ask a Question: What is the difference between TESL, TEFL and TESOL?
Answer: This is a common question teachers have when choosing which course to take and which certificate is best. For the most part these terms tend to be used interchangeably to indicate someone who is involved in the teaching of English. There are, however, some subtle theoretical and historical differences.
TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
TEFL refers to teaching English in a region where English is not regularly spoken outside the classroom, such as teaching English in Italy or Japan.
TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language
This acronym refers to teaching English in an environment where English is spoken outside the classroom, such as teaching English to new immigrants or international students in Canada. The approaches in courses of this nature focus on the differences of learning English while exposed to an English environment.
TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
TESOL definitions vary from place to place and this definition is not always true. Some TESOL programs are specifically designed to for teacher training programs for non-native speakers of English.
This is not always the case, the term TESOL is relatively new and is often used as a generic term to include all types of English language classes: TESL or TEFL.
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