| |  | 
02-Aug-2003, 21:20
| | | What is ESL EFL TESL TEFL TESOL ESOL stand for??? Hi all,
could any one explain me, what r these shortcut stand for ??
EFL
TESL
TEFL
TESOL
ESOL
Thanks | 
03-Aug-2003, 04:17
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Country: USA
Posts: 15,527
Current Location: North Carolina First Language: English Member Type: Other | | ESL = English as a Second Language
EFL = English as a Foreign Language
TESL = Teacher of English as a Second Language
TEFL = Teacher of English as a Foreign Language
TESOL = Teacher of English as a Second or Other Language
ESOL = English as a Second or Other Language
8) | 
03-Aug-2003, 07:54
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Country: Dalian, China
Posts: 519
Member Type: Student or Learner | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by RonBee ESL = English as a Second Language
EFL = English as a Foreign Language
8) | Forgive my ignorance here, but if English was your second language, wouldn't that make it a foreign language? Aren't the two titles above the same? </confused> :? | 
03-Aug-2003, 12:12
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Country: USA
Posts: 15,527
Current Location: North Carolina First Language: English Member Type: Other | | You've got a good point. I think the distinction is that in some countries it (English) would not be considered a foreign language. | 
03-Aug-2003, 13:51
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Country: USA
Posts: 15,527
Current Location: North Carolina First Language: English Member Type: Other | | P.S. Here is how Red recently answered the same question. Quote: ESL = English as a Second Language
EFL = English as a Foreign Language
TESL = Teaching English as a Second Language
TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language
TESOL = Teachers of (or Teaching) English to Speakers of Other Languages
ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages
| I answered the question based on my memory, which obviously is not always perfect.
:wink: | 
03-Aug-2003, 19:00
| | Member | | Join Date: May 2003 Country: Ireland
Posts: 103
Current Location: Spain First Language: English Member Type: English Teacher | | Apart from what Ronbee said (that in some countries English is a foreign language and in others it's a second language), I think it might also have something to do with teaching methods. | 
07-Aug-2003, 16:49
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
Posts: 27,067
Current Location: Phnom Penh First Language: English Member Type: English Teacher | | The basic distinction is that it is a foreign language for non-resident learners and a second language (or additional) for resident learners. | 
29-Oct-2008, 02:35
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: INDIA
Posts: 14,686
Current Location: INDIA First Language: HINDI/MARATHI/KANNADA Member Type: Other | | Re: What is ESL EFL TESL TEFL TESOL ESOL stand for??? Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonymous Hi all,
could any one explain me, what r these shortcut stand for ??
• EFL
• TESL
• TEFL
• TESOL
• ESOL
Thanks | Shortcuts may be termed abbreviations:-
EFL : English as foreign language.
TESL : Teachers of English to speakers of other language
or
Teaching English to speakers of other language
TEFL : Teachers of English as Foreign language
or
Teaching English as Foreign language.
TESOL is same as TESL
ESOL is same as ESL.
I am not a teacher of English. Just someone who loves the language.
_____________________
SUDHKAMP | 
29-Oct-2008, 04:29
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Country: Australia
Posts: 6,394
Current Location: Brisbane First Language: English Member Type: Academic | | Re: What is ESL EFL TESL TEFL TESOL ESOL stand for??? Sociolinguists must use the term differently from ESL teachers.
I think I made this point in the last thread - not sure.
To a linguist, a second language is a language that is widely spoken in the community, but not one's native language, such as a native Hindi speaker learning English in India, or a Hokkien speaker learning English in Singapore.
English is not "foreign" in these countries.
A foreign language to this same person would be something not spoken as a widely functional language in their country, such as Spanish or Irish.
In largely monolingual countries like Australia, almost everything except English is a foreign language. | 
19-Jun-2009, 16:38
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Country: Philippines
Posts: 7
Current Location: Spain First Language: Tagalog Member Type: English Teacher | | Re: What is ESL EFL TESL TEFL TESOL ESOL stand for??? Quote:
Originally Posted by Raymott Sociolinguists must use the term differently from ESL teachers.
I think I made this point in the last thread - not sure.
To a linguist, a second language is a language that is widely spoken in the community, but not one's native language, such as a native Hindi speaker learning English in India, or a Hokkien speaker learning English in Singapore.
English is not "foreign" in these countries.
A foreign language to this same person would be something not spoken as a widely functional language in their country, such as Spanish or Irish.
In largely monolingual countries like Australia, almost everything except English is a foreign language. | These makes it all clear to me now, thanks! I don΄t remember the course director having discussed the difference between this two important words during out TEFL course. |  | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
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