What Is Esl

If you have spent any time looking into the world of English language teaching (ELT) you will probably have noticed that the industry has a fondness for acronyms. Terms such as TEFL, TESOL, ESOL, EFL, ESL, among others, are all regularly used when talking about teaching and studying English, as well as when referring to teaching qualifications. Here we will look at ESL and the first thing to make clear is that ESL stands for English as a Second Language. ESL, and any of the other acronyms mentioned above, are routinely used interchangeably when discussing scenarios where the English language is being taught to or studied by non-native English speakers. As previously mentioned, ESL and EFL are commonly used interchangeably within the English language teaching world. However, there is...  [Read more]

With increased globalization has come an increase in demand for knowledge of the English language in many parts of the world. To meet this demand, teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) is a sector of the education field that is booming, especially in the developing world. Essentially, an ESL teacher is a professional educator who works with non-native English speakers who have a desire to improve their English skills either by choice or as an obligation of their employment or wider educational program. Unlike foreign language teachers, ESL teachers generally do not share the same native language as their students. They are also specifically trained in techniques suited to teaching non-native English speakers, such as repetition, drills, demonstrations, and visuals. Although...  [Read more]

Acronyms associated with English language learners include ESL, EFL and ESOL. They all essentially mean the same thing in that these are learners of English, whose first or native language is not English. The teaching of these learners produces a new set of acronyms which have ‘Teaching’ at the start. Hence we have TESL, TEFL and TESOL for the teaching acronyms. Most employers around the world require some form of teaching certification for you to be employed as a teacher. This is true of both government based schools, private language centers and many online teaching companies. There are three general routes to this type of certification, which are; These are taken at some location in the world, typically in a country where English is not the native language. They often require...  [Read more]

ESL stands for English as a Second Language and refers to non-native English speakers who live in countries where English is not widely spoken. It refers to people who study English as a second language in addition to their native tongue. From Japan to Spain, students all over the world study English as a second language. Teachers from English-speaking countries frequently head abroad to teach English. Popular destinations for ESL teachers include Vietnam, Spain, China, South Korea, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates - but pretty much anywhere around the world is an option! Many schools offer ESL as a subject to students who speak a language other than English. ESL teachers will assist students with their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. ESL teachers can be native...  [Read more]

We will take a roughly historical perspective as we look through the different methodologies for teaching English, from ancient past to current day. Named after the method used to teach the “classical languages” of ancient Greek and Latin and is often called grammar translation. There is a heavy focus on grammar such as verb conjugations and language rules. Also called the “natural approach” which is intended to copy the way we learn our native language naturally. As such, only the target language is used and the emphasis is on speaking and listening. As the name implies the two major components of this methodology are; audio (listen) and lingual (speak), so the method makes use of different types of drills to reinforce language structures. The focus is on using the target...  [Read more]

In the world of English language teaching you will come across a number of abbreviations, some of which are very similar and easily confused. One common confusion is between the terms ESL and ELL. The simple answer is that ESL is an abbreviation for English as a Second Language, and ELL is an abbreviation for English Language Learner. The term ESL refers to the course or class, whereas ELL refers to the English student. ESL stands for "English as a Second Language." This term refers to programs designed specifically for ELL students. For example, many schools have an ESL class for ELL students. These classes frequently make use of ESL-specific programs and curricula. ESL is a broad term that refers to the tools and methods used to teach ELL students. ELL stands for "English Language...  [Read more]

As English is so widely used throughout much of the world in the media, government, and business, it is no surprise that hundreds of millions of people are currently learning it in countries worldwide. To service this huge demand there are hundreds of thousands of teachers, both native and non-native English speakers, working in schools, language centers, private businesses, colleges, universities, and virtual classrooms in almost every country you can think of. Although most of these teachers have a very strong understanding of the English language, they don’t all necessarily understand the wide array of acronyms used within the industry, such as EFL, ESL, TEFL, TESL, TESOL, ELT, etc. EFL and ESL are used to refer to the two main types of English language learning that occur...  [Read more]

If you have decided to pursue a career teaching the English language, it is time to figure out what you will need to get started. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching ESL, the following are the most commonly required qualifications to become a TESOL teacher: Although it may appear obvious, English fluency is required for TESOL instructors. We recommend that you look for another job if you don't speak, read and write English well. Non-native English speakers who are fluent in the language can find work in a variety of locations, including South and Central America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Being a native English speaker, on the other hand, is almost a requirement in some parts of the world. Countries like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are probably not...  [Read more]

Teaching new vocabulary takes up a large proportion of an ESL teacher's time, particularly when teaching beginners and other lower-level students. Many lessons will be devoted to learning new words, so it is vital that the teacher is aware of the best methods for achieving good results. By using these tried and tested techniques the teacher can ensure that their students will have the best chance of retaining the new language and the confidence to use it both in and out of the classroom. Probably the most effective thing you can do to help your students retain new language is to teach it in context. If you write up a list of new words on the board and expect the class to pick them up immediately then you are most likely going to be disappointed. When introducing new vocabulary it...  [Read more]

  So, for the study phase what we're going to do is to show them the idea of the cartoon strip. In the cartoon strip what there's going to be are some people with speech bubbles and this is going to represent where dialogue will appear and in the bottom, there are these rectangular boxes, where there will be descriptive things happening. So, it will explain the actual situation that these people are in. So, we get across the idea, first of all, that these are speech and these are for description and we can then show them a blank one of these cartoon strips and try to elicit from our students what could possibly the people be saying and in what actual situation are they in, in order for them to say that. Once we've gone through that, we can move on to our first study activity and in...  [Read more]

  The next example of a game that we can adapt very easily for classroom use is the game of Jeopardy and in this particular game, what we can do is to have a set of levels for our questions, I'd say one through five, where one is going to be the easiest example and five is going to be the most difficult and then, in each of these sets of boxes, we can have various grammar points, such as tenses, perhaps modals, vocabulary and maybe even conditionals. So what the students can do is they can pick a particular topic first of all and within that topic, they can pick the level of the question that they want and then we can have a set of cards that have been created to fit into these slots and we can ask them that question at that level. So, a very simple adaptation of the game jeopardy...  [Read more]

  We can see that this particular usage of the unfinished past can be used for both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous. Where we've got action verbs, we usually prefer to use the present perfect continuous. However, there are state verbs which don't usually go into the continuous form, such as 'know'. We would say 'I have known her for 10 years,' not 'I have been knowing her for 10 years.' So when we have these state verbs, such as 'know', 'be', 'seem' and 'appear', we would usually put these in the present perfect but with the action verbs, such as 'play', 'cook', 'work', we will use these in the present perfect continuous. Normally, we also use the present perfect continuous fairly frequently with words, such as just or recently to express a recently completed...  [Read more]

  Within the teaching of ESL throughout the world, there is a whole spectrum of the types of groups that you may be involved in. It's worth breaking those types of groups down to have a look at some of the more specific things we need to do when we're teaching those groups - and this is what this video focuses on. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. There are many different kinds of English as a Second Language (ESL) course books that are...  [Read more]

ITTT is dedicated to assisting you throughout your TESOL training and to providing you with a means of support during your ensuing teaching career. If you have any questions regarding our courses, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section below. Our TESOL FAQs should be able to answer most of your questions, but if you have any other queries do not hesitate to contact us by submitting them using the form at the bottom of this page. What does TESOL mean?   The acronym TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. The term is commonly used when referring to certification courses that provide the skills necessary to teach the English language to non-native speakers in your own country or abroad. Read more What is the difference between TESOL...  [Read more]

An interview for an ESL position is much the same as any other interview situation. It can be a scary prospect for many people, but if you have prepared for the most likely questions you should have little to worry about. Although it is impossible to predict exactly how an interview will unfold, most will be based on a similar range of questions that are designed to assess whether you would fit into the existing workforce. One of the main purposes of any job interview is to get some understanding of you as an individual person, so you should expect questions such as: What do you like to do in your spare time? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? If, like many ESL teachers, you are applying for jobs outside of your home country you should...  [Read more]

Unlock Your Teaching Potential with ITTT Are you passionate about teaching English as a second language? Do you dream of exploring new cultures while making a positive impact on the lives of others? Look no further! International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT) is here to help you achieve your goals and embark on an exciting journey towards becoming a certified ESL teacher. Why Choose ITTT? At ITTT, we pride ourselves on being one of the leading institutions in the field of ESL training. With over 25 years of experience, we have trained thousands of teachers who are now successfully teaching English all around the world. Our courses are internationally recognized and accredited, ensuring that you receive the highest quality education that meets global standards. Our comprehensive online...  [Read more]

First we should define what is meant by accreditation. In general, business, industry, educational companies, and institutions are by regulation or voluntary means, subject to some form of external checks by an accrediting body. In terms of the ESL teaching industry there is no single overarching body that does this. Historically the growth of the ESL market, which has taken place worldwide, has resulted in many such accreditation bodies coming into being. Accreditation agencies are generally made up of a variety of sources, such as universities, examining bodies and private companies of varying size and coverage. When and how the accreditation takes place is up to the individual accreditation agencies, but over time a number of generally accepted worldwide measurement indicators...  [Read more]

Due to the ever-increasing numbers of people learning English throughout the world there is now a global shortage of ESL qualified teachers. This is true in most parts of the world, including in the US where sustained levels of high immigration have caused a shortage of trained and experienced ESL teachers. This shortage is particularly acute in states with especially high levels of immigrants and refugees. One report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) suggests that around one-third of all schools in the US offering bilingual or ESL teaching have trouble filling their vacant positions. The overall demand for TESOL qualified teachers is only likely to increase in the coming years, which is great news for teachers but not so great for schools. There is a shortage...  [Read more]

Chongqing GEM Business Information Consulting Co., Ltd has opportunities available at training centres in Chongqing. GEM was founded in March 2011 and since then we have become one of the most influential service platforms for foreign nationals in the southwest of China. Our company is centrally located downtown in Yuzhong district, Chongqing, China. We specialize in providing professional information consultation for document application (work permit, residence permit of foreigners in China); Business agency (establishment of overseas-funded enterprises); connections to local services, career placement services, and any other services needed by expats in Chongqing. We serve a multicultural client base encompassing mature, emerging and developing markets. Our clients range from large...  [Read more]

Unlocking the World of Teaching English: ITTT's Natal ESL Courses for Beginners 1. The Importance of ESL Courses for Beginners 2. Why Choose ITTT for Your ESL Training? 3. What to Expect from ITTT's Natal ESL Courses 4. How to Enroll in ITTT's Natal ESL Courses Embarking on the journey of teaching English as a second language (ESL) can be both rewarding and challenging, especially for beginners. The right training is crucial in equipping you with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in this field. This is where International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT) steps in to provide top-notch ESL courses designed specifically for beginners. Taking ESL courses as a beginner is essential for laying a strong foundation in teaching English to non-native speakers. These courses cover a wide...  [Read more]