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English language learning and teaching



 
 
ESL (English as a second language), ESOL (English for speakers of other languages), and EFL (English as a foreign language) all refer to the use or study of English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 by speakers with a different native language. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is described below. These terms are most commonly used in relation to teaching and learning English, but they may also be used in relation to demographic information.

ELT (English language teaching) is a widely-used teacher-centred term, as in the English language teaching divisions of large publishing houses, ELT training, etc.






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ESL (English as a second language), ESOL (English for speakers of other languages), and EFL (English as a foreign language) all refer to the use or study of English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 by speakers with a different native language. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is described below. These terms are most commonly used in relation to teaching and learning English, but they may also be used in relation to demographic information.

ELT (English language teaching) is a widely-used teacher-centred term, as in the English language teaching divisions of large publishing houses, ELT training, etc. The abbreviations TESL (teaching English as a second language), TESOL (teaching English for speakers of other languages) and TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language
Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TEFL or teaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English language to students whose first language is not English. TEFL usually occurs in the student's own country, either within the state school system, or privately, e.g....
) are all also used.

Other terms used in this field include EAL (English as an additional language), ESD (English as a second dialect
Dialect

A dialect is a variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors, such as social class....
), EIL (English as an international language
International English

International English is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language....
), ELF (English as a lingua franca
Lingua franca

A lingua franca is a language systematically used to communicate between persons not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both persons' mother tongues....
), ESP (English for special purposes, or English for specific purposes), EAP (English for academic purposes
English for Academic Purposes

English for Academic Purposes entails training students, usually in a Higher Education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for Specific Purposes ....
). Some terms that refer to those who are learning English are ELL (English language learner), LEP (limited English proficiency) and CLD (culturally and linguistically diverse).

Terminology and types

The many acronyms used in the field of English teaching and learning may be confusing. English is a language with great reach and influence; it is taught all over the world under many different circumstances. In English-speaking countries, English language teaching has essentially evolved in two broad directions: instruction for people who intend to live in an English-speaking country and for those who don't. These divisions have grown firmer as the instructors of these two "industries" have used different terminology
Terminology

Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that are used in specific contexts. Not to be confused with "terms" in colloquial usages, the shortened form of technical terms which are defined within a Academic discipline or speciality field....
, followed distinct training qualifications, formed separate professional associations, and so on. Crucially, these two arms have very different funding structures, public in the former and private in the latter, and to some extent this influences the way schools are established and classes are held. Matters are further complicated by the fact that the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
, both major engines of the language, describe these categories in different terms: as many eloquent users of the language have observed, "England and America are two countries divided by a common language." (Attributed to Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, Order of the Garter, Order of Merit, Order of the Companions of Honour, Territorial Decoration, Fellow of the Royal Society, Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Queen's Privy Council for Canada was a Politics of the United Kingdom known chiefly for his leadership of the United King...
, George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw, was an Irish people playwright.Although Shaw's first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, his talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60 plays....
, and Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish people playwright, Irish poetry and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest Celebrity of his day....
.) The following technical definitions may therefore have their currency contested.

English outside English-speaking countries

EFL, English as a foreign language, indicates the use of English in a non-English-speaking region. Study can occur either in the student's home country, as part of the normal school curriculum or otherwise, or, for the more privileged minority, in an anglophone
Anglophone

An Anglophone is someone who speaks the English language. As an adjective, it refers to belonging to an English-speaking population especially in a country where two or more languages are spoken....
 country that they visit as a sort of educational tourist, particularly immediately before or after graduating from university. TEFL is the teaching of English as a foreign language
Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TEFL or teaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English language to students whose first language is not English. TEFL usually occurs in the student's own country, either within the state school system, or privately, e.g....
; note that this sort of instruction can take place in any country, English-speaking or not. Typically, EFL is learned either to pass exams as a necessary part of one's education, or for career progression while working for an organisation or business with an international focus. EFL may be part of the state school curriculum
Curriculum

In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of wiktionary:deed and experiences through which children grow and mature in becoming adults....
 in countries where English has no special status (what linguist Braj Kachru
Braj Kachru

Braj Kachru was born around 1932 in Kashmir. He is a scholar of different varieties of World English and of Kashmiri. His work is in the field of English language linguistics....
 calls the "expanding circle countries"); it may also be supplemented by lessons paid for privately. Teachers of EFL generally assume that students are literate in their mother tongue
First language

A first language is the language a human being learns from birth. A person's first language is a basis for sociolinguistic identity....
. The Chinese EFL Journal and Iranian EFL Journal are examples of international journals dedicated to specifics of English language learning within countries where English is used as a foreign language.

English within English-speaking countries

The other broad grouping is the use of English within the Anglosphere
Anglosphere

The word Anglosphere describes a concept of a group of anglophone nations which share historical, political, and cultural characteristics rooted in or attributed to the historical experience of the United Kingdom....
. In what theorist Braj Kachru
Braj Kachru

Braj Kachru was born around 1932 in Kashmir. He is a scholar of different varieties of World English and of Kashmiri. His work is in the field of English language linguistics....
 calls "the inner circle", i.e. countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, this use of English is generally by refugee
Refugee

Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecutionOwing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality,...
s, immigrants and their children. It also includes the use of English in "outer circle" countries, often former British colonies
Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, also known as the Commonwealth or the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organization of fifty-three independent member states....
, where English is an official language
Official language

An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other territory. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration....
 even if it is not spoken as a mother tongue by the majority of the population.

In the US, Canada and Australia, this use of English is called ESL (English as a second language). This term has been criticized on the grounds that many learners already speak more than one language. A counter-argument says that the word "a" in the phrase "a second language" means there is no presumption that English is the second acquired language (see also Second language
Second language

A second language is any language learned after the First language . Some languages, often called auxiliary languages, are used primarily as second languages or lingua francas....
). TESL is the teaching of English as a second language.

In the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, the term ESL has been replaced by ESOL (English for speakers of other languages). In these countries TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) is normally used to refer to teaching English only to this group. In the UK, the term EAL (English as an additional language), rather than ESOL, is usually used when talking about primary and secondary schools.

Other acronyms were created to describe the person rather than the language to be learned. The term LEP (Limited English proficiency) was created in 1975 by the Lau Remedies following a decision of the US Supreme Court. ELL (English Language Learner), used by United States governments and school systems, was created by Charlene Rivera of the Center for Equity and Excellence in Education in an effort to label learners positively, rather than ascribing a deficiency to them. LOTE
Lote

Lote is a village in the municipality of Eid, Norway in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The population in 2001 was 132.Since 1837 Lote was administratively a part of Gloppen, despite being separated from the rest of Gloppen by the Nordfjord....
 (Languages other than English) is a parallel term used in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Typically, this sort of English (called ESL in the United States, Canada, and Australia, ESOL in the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand) is learned to function in the new host country, e.g. within the school system (if a child), to find and hold down a job (if an adult), to perform the necessities of daily life. The teaching of it does not presuppose literacy in the mother tongue. It is usually paid for by the host government to help newcomers settle into their adopted country, sometimes as part of an explicit citizenship
Citizenship

Citizenship refers to a person's membership in a political community such as a country or city. It has different legal definitions in different countries....
 program. It is technically possible for ESL to be taught not in the host country, but in, for example, a refugee camp, as part of a pre-departure program sponsored by the government soon to receive new potential citizens. In practice, however, this is extremely rare.

Particularly in Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 and Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, the term ESD (English as a second dialect
Dialect

A dialect is a variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors, such as social class....
) is used alongside ESL, usually in reference to programs for Canadian First Nations
First Nations

First Nations is a term of ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor M?tis people....
 people or indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the first human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands and their descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Australian Aborigines or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's population....
, respectively. It refers to the use of standard English, which may need to be explicitly taught, by speakers of a creole
Creole language

A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable language that originates seemingly as a nativization pidgin. This understanding of creole genesis culminated in Robert A....
 or non-standard variety. It is often grouped with ESL as ESL/ESD.

Umbrella terms

All these ways of denoting the teaching of English can be bundled together into an umbrella term
Umbrella term

An umbrella term is a word that provides a superset or wikt:grouping of related concepts, also called a hypernym.For example, cryptology is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis, among other fields....
. Unfortunately, all the English teachers in the world cannot agree on just one. The term TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) is used in American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
 to include both TEFL and TESL. British English
British English

British English or UK English is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere....
 uses ELT (English language teaching), because TESOL has a different, more specific meaning; see above.

Which variety to teach

It is worth noting that ESL and EFL programs also differ in the variety of English which is taught; "English" is a term that can refer to various dialect
Dialect

A dialect is a variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors, such as social class....
s, including British English
British English

British English or UK English is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere....
, American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
, and many others
List of dialects of the English language

This is a list of varieties of the English language. Dialects are variety which differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar from each other and from Standard English ....
. Obviously, those studying English in order to fit into their new country will learn the variety spoken there. However, for those who do not intend to change countries, the question arises of which sort of English to learn. If they are going abroad for a short time to study English, they need to choose which country. For those staying at home, the choice may be made for them in that private language schools or the state school system may only offer one model. Students studying EFL in Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located in Southern China in East Asia, bordering the province of Guangdong to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east, west and south....
, for example, are more likely to learn British English, whereas students in the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
 are more likely to learn American English.

For this reason, many teachers now emphasize teaching English as an international language
International auxiliary language

An international auxiliary language or interlanguage is a language meant for communication between people from different nations who do not share a common native language....
 (EIL), also known as English as a ­lingua franca
Lingua franca

A lingua franca is a language systematically used to communicate between persons not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both persons' mother tongues....
 (ELF). Linguists are charting the development of international English
International English

International English is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language....
, a term with contradictory and confusing meanings, one of which refers to a decontextualised variant of the language, independent of the culture and associated references of any particular country, useful when, for example, a Saudi does business with someone from China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
 or Albania
Albania

Albania , officially the Republic of Albania , is a country in Balkans. It is bordered by Greece to the south-east, Montenegro to the north, Kosovo to the northeast, and the Republic of Macedonia to the east....
.

Systems of simplified English

For international communication several models of "simplified English" have been suggested, among them:
  • Basic English
    Basic English

    Basic English is an English language based controlled language created by Charles Kay Ogden as an international auxiliary language, and as an aid for teaching ESL....
    , developed by Charles Kay Ogden
    Charles Kay Ogden

    Charles Kay Ogden was an England linguist, philosopher, and writer....
     (and later also I. A. Richards
    I. A. Richards

    Ivor Armstrong Richards was an influential English literary critic and rhetoric.He was educated at Clifton College where his love of English was nurtured by the scholar 'Cabby' Spence....
    ) in the 1930s; a recent revival has been initiated by Bill Templer
  • Threshold Level English, developed by van Ek and Alexander
  • Globish
    Globish

    A portmanteau of the words Global and English, Globish is a version of the English language that uses only the most common 1500 English words....
    , developed by Jean-Paul Nerrière
  • Basic Global English, developed by Joachim Grzega
  • Nuclear English, proposed by Randolph Quirk and Gabriele Stein but never fully developed.


Difficulties for learners

Language teaching practice often assumes that most of the difficulties that learners face in the study of English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 are a consequence of the degree to which their native language differs from English (a contrastive analysis
Contrastive analysis

Contrastive analysis is the systematic study of a pair of languages with a view to identifying their structural differences and similarities. Historically it has been used to establish Language family....
 approach). A native speaker of Chinese
Chinese language

Chinese or the Sinitic language is a language family consisting of language mutually unintelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the two branches of Sino-Tibetan languages of languages....
, for example, may face many more difficulties than a native speaker of German
German language

German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
, because German is closely related to English, whereas Chinese is not. This may be true for anyone of any mother tongue (also called first language, normally abbreviated L1) setting out to learn any other language (called a target language
Target language

A target language is a language that is the focus or end result of certain processes.*In applied linguistics and second language pedagogy, the term "target language" refers to any language that learners are trying to learn in addition to their native language....
, second language or L2). See also second language acquisition
Second language acquisition

Second language acquisition is the process by which people learn a second language in addition to their first language. The term second language is used to describe the acquisition of any language after the acquisition of the mother tongue....
 (SLA) for mixed evidence from linguistic research.

Language learners often produce errors of syntax
Syntax

In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing Sentence s in natural languages. In addition to referring to the discipline, the term syntax is also used to refer directly to the rules and principles that govern the sentence structure of any individual language, as in "the Irish syntax"....
 and pronunciation
Pronunciation

"Pronunciation" refers to the way a word or a language is usually spoken, or the manner in which someone utters a word. If someone said to have "correct pronunciation," then it refers to both within a particular dialect....
 thought to result from the influence of their L1, such as mapping its grammatical patterns inappropriately onto the L2, pronouncing certain sounds incorrectly or with difficulty, and confusing items of vocabulary known as false friend
False friend

False friends are pairs of words in two languages or dialects that look and/or sound similar, but differ in meaning.False cognates, by contrast, are similar words in different languages that appear to have a common historical linguistic origin but actually do not....
s. This is known as L1 transfer or "language interference". However, these transfer effects
Second language acquisition

Second language acquisition is the process by which people learn a second language in addition to their first language. The term second language is used to describe the acquisition of any language after the acquisition of the mother tongue....
 are typically stronger for beginners' language production, and SLA research has highlighted many errors which cannot be attributed to the L1, as they are attested in learners of many language backgrounds (for example, failure to apply 3rd person
Grammatical person

Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deixis reference to a participant in an event, such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns....
 present singular -s to verbs, as in 'he make').

While English is no more complex than other languages, it has several features which may create difficulties for learners. Conversely, because such a large number of people are studying it, products have been developed to help them do so, such as the monolingual learner's dictionary
Monolingual learner's dictionary

Monolingual learner's dictionaries are written for learners of a foreign language. Most such Advanced Learner's Dictionary, but in English language there are ones for elementary and intermediate users too....
, which is written with a restricted defining vocabulary
Defining vocabulary

A defining vocabulary is a published, stable, and culturally accepted core glossary specifically used by dictionary publishers to standardize their use of simple words to explain complex words, and culture-specific idioms or metaphors....
.

Pronunciation

  • Consonant phonemes
English does not have more individual consonant
Consonant

In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the upper vocal tract, the upper vocal tract being defined as that part of the vocal tract that lies above the larynx....
 sounds than most languages. However, the interdentals, and (the sounds written with th), which are common in English (thin, thing, etc.; and the, this, that, etc.) are relatively rare in other languages, even others in the Germanic family
Germanic languages

The Germanic languages are a group of related languages that constitute a branch of the Indo-European languages language family. The common ancestor of all the languages in this branch is Proto-Germanic, spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Pre-Roman Iron Age....
 (e.g., English thousand = German
German language

German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
 tausend), and these sounds are missing even in some English dialects. Some learners substitute a or sound, while others shift to or , or and even or ).


Speakers of Japanese
Japanese language

IPA: [n?iho?go] is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is related to the Ryukyuan languages....
, Korean
Korean language

Korean is the official language of North Korea and South Korea. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China....
, Chinese
Chinese language

Chinese or the Sinitic language is a language family consisting of language mutually unintelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the two branches of Sino-Tibetan languages of languages....
 and Thai
Thai language

Thai , is the national language and official language language of Thailand and the mother tongue of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group....
 may have difficulty distinguishing and . The distinction between and can cause difficulty for native speakers of Spanish
Spanish language

Spanish or Castilian is a Romance languages that originated in northern Spain, and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile and evolved into the principal language of government and trade....
, Japanese and Korean.
  • Vowel phonemes
The precise number of distinct vowel
Vowel

In phonetics, a vowel is a sound in spoken language, such as English ah! or oh! , pronounced with an open vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure at any point above the glottis....
 sounds depends on the variety of English: for example, Received Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation

Received Pronunciation is a form of pronunciation of the English language which has long been perceived as uniquely prestigious amongst British Accent ....
 has twelve monophthong
Monophthong

A monophthong is a "pure" vowel sound, one whose articulation at both beginning and end is relatively fixed, and which does not semivowel towards a new position of articulation; compare diphthong....
s (single or "pure" vowels), eight diphthong
Diphthong

In phonetics, a diphthong, or , is a contour vowel?that is, a unitary vowel that changes vowel quality during its pronunciation, or "glides", with a glissando of the tongue from one articulation to another, as in the English words eye, boy, and cow. This contrasts with "pure" vowels, or monophthongs, where the tongue is held s...
s (double vowels) and two triphthong
Triphthong

In phonetics, a triphthong is a syllable vowel combination involving a glissando of the articulator from one vowel quality to another that passes over a third....
s (triple vowels); whereas General American
General American

General American is an accent of American English. Within American English, General American and accents approximating it are contrasted with Southern American English, several U.S....
 has thirteen monophthongs and three diphthongs. Many learners, such as speakers of Spanish
Spanish language

Spanish or Castilian is a Romance languages that originated in northern Spain, and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile and evolved into the principal language of government and trade....
, Japanese
Japanese language

IPA: [n?iho?go] is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is related to the Ryukyuan languages....
 or Arabic
Arabic language

Arabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages languages such as Hebrew language and Aramaic language....
, have fewer vowels, or only pure ones, in their mother tongue and so may have problems both with hearing and with pronouncing these distinctions.
  • Syllable structure
In its syllable structure
Syllable

A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of Speech communication sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter....
, English allows for a cluster of up to three consonants
Consonant cluster

In linguistics, a consonant cluster is a group of consonants which have no intervening vowel. In English, for example, the groups and are consonant clusters in the word splits....
 before the vowel and four after it (e.g., straw, desks, glimpsed). The syllable structure causes problems for speakers of many other languages. Japanese
Japanese language

IPA: [n?iho?go] is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is related to the Ryukyuan languages....
, for example, broadly alternates consonant and vowel sounds so learners from Japan often try to force vowels in between the consonants (e.g., desks becomes "desukusu" or milk shake becomes "mirukusheku").


Learners from languages where all words end in vowels sometimes tend to make all English words end in vowels, thus make can come out as . The learner's task is further complicated by the fact that native speakers may drop consonants in the more complex blends (e.g., instead of for months).
  • Unstressed vowels - Native English speakers frequently replace almost any vowel in an unstressed syllable with an unstressed vowel
    Unstressed vowel

    In English language, vowel reduction is the Mid-centralized vowel and weakening of an unstressed vowel, such as the characteristic change of many vowels at the ends of words to schwa....
    , often schwa
    Schwa

    In linguistics, specifically phonetics and phonology, schwa can mean the following:*An stress and tone neutral vowel sound in any language, often but not necessarily a mid-central vowel....
    . For example, from has a distinctly pronounced short 'o' sound when it is stressed (e.g., Where are you from?), but when it is unstressed, the short 'o' reduces to a schwa (e.g., I'm from London.). In some cases, unstressed vowels may disappear altogether, in words such as chocolate (which has four syllables in Spanish, but only two as pronounced by Americans: "choc-lit".)


Stress in English more strongly determines vowel quality than it does in most other world languages (although there are notable exceptions such as Russian
Russian language

Russian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe....
). For example, in some varieties the syllables an, en, in, on and un are pronounced as homophone
Homophone

A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as Carat , caret, and carrot, or to, two and too....
s, that is, exactly alike. Native speakers can usually distinguish an able, enable, and unable because of their position in a sentence, but this is more difficult for inexperienced English speakers. Moreover, learners tend to overpronounce these unstressed vowels, giving their speech an unnatural rhythm.
  • Stress timing - English tends to be a stress-timed language - this means that stressed syllables are roughly equidistant in time, no matter how many syllables come in between. Although some other languages, e.g., German
    German language

    German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
     and Russian
    Russian language

    Russian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe....
    , are also stress-timed, most of the world's other major languages are syllable-timed, with each syllable coming at an equal time after the previous one. Learners from these languages often have a staccato
    Staccato

    In musical notation, the Italian language word staccato indicates that note are separated in a detached and distinctly separate manner or short and separated, with silence making up the latter part of the time allocated to each note....
     rhythm when speaking English that is disconcerting to a native speaker.
"Stress for emphasis" - students' own languages may not use stress for emphasis as English does.
"Stress for contrast" - stressing the right word or expression. This may not come easily to some nationalities.
"Emphatic apologies" - the normally unstressed auxiliary is stressed (I really am very sorry)
In English there are quite a number of words - about fifty - that have two different pronunciations, depending on whether they are stressed. They are "grammatical words": pronouns, prepositions, auxiliary verbs and conjunctions. Most students tend to overuse the strong form, which is pronounced with the written vowel.
  • Connected speech
Phonological processes such as assimilation
Assimilation (linguistics)

Assimilation is a common phonological process by which the phonetics of a speech segment becomes more like that of another segment in a word . A common example of assimilation would be "don't be silly" where the and in "don't" become and , where said naturally in many accents and discourse styles ....
, elision
Elision

Elision is the omission of one or more sounds in a word or phrase, producing a result that is easier for the speaker to pronounce. Sometimes, sounds may be elided for euphony effect....
 and epenthesis
Epenthesis

In phonology, epenthesis is the addition of one or more sounds to a word, especially to the interior of a word. Epenthesis may be divided into two types: excrescence and anaptyxis ....
 together with indistinct word boundaries can confuse learners when listening to natural spoken English, as well as making their speech sound too formal if they do not use them. For example, in RP
Received Pronunciation

Received Pronunciation is a form of pronunciation of the English language which has long been perceived as uniquely prestigious amongst British Accent ....
 eight beetles and three ants becomes .

Grammar

  • Tenses - English has a relatively large number of tenses with some quite subtle differences, such as the difference between the simple past "I ate" and the present perfect "I have eaten." Progressive and perfect progressive forms add complexity. (See English verbs
    English verbs

    Verbs in the English language are a lexicon and morphology distinct part of speech which describes an action, an event, or a state.While English has many irregular verbs , for the regular verb ones the grammatical conjugation rules are quite straightforward....
    .)
  • Functions of auxiliaries - Learners of English tend to find it difficult to manipulate the various ways in which English uses the first auxiliary verb
    Auxiliary verb

    In linguistics, an auxiliary is a verb functioning to give further semantics or syntax information about the main or full verb following it....
     of a tense. These include negation (e.g. He hasn't been drinking.), inversion with the subject to form a question (e.g. Has he been drinking?), short answers (e.g. Yes, he has.) and tag questions (has he?). A further complication is that the dummy auxiliary verb do /does /did is added to fulfil these functions in the simple present and simple past, but not for the verb to be.
  • Modal verbs - English also has a significant number of modal auxiliary verbs which each have a number of uses. For example, the opposite of "You must be here at 8" (obligation) is usually "You don't have to be here at 8" (lack of obligation, choice), while "must" in "You must not drink the water" (prohibition) has a different meaning from "must" in "You must not be a native speaker" (deduction). This complexity takes considerable work for most learners to master.
  • Idiomatic usage - English is reputed to have a relatively high degree of idiom
    Idiom

    An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the literal definition of the phrase itself, but refers instead to a figurative language meaning that is known only through common use....
    atic usage. For example, the use of different main verb forms in such apparently parallel constructions as "try to learn", "help learn", and "avoid learning" pose difficulty for learners. Another example is the idiomatic distinction between "make" and "do": "make a mistake", not "do a mistake"; and "do a favour", not "make a favour".
  • Articles - English has an appreciable number of articles
    Article (grammar)

    An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the types of reference being made by the noun, and to specify the volume or numerical scope of that reference....
    , including the definite article the
    THE

    THE is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Technische Hogeschool Eindhoven , a Dutch university of technology** THE multiprogramming system, a computer operating system which was developed there under Edsger Dijkstra...
     and the indefinite article a, an
    A, an

    'A' and 'an' function as the indefinite forms of the grammatical article in the English language and can also represent the number one. An is the older form , now used before words starting with a vowel sound, regardless of whether the word begins with a vowel Letter ....
    . At times English nouns can or indeed must be used without an article; this is called the zero article
    Zero article

    Zero article can refer to*zero definite article*zero indefinite article...
    . Some of the differences between definite, indefinite and zero article are fairly easy to learn, but others are not, particularly since a learner's native language may lack articles or use them in different ways than English does. Although the information conveyed by articles is rarely essential for communication, English uses them frequently (several times in the average sentence), so that they require some effort from the learner.


Vocabulary

  • Phrasal verbs - Phrasal verbs in English can cause difficulties for many learners because they have several meanings and different syntactic patterns. There are also a number of phrasal verb differences between American and British English.
  • Word derivation - Word derivation
    Derivation (linguistics)

    In linguistics, derivation is "Used to form new words, as with happi-ness and un-happy from happy, or determination from determine....
     in English requires a lot of rote learning
    Rote learning

    Rote learning is a learning technique which avoids understanding of a subject and instead focuses on memory. The major practice involved in rote learning is learning by repetition....
    . For example, an adjective can be negated by using the prefix un- (e.g. unable), in- (e.g. inappropriate), dis- (e.g. dishonest), or a- (e.g. amoral), or through the use of one of a myriad of related but rarer prefixes, all modified versions of the first four.
  • Size of lexicon - The history of English
    History of the English language

    English language is a West Germanic languages which originated from the Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Great Britain by Germanic tribes from various parts of what is now northwest Germany and the northern Netherlands....
     has resulted in a very large vocabulary, essentially one stream from Old English and one from the Norman
    Normans

    The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock....
     infusion of Latin
    Latin

    Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
    -derived terms. (Schmitt & Marsden claim that English has one of the largest vocabularies of any known language.) This inevitably requires more work for a learner to master the language.


Differences between spoken and written English

As with most languages, written language tends to use a more formal register
Register (linguistics)

In linguistics, a register is a subset of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting. For example, an English language speaker may adhere more closely to prescription and description, pronounce words ending in -ing with a velar nasal and refrain from using the word "ain't" when speaking in a formal setting, bu...
 than spoken language
Spoken language

A spoken language is a human natural language in which the words are uttered through the mouth. Most human languages are spoken languages.Speech communication stands in contrast to sign language and written language....
. The acquisition of literacy
Literacy

The traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write, or the ability to use language to Reading , Writing, Listening, and Speech communication....
 takes significant effort in English.
  • Spelling - Because of the many changes in pronunciation which have occurred since a written standard developed, the retention of many historical idiosyncrasies in spelling
    Spelling

    Spelling is the writing of a word or words with the necessary Letter and diacritics present in an accepted standard order. It is one of the elements of orthography and a prescriptive element of language....
    , and the large influx of foreign words (from Danish
    Danish language

    Danish is one of the North Germanic languages , a sub-group of the Germanic languages branch of the Indo-European languages. It is spoken by around 6 million people, mainly in Denmark; the language is also used by the 50,000 Danes in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany where it holds the status of minority language....
    , Norman French
    Norman language

    Norman is a Romance languages and one of the Langues d'o?l. The northern Norman can be classified in the septentrional O?l languages with Picard language and Walloon language....
    , Classical Latin
    Classical Latin

    Classical Latin is the form of the Latin used by the ancient Rome in what is usually regarded as "classical" Latin literature. Its use spanned the Golden Age of Latin literature—broadly the 1st century BC and the early 1st century AD—possibly extending to the Silver Age—broadly the 1st and 2nd centuries....
     and Greek
    Greek language

    Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
    ) with different and overlapping spelling patterns, English spelling is difficult even for native speakers to master. This difficulty is shown in such activities as spelling bee
    Spelling bee

    A spelling bee is a competition where contestants, usually children, are asked to spelling English language words. The concept is thought to have originated in the United States, and is usually perceived to be a solely English language practice....
    s that generally require the memorization of words. English speakers may also rely on computer tools such as spell checker
    Spell checker

    In computing, a spell checker is an application software that flags words in a document that may not be spelling correctly. Spell checkers may be stand-alone capable of operating on a block of text, or as part of a larger application, such as a word processor, email client, electronic dictionary, or search engine....
    s more than speakers of other languages, as the users of the utility may have forgotten, or never learned, the correct spelling of a word. The generalizations that exist are quite complex and there are many exceptions leading to a considerable amount of rote learning
    Rote learning

    Rote learning is a learning technique which avoids understanding of a subject and instead focuses on memory. The major practice involved in rote learning is learning by repetition....
    . The spelling system causes problems in both directions - a learner may know a word by sound but not be able to write it correctly (or indeed find it in a dictionary), or they may see a word written but not know how to pronounce it or mislearn the pronunciation. However, despite the variety of spelling patterns in English, there are dozens of rules that are 75% or more reliable.


Varieties of English

  • There are thriving communities of English native speakers in countries all over the world
    Anglosphere

    The word Anglosphere describes a concept of a group of anglophone nations which share historical, political, and cultural characteristics rooted in or attributed to the historical experience of the United Kingdom....
    , and this historical diaspora has led to some noticeable differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar in different countries, as well as those variations which exist between different regions, and across the social strata, within the same country. Even within the British Isles
    British Isles

    The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include Great Britain and Ireland, and numerous smaller islands....
    , there are significant regional language differences, differences of (i) pronunciation/accent, (ii) vocabulary, and even (iii) grammar/dialect, when the local dialect differs from that of another region or from the grammar of 'received English'.
  • According to Ethnologue
    Ethnologue

    Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christianity linguistics service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, primarily to provide the speakers with Bibles, in their native language....
    , the world holds 6912 living languages; most exist within only a small geographic area, and even most of the top 100 are limited to a small number of countries or even a single state. Some of the more well-known languages are to some degree managed by a specific organisation that determines the most prestigious form of the language, e.g. French language
    French language

    French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
     and the Academie de la langue française or Spanish language
    Spanish language

    Spanish or Castilian is a Romance languages that originated in northern Spain, and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile and evolved into the principal language of government and trade....
     and the Real Academia Española
    Real Academia Española

    [Image:Estatutos rae 1715big.jpg|thumb|200px|Frontispiece: Fundaci?n y estatutos de la Real Academia Espa?ola The Real Academia Espa?ola , the RAE, is the official royal institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language....
    . Since many students of English study it to enable them to communicate internationally, the lack of a uniform international standard for the language poses some barriers to meeting that goal; see international English
    International English

    International English is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language....
    .
  • Teaching English therefore involves not only helping the student to use the form of English most suitable for his purposes, but also exposure to other forms of English (e.g. regional forms/ cultural styles) so that the student will be able to discern 'meaning' even when the words/grammar/pronunciation may be quite different to the form of English with which he has become more familiar.


Exams for learners


Learners of English are often keen to get accreditation and a number of exams are known internationally:
  • Trinity College London ESOL
    Trinity College London ESOL

    Trinity College London ESOL is an international examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and offering English language exams since 1938....
     offers Integrated Skills in English (ISE), series of 5 exams, which assesses Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening accepted by academic institutions in the UK. They also offer Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE), series of 12 exams, which assesses Speaking and Listening and ESOL Skills for Life and ESOL for Work exams in the UK only.
  • Cambridge ESOL General English exams
    University of Cambridge ESOL examination

    University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications....
    , a suite of five including First Certificate in English
    First Certificate in English

    The First Certificate in English is one of the exams available from University of Cambridge ESOL examination. Its possession proves one's adequacy in the English language, and its successful completion means that one is able to interact socially efficiently....
     (FCE), Certificate in Advanced English
    Certificate in Advanced English

    The Certificate in Advanced English or CAE is the advanced general English exam provided by the University of Cambridge as part of the University of Cambridge ESOL examination....
     (CAE) and Certificate of Proficiency in English
    Certificate of Proficiency in English

    The Certificate of Proficiency in English or CPE is the most advanced general English exam provided by the University of Cambridge. The English level of those who have passed the CPE is supposed to be similar to that of a fairly educated native speaker of English....
     (CPE)
  • IELTS
    IELTS

    IELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge English language learning and teaching Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia, and was established in 1989....
     (International English Language Testing System), accepted by academic institutions in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and by many in the USA.
  • City and Guilds International ESOL and International Spoken ESOL on demand examinations available at six levels: Preliminary, Access, Achiever, Communicator, Expert and Mastery
  • London Tests of English
    London Tests of English

    The London Tests of English are international English language exams for speakers of English as a foreign language .They are developed by Pearson Language Tests, a new business unit of the Pearson PLC group which is dedicated to language testing and certification....
     from Pearson Language Tests
    Pearson Language Tests

    Pearson Language Tests is a new unit of the Pearson PLC group, dedicated to assessing and validating the English language usage of non-native English speakers....
    , a series of six exams each mapped to a level from the CEFR
  • Secondary Level English Proficiency test
    Secondary Level English Proficiency test

    The Secondary Level English Proficiency Test is a test created by Educational Testing Service and administered by American middle and high schools to applicants whose first language is not English....
  • TOEFL
    TOEFL

    The Test of English as a Foreign Language evaluates the potential success of an individual to use and understand academic English at a college level....
     (Test of English as a Foreign Language), an Educational Testing Service
    Educational Testing Service

    Educational Testing Service is the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization, operating on an annual budget of approximately $1.1 billion on a proforma basis in 2007....
     product, developed and used primarily for academic institutions in the USA, and now widely accepted in tertiary institutions in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Ireland. The current test is Internet based, and is known as the TOEFL iBT. Used as a proxy for English for Academic Purposes
    English for Academic Purposes

    English for Academic Purposes entails training students, usually in a Higher Education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for Specific Purposes ....
    .
  • TOEIC
    TOEIC

    Test of English for International Communication measures the ability of non-native English-speaking examinees to use English language in everyday workplace activities....
     (Test of English for International Communication), an Educational Testing Service product for Business English
    Business English

    Business English is English language especially related to international trade. It is a specialism within English language learning and teaching; for example, the teachers' organisation IATEFL has a special interest group called BESIG ....
  • TSE
    TSE (examination)

    The Test of Spoken English is the most widely used assessment of spoken English worldwide, measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to communicate effectively....
     - Test of Spoken English
  • TWE
    TWE

    TWE is a three-letter acronym standing for one of these things:* Test of Written English, a required component of the Computer-Based TOEFL* Trans World Express, the former express/regional carrier for Trans World Airlines....
     - Test of Written English


Many countries also have their own exams. ESOL learners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland usually take the national Skills for Life
Skills for life

?Skills for Life?Skills for Life is the national strategy in England for improving adult literacy, language and numeracy skills. The strategy was launched by the Prime Minister in March 2001....
 qualifications, which are offered by several exam boards. EFL learners in China
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
 may take the College English Test
College English Test

The College English Test , better known as CET, is a national English as a Foreign Language test in the People's Republic of China.Before the 2005 reform, the full credit was 100 points....
. In Greece English students may take the PALSO (PanHellenic Association of Language School Owners) exams.

The Common European Framework

Between 1998 and 2000, the Council of Europe
Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is the oldest international organisation working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democracy development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation....
's language policy
Language policy

Many countries have a language policy designed to favour or discourage the use of a particular language or set of languages. Although nations historically have used language policies most often to promote one official language at the expense of others, many countries now have policies designed to protect and promote regional and ethnic langu...
 division developed its Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe....
. The aim of this framework was to have a common system for foreign language testing and certification, to cover all European languages and countries.

The Common European Framework (CEF) divides language learners into three levels:
  • A. Basic User
  • B. Independent User
  • C. Proficient User


Each of these levels is divided into two sections, resulting in a total of six levels for testing (A1, A2, B1, etc).

This table compares ELT exams according to the CEF levels:

CEF LevelALTE
Association of Language Testers in Europe

The Association of Language Testers in Europe is an association of language exam providers.ALTE now establishes a six-level framework of language examination standards....
 Level
NQF
National Qualifications Framework

The National Qualifications Framework is a credit developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Framework has nine levels covering all levels of learning in secondary education, further education and vocational higher education....
 Level
London Tests of English
London Tests of English

The London Tests of English are international English language exams for speakers of English as a foreign language .They are developed by Pearson Language Tests, a new business unit of the Pearson PLC group which is dedicated to language testing and certification....
TCL ESOL
Trinity College London ESOL

Trinity College London ESOL is an international examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and offering English language exams since 1938....
 GESE
TCL ESOL
Trinity College London ESOL

Trinity College London ESOL is an international examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and offering English language exams since 1938....
 ISE
UBELT examCambridge ESOL
University of Cambridge ESOL examination

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications....
 IELTS
IELTS

IELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge English language learning and teaching Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia, and was established in 1989....
Cambridge ESOL
University of Cambridge ESOL examination

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications....
 BULATS
Cambridge ESOL
University of Cambridge ESOL examination

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications....
 BEC
BEC

BEC is an acronym for:*Bahamas Electricity Corporation*Bandai Entertainment*Bapatla Engineering College*Basaveshwar Engineering College*Battery eliminator circuit...
Cambridge ESOL
University of Cambridge ESOL examination

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications....
 General
Cambridge ESOL
University of Cambridge ESOL examination

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications....
 YLE
Cambridge Young Learners' English Tests

Cambridge Young Learners' English Tests is one of the University of Cambridge ESOL examination ability examination held by UCLES, targeted at children of age 7 to 12....
City and Guilds
C2Level 5Level 3Level 5Grade 12IV4.0-5.07.0+90-100n/aCPEn/aMastery
C1Level 4Level 2Level 4Grade 10,11III3.0-3.56.0-6.575-89HigherCAEn/aExpert
B2Level 3Level 1Level 3Grade 7,8,9II2.0-2.55.0-5.560-74VantageFCEn/aCommunicator
B1Level 2Entry 3Level 2Grade 5,6I1.54.0-4.540-59PreliminaryPETn/aAchiever
A2Level 1Entry 2Level 1Grades 3,401.0n/a20-39n/aKETFlyersAccess
A1BreakthroughEntry 1Level A1Grade 2n/a<1.0n/a0-19n/an/aMoversPreliminary


Qualifications for teachers


Non-native speakers

Most people who teach English are in fact not native speakers of that language. They are state school
State school

State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from private school....
 teachers in countries around the world, and as such they hold the relevant teaching qualification
Teaching qualification

A teaching qualification or teacher qualification is one of a number of academic degree and professional degrees that enables a person to become a registered teacher in primary education or secondary education school....
 of their country, usually with a specialism in teaching English. For example, teachers in Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located in Southern China in East Asia, bordering the province of Guangdong to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east, west and south....
 hold the Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers
Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers

The Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers is an assessment examination for the language proficiency of teachers in Hong Kong. According to regulations, any teachers teaching English language or Standard Mandarin in Hong Kong, where Standard Cantonese is mostly spoken, must have passed the LPAT, i.e....
. Those who work in private language school
Language school

A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, but not limited to, communicative competence in a foreign language....
s may, from commercial pressures, have the same qualifications as native speakers (see below). Widespread problems exist of minimal qualifications and poor quality providers of training, and as the industry professionalises, it is trying to self-regulate to eliminate these.

United States qualifications

Most U.S. instructors at community college
Community college

A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries....
s and universities qualify by taking an MA in TESOL. This degree also qualifies them to teach in most EFL contexts. In some areas of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, nearly all elementary school
Elementary school

An elementary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as Primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in many countries, especially in North America....
 teachers are involved in teaching ELLs (English Language Learners, that is, children who come to school speaking a home language other than English.) The qualifications for these classroom teachers vary from state to state but always include a state-issued teaching certificate for public instruction. This state licensing requires substantial practical experience as well as course work. The MA in TESOL typically includes both graduate work in English as one of the classical liberal arts
Liberal arts

The term liberal arts refers to the education derived from the Classical education curriculum....
 (literature, linguistics, media studies) with a theoretical component in language pedagogy. Admission to the MA in TESOL typically requires at least a bachelor's degree with a minor in English or linguistics, or, sometimes, a degree in a foreign language
Foreign language

A foreign language is a language not spoken by the people of a certain place: for example, not only English language but also Late Old Japanese is a foreign language in Japan....
 instead.

It is important to note that the issuance of a teaching certificate or license is not automatic following completion of degree requirements. All teachers must complete a battery of exams (typically the Praxis
Praxis test

A Praxis test is one of a series of teacher Professional certification standardized testing written and administered by the Educational Testing Service....
 subject and method exams or similar, state-sponsored exams) as well as supervised instruction as student teacher
Student teacher

A student teacher is college or graduate student who is teaching under the supervision of a certified teacher in order to qualify for a degree in education....
s. Certification requirements for ESL teachers vary greatly from state to state; out-of-state teaching certificates are recognized if the two states have a reciprocity agreement.

British qualifications

Common, respected qualifications for teachers within the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
's sphere of influence include TESOL
TESOL

TESOL may refer to:* The acronym "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages", used in English Language Learning and Teaching* TESOL Inc. is a professional organization based in the United States for people working in this field...
 certificates and diplomas issued by Trinity College London ESOL
Trinity College London ESOL

Trinity College London ESOL is an international examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and offering English language exams since 1938....
 (CertTESOL) and University of Cambridge ESOL
UCLES

Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate , a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge....
(CELTA).

A certificate course is usually undertaken before starting to teach. This is sufficient for most EFL jobs (see TEFL for an extended discussion of travel-teaching) and for some ESOL ones. CertTESOL
CertTESOL

The Certificate in TESOL is an accredited professional certification awarded in the teaching of English for Speakers of Other Languages by Trinity College London....
 (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and CELTA
CELTA

The Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, or CELTA , is a professional certification held by many teachers of English language learning and teaching....
 (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) are the most widely taken and accepted qualifications for new teacher trainees. Courses are offered in the UK and in many countries around the world. It is usually taught full-time over a one-month period or part-time over a period up to a year.

Teachers with two or more years of teaching experience who want to stay in the profession and advance their career prospects (including school management and teacher training) can take a diploma course. Trinity College London ESOL
Trinity College London ESOL

Trinity College London ESOL is an international examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and offering English language exams since 1938....
 offers the DipTESOL
LTCL DipTESOL

The Licentiate Diploma in TESOL is a professional certification awarded in the teaching of English for Speakers of Other Languages by Trinity College London....
 (Trinity Licentiate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and University of Cambridge ESOL
UCLES

Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate , a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge....
 offers the DELTA
DELTA (ELT)

DELTA, the Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults, is a professional certification in English language learning and teaching awarded by UCLES, formerly UCLES, a part of the University of Cambridge....
 (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults). These diplomas are considered to be equivalent and are both accredited at level 7 of the revised National Qualifications Framework
National Qualifications Framework

The National Qualifications Framework is a credit developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Framework has nine levels covering all levels of learning in secondary education, further education and vocational higher education....
. Some teachers who stay in the profession go on to do an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)

A Master of Arts is a Postgraduate education academic degree master degree awarded by University in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in English language, Fine Arts, History, Humanities, Philosophy, Social Sciences or Theology and can be either fully-taught, research-based, or a combination of the two....
 in a relevant discipline such as applied linguistics
Applied linguistics

Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of study that identifies, investigates, and offers solutions to language-related real-life problems....
 or ELT. Many UK master's degrees require considerable experience in the field before a candidate is accepted onto the course.

The above qualifications are well-respected within the UK EFL sector, including private language school
Language school

A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, but not limited to, communicative competence in a foreign language....
s and higher education
Higher education

Higher education refers to a level of education that is provided by university, vocational university, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, Institute of technology and other collegiate level institutions, such as Vocational school, trade schools and career colleges, that award academic degrees or professional certifications....
 language provision. However, in England and Wales, in order to meet the government's criteria for being a qualified teacher of ESOL in the Learning and Skills Sector (i.e. post-compulsory or further education
Further education

Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities ....
), teachers need to have the Certificate in Further Education Teaching Stage 3 at level 5 (of the revised NQF) and the Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists at level 4. Recognised qualifications which confer one or both of these include a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Education

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
 (PGCE) in ESOL, the CELTA module 2 and City & Guilds
City and Guilds of London Institute

The City and Guilds of London Institute is a United Kingdom examining and accreditation body for vocational, managerial and engineering training, offering over 500 qualifications in 28 industry areas, spanning from entry level to the equivalent of a Postgraduate education....
 9488. Teachers of children within the state sector
State school

State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from private school....
 in the United Kingdom are normally expected to hold a PGCE, and may choose to specialise in ELT.

Professional associations and unions

  • TESOL Inc.
    TESOL Inc.

    TESOL is a global education association for English language teachers to speakers of others languages with individual and institutional members and extensive affiliations worldwide....
     is Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, a professional organization
    Professional body

    A professional association is a non-profit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest....
     based in the United States. In addition, there are many large state-wide and regional affiliates, see below.
  • IATEFL is the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, a professional organization based in the United Kingdom.
  • Professional organisations for teachers of English exist at national levels. Many contain phrases in their title such as the Japan Association for Language Teaching () or the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (). Some of these organisations may be bigger in structure (supra-national, such as TESOL Arabia in the Gulf states
    Gulf states

    Gulf States can refer to:* Those states of the USA along the Gulf Coast of the United States: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida....
    ), or smaller (limited to one city, state, or province, such as CATESOL
    CATESOL

    CATESOL is the independent California and Nevada affiliate of the international organization Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages ....
     in California
    California

    California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
    ). Some are affiliated to TESOL or IATEFL.
  • NATECLA
    NATECLA

    National Association for Teaching English and Community Languages to Adults is a British professional organisation of teachers of English language learning and teaching and what are known as "community languages" to adults....
     is the National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults, which focuses on teaching ESOL in the United Kingdom.
  • National Union of General Workers
    National Union of General Workers

    is a Japanese national labour union affiliated with the Zenrokyo , which is itself one of the three main federations within the Japanese trade union structure....
     is a Japanese union
    Labor unions in Japan

    In Japan, three main labour federations represent Japan's labour unions. They are in order of number of members:*, 6.6 million members;*, 846,362 members; and...
     which includes English teachers.
  • University and College Union
    University and College Union

    The University and College Union is a UK trade union formed from the 2006 merger of the Association of University Teachers and the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education ....
     is a British trade union
    Trade union

    A trade union or labor union is an organization run by and for workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions....
     which includes lecturers of ELT.


Acronyms and abbreviations

See also: Language education
Language education

Language education includes the teaching and learning of a language. It can include improving a learner's native language; however, it is more commonly used with regard to second language acquisition, that is, the learning of a foreign language or second language, and that is the meaning that is treated in this article....
 for information on general language teaching acronyms and abbreviations.

Types of English

  • BE - Business English
    Business English

    Business English is English language especially related to international trade. It is a specialism within English language learning and teaching; for example, the teachers' organisation IATEFL has a special interest group called BESIG ....
  • EAL - English as an additional language. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • EAP - English for academic purposes
    English for Academic Purposes

    English for Academic Purposes entails training students, usually in a Higher Education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for Specific Purposes ....
  • EFL - English as a foreign language. English for use in a non-English-speaking region, by someone whose first language is not English. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • EIL - English as an international language
    International language

    International language may refer to:* International auxiliary language - a language meant for communication between people from different nations who do not share a common native language...
     (see main article at International English
    International English

    International English is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language....
    )
  • ELF - English as a lingua franca
    Lingua franca

    A lingua franca is a language systematically used to communicate between persons not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both persons' mother tongues....
  • ELL - English language learner. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • ELT - English language teaching. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • ESL - English as a second language. English for use in an English-speaking region, by someone whose first language is not English. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • ESOL - English for speakers of other languages. This term is used differently in different countries. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • ESP - English for special purposes, or English for specific purposes (e.g. technical English, scientific English, English for medical professionals, English for waiters).
  • EST - English for science and technology (e.g. technical English, scientific English).
  • TEFL - Teaching English as a foreign language
    Teaching English as a Foreign Language

    TEFL or teaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English language to students whose first language is not English. TEFL usually occurs in the student's own country, either within the state school system, or privately, e.g....
    . This link is to a page about a subset of TEFL, namely travel-teaching. More generally, see the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • TESL - Teaching English as a second language. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • TESOL - Teaching English to speakers of other languages, or Teaching English as a second or other language. See the discussion in Terminology and types.
  • TYLE - Teaching Young Learners English. Note that "Young Learners" can mean under 18, or much younger.


Other abbreviations

  • BULATS - Business Language Testing Services, a computer-based test of business English, produced by CambridgeEsol. The test also exists for French, German, and Spanish.
  • CELTA
    CELTA

    The Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, or CELTA , is a professional certification held by many teachers of English language learning and teaching....
     - Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults
  • DELTA
    DELTA (ELT)

    DELTA, the Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults, is a professional certification in English language learning and teaching awarded by UCLES, formerly UCLES, a part of the University of Cambridge....
     - Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults
  • IELTS
    IELTS

    IELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge English language learning and teaching Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia, and was established in 1989....
     - International English Language Testing System
  • LTE
    London Tests of English

    The London Tests of English are international English language exams for speakers of English as a foreign language .They are developed by Pearson Language Tests, a new business unit of the Pearson PLC group which is dedicated to language testing and certification....
     - London Tests of English by Pearson Language Tests
    Pearson Language Tests

    Pearson Language Tests is a new unit of the Pearson PLC group, dedicated to assessing and validating the English language usage of non-native English speakers....
  • TOEFL
    TOEFL

    The Test of English as a Foreign Language evaluates the potential success of an individual to use and understand academic English at a college level....
     - Test of English as a Foreign Language
  • TOEIC
    TOEIC

    Test of English for International Communication measures the ability of non-native English-speaking examinees to use English language in everyday workplace activities....
     - Test of English for International Communication
  • UCLES
    UCLES

    Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate , a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge....
     - University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge

    The University of Cambridge , located in Cambridge, England, is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation university in the Anglosphere....
     Local Examinations Syndicate, an exam board


See also


Language terminology

  • Foreign language
    Foreign language

    A foreign language is a language not spoken by the people of a certain place: for example, not only English language but also Late Old Japanese is a foreign language in Japan....
  • Second language
    Second language

    A second language is any language learned after the First language . Some languages, often called auxiliary languages, are used primarily as second languages or lingua francas....


General language teaching and learning

  • Applied linguistics
    Applied linguistics

    Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of study that identifies, investigates, and offers solutions to language-related real-life problems....
  • Contrastive rhetoric
    Contrastive rhetoric

    Contrastive rhetoric research began in the 1960s, started by the USA applied linguist Robert Kaplan. Since that time, the area of study has had a significant impact on the teaching of writing in both English language learning and teaching and English as a foreign language classes....
  • Language education
    Language education

    Language education includes the teaching and learning of a language. It can include improving a learner's native language; however, it is more commonly used with regard to second language acquisition, that is, the learning of a foreign language or second language, and that is the meaning that is treated in this article....
  • Second language acquisition
    Second language acquisition

    Second language acquisition is the process by which people learn a second language in addition to their first language. The term second language is used to describe the acquisition of any language after the acquisition of the mother tongue....


English language teaching and learning

  • Non-native pronunciations of English
    Non-native pronunciations of English

    Non-native pronunciations of English result from the common linguistic phenomenon in which non-native users of any language tend to carry the Intonation , phonology processes, and pronunciation rules from their mother tongue into their English speech....
  • Teaching English as a Foreign Language
    Teaching English as a Foreign Language

    TEFL or teaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English language to students whose first language is not English. TEFL usually occurs in the student's own country, either within the state school system, or privately, e.g....
     (TEFL), for an extended discussion of travel-teaching


Contemporary English

  • American and British English differences
    American and British English differences

    This is one of a series of articles about the differences between American English and British English, which, for the purposes of these articles, are defined as follows:...
  • English language
    English language

    English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
  • English studies
    English studies

    English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics , and English sociolinguistics ....
  • International English
    International English

    International English is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language....


Other

  • Crazy English
    Crazy English

    Crazy English is a brand name related to an non-traditional method of English language learning and teaching in mainland China conceived by Li Yang ....
    , an idiosyncratic methodology
  • List of countries by English-speaking population
    List of countries by English-speaking population

    This is a list of countries of the world sorted by the total English language-speaking population in that country. This includes both First languages and second language speakers of English....
  • Ruth Hayman
    Ruth Hayman

    Ruth Hayman was a lawyer and anti-apartheid campaigner. She was one of the first women in South Africa to qualify as an attorney. Through the Black Sash organisation, Hayman offered free legal advice to many people, usually women, who had approached the Black Sash Advice Centre in Johannesburg, and often appeared herself in court to represe...
     - ESL pioneer

External links

Note. Please see Wikipedia:External links for guidelines regarding appropriate external links.


Journals: