[etni] Re: Fw: RE: Differences between TESOL, TESL, TEFL

From: michele ben <benfam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 00:23:40 +0200

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I looked this up once.  TESL is when English is either the main language spoken
in the country where the learner is learning or a major second language in that
country.  A major second language means that English is often heard and often
used as a language of communication even though it is not the official first
language of the country.  TEFL is when English is a foriegn language and not
used on a regular basis by regular people in the country where it is being
taught.  TESOL, of course, is anyone learning English who speaks a different
language as a mother tongue and this includes TEFL and TESL.  After reading
this, I tried to figure out where Israel fits in.  I suppose that we are
somewhere between TEFL and TESL.  I honestly don't think that this has any
bearing on anything except that with TESL the students have many more
opportunities for authentic language use in English.  I appologize for not being
able to quote the reference for this.  I found the information about three years
ago in a book in the Achvah library.  I assume it's in other books in other
libraries as well.
Michele

Ask Etni wrote:

> **** ETNI on the web http://www.etni.org.il   http://www.etni.org   ****
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Adele Raemer" <raemer@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <ask@xxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 5:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [etni] Fw: RE: Differences between TESOL, TESL, TEFL
>
> I am afraid this didn't really answer Ahmed's question - which was: what is
> the difference between TESOL and TEFL?  When I first saw the question, I
> also thought to myself- oh - that's easy.... but then I realized what he was
> actually asking - and I'm not quite sure now that there is, in fact , a
> difference between TESOL and TEFL - except that maybe TESOL could include
> BOTH TEFL and TESL, since TESL and TEFL depend on the different environments
> in which they are taught, and TESOL doesn't - therefore, maybe that's the
> answer?
>
> Adele
>
> Christina wrote:
> > Thought I'd respond to Ahmed's question:
> >
> >> TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
> >> TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language
> >> TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
> >> What's the main difference between English as Second Language and English
> >> as Foreign Language?
>
> > If you're teaching English to immigrants in the USA or Britain, then that
> > would be considered a second language, as the students are immersed in
> > English -- being that they live in a country where English is the language
> > spoken.
> > In Israel, for ex., for most students English is a foreign language-it's
> > not spoken here and it is not assumed that students are exposed to it
> > regularly (even though, in fact, through music, television, etc. they kind
> > of are), hence TEFL.
> > That's essentially the difference.
>
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References:
- [etni] Fw: RE: Differences between TESOL, TESL, TEFL
  - From: Ask Etni

[etni] Re: Fw: RE: Differences between TESOL, TESL, TEFL

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