ESL

ESL is an acronym standing for English as a Second Language and is most often used to describe the program in which non-English speakers learn the language in an English-speaking country. ESL is not part of normal public school curriculum, rather a supplementary, comprehensive English course for students trying to attain a grasp of the language.

ESL is related to the terms TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), but each has its own subtle differences in connotation. Whereas ESL is the program, TESL is the profession of those who teach ESL. More specifically, TESL refers to the teaching of English in a region where English is the dominant language. In this case, to learn English is to learn the native language. TEFL, on the other hand, refers to the teaching of English in a region where English is not the dominant language. In this case, to learn English is to learn a foreign language. Because the circumstances under which learning English differ, these two distinct terms have been created to describe each. TESOL has become a popular umbrella term as it does not distinguish between English as a foreign or second language, like TEFL and TESL respectively do.