ESL TESOL TEFL - What do all of the letters mean?
English as a Second Language (ESL), Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) are all techniques that people who are fluent in English can use to help others learn to speak, read and write English. When selecting a teaching style one must consider the audience one desires to reach.
ESL is primarily used in a country where English is the dominate language. Where it is a functional requirement for business, commerce and political activities. TESOL and TEFL deal with a broader scope of language instruction. While essentially synonyms of each other, the primary focus is to teach English to those who speak other languages. This can be done through a state sponsored curriculum or through private tutoring.
The Benefits
Being a certified English teacher opens up doors that can help broaden one's horizons. There are literally thousands of jobs available for those properly trained. Those jobs can range from elementary school teacher to corporate executive tutor.
Why should I teach English as a second language?
Simply because it can be rewarding, fun and exciting.
Rewarding: You are responsible for helping another person understand and be able to function I a culture that is foreign to them. In many cases, the ability to speak English can open the door for a better job and livelihood for ones family.
As an English teacher you have the ability to be paid for a skill that can take you around the world. As stated above there are thousands of well paying jobs for native English speakers.
Fun: Not only do you get to impact a persons life, you life will be changed as well as you learn about a new culture through the eyes of those who live in it. You may learn how to order meat on a stick from a street vendor in Thailand or learn how to bargain at a market in the UAE.
Exciting: Much like those who go to serve in the Peace Corp, those who teach English as a native speaker will be in for the time of their lives. There are a number of opportunities to travel to remote regions of the planet and serve in any number of super cites. Each has its own distinct feel and opportunity. Depending on where one travels to, one may see the Great Wall or the Serengeti.
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