Job Discussion Forums

[Londonlover]

I got slightly confused since in the U.K. ESOL seems to be constantly used instead of ESL to refer to the teaching of asylum seekers and refugees. You don't really hear people using the term ESL to refer to this context(which by your definition would be the correct term). ESOL rather than ESL seems to be the term most people here use to contrast English taught to asylum seekers/refugees with EFL (teaching paying international students in language schools). Again, in the U.K. the term EFL is frequently applied to the teaching in private language schools here.
Thanks for your clear and succint clarification of the issue, Henry.

[Africaexpert]

This may come as a shock to you Henry but people from other English speaking countries can and do teach ESL as well.

How many professional organizations have you seen with completely free membership? Not bloody many in any field, and just because an organization requires you to pay dues does not make it commercial. Can't believe you've been in ESL 7 years and didn't know of the TESOL organization, which btw, does not pay me for mentioning it, as it is a NON-PROFIT, not a commercial organization.

[Henry_Cowell]

[Londonlover]

Actually, in my last post I was responding to Henry Cowell and thanking him for his clarification. I was not addressing you, Africa Expert.
But please feel free to butt in again and bitch away and while you're at it don't forget to give another free plug for that organisation I've never heard of.

[Londonlover]

So they 'beep' out an innocuous word like b.itch here on Dave's, who'd have thought.

[Henry_Cowell]

I am a proud, card-carrying member of TESOL (and CATESOL). The fact that somebody has never heard of TESOL says more about that person than about the organisation.

[Londonlover]

What's CATESOL and seeing as you're such a proud member of this and TESOL perhaps you could inform us what benefits there are in being a member of said organisations.

[Henry_Cowell]

Google exists to supply answers to those questions. Even in the UK.

[Londonlover]

Ah, now I get it - TESOL (and CATESOL, for that matter) an American-based, American run organisation, largely appealing to American home and American ex-pat EFL teachers (judging by some of the TESOL website benefits, at least), holding EFL conferences in America, and having two staunch supporters in this thread who are Americans (correct me if I'm wrong).
Could it just be possible that the global importance and 'pre-eminence' of this American-centric organisation may not actually be quite as perceived, and I hope some of us can be forgiven for having had the temerity to suggest we don't know this organisation without, (in the subtext of a patronising reply above), being indexed as somehow inferior or less professional if we haven't heard of or aren't card carrying members of this particular organisation.

[Henry_Cowell]

It was originally explained on this very thread (long before "londonlover" joined it) that TESOL is an American organisation. And all that was said about it was that it is "internationally known" -- no mention of "global importance" or "pre-eminence" of any sort.

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

What about TESOL Arabia ...

I can't understand why Londonlover would want to adopt such an attitude ... public admissions of ignorance are generally delivered with humility ...

[Brooks]

maybe some people think the British Council is the only organization.
It is not. TESOL is definitely global, yet regional.

[Londonlover]

I can see why a certain individual, resident in the ME, wants to butt in here and berate me, since I pointed out, in another forum, that the so called 'facts' he presented, were not in reality correct. It could be pointed out that he was making comments there out of ignorance. As for the rather pompous remark about humility, in light of the above,humility may be for sharing, don't you think.

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

You flatter yourself with your summary of our previous exchange ... perhaps you'd like to jog your memory ...

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=46826&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

It seems to me you made a fool of yourself there as well ...

[Henry_Cowell]

I think it's the British "inferiority complex" that prompts some to profess ignorance of what goes on in the rest of the world. The fact that they are ignorant (and proudly so) of major organisations and acronyms in their field doesn't shame them in the least. Instead, they merely lash out at others.