What is EFL?

[lolwhites]

Al

Just to set the record straight, in the UK ESOL refers to English taught to immigrants who plan to settle here permanently whereas EFL refers to English taught to students who've come to the UK temporarily precisely to learn the language (e.g. the au-pair who's only going to be here a couple of years at most), or English taught in non-English speaking countries.

Hope this helps.

[nomad]

Al

Just to set the record straight, in the UK ESOL refers to English taught to immigrants who plan to settle here permanently whereas EFL refers to English taught to students who've come to the UK temporarily precisely to learn the language (e.g. the au-pair who's only going to be here a couple of years at most), or English taught in non-English speaking countries.

Hope this helps.

As lolwhites explains ESL and EFL do not necessarily qualify the teacher, but rather the English learner.

English as a Second Language is taught to learners who intend to reside in the target language country and require English to survive and effectively function in the target language culture.

English as a Foreign Language is studied by students, usually, but not always, in their home country. They do not require the language to survive in their own culture, and although they may learn the foreign language well, they may never in fact ever go to the target language country.
This has implications for the learners motivation; reasons for learning the language and how they will use it.

Immigrants to a country will study the language as a second language.

Visting students to the target language culture, or students studying in their home country will study the language as a foreign language.

Hope this further clears up the mystery.

[Richard]

EFL teacher:
If "EFL" is placed as an adjective before "teacher", then "EFL" refers to what that teacher actually teaches: EFL, which is English as a Foreign Language.

However, if we want to indicate that the first language of a teacher of English is English, then we write "native-speaking English teacher". We would NOT say "English as a first language teacher". There are many other terms in use: NT ("native teacher"), NET ("native English teacher") and so on. NEVER is "EFL teacher" used in this sense in the field of TEFL/TESL.

In TEFL/TESL circles, the term "EFL" means "English as a Foreign Language". If somebody wants to refer to "English as a First Language", then the term is "English as L1".

Why does such a simple issue result in such a lengthy thread??? If Mr/Ms Shuntang wants to be actively engaged in the field of TEFL/TESL, then she/he should accept the field's accepted terminology (despite the existence of exceptions somewhere on the Internet).

[Duncan Powrie]

EFL teacher:
If "EFL" is placed as an adjective before "teacher", then "EFL" refers to what that teacher actually teaches: EFL, which is English as a Foreign Language.

However, if we want to indicate that the first language of a teacher of English is English, then we write "native-speaking English teacher". We would NOT say "English as a first language teacher". There are many other terms in use: NT ("native teacher"), NET ("native English teacher") and so on. NEVER is "EFL teacher" used in this sense in the field of TEFL/TESL.

The non-native colleagues that I have worked with seemed to just call themselves simply "English teachers", or JTEs (Japanese Teachers of English) etc. I can't honestly recall one of them ever having specifically called themselves an EFL teacher, and I am not sure they would even consider using that title (were they to give the various abbreviations and nomenclature the serious consideration they deserve).

On my own CV, however, I call myself an EFL teacher without the slightest hesitation, and may even have written "native-speaking EFL teacher" at some point, just to make things extra clear and bolster my pride even moreso.

It would therefore seem that only native speakers are unequivocally considered "EFL teachers", and that any non-native is simply teaching "it" as a school subject, even though it is the non-native who has a better grasp of the foreignness of the language (and may actually have attained a level where it is now their intellectual property as much as any native speaker's).

[[email protected]]

An EFL or ESL teacher is the same thing and they don't have to be a native speaker, although many employers prefer this because a native speaker can pronounce the accent correctly.

[Sally Olsen]

I would be interested to know which accent is correct?
I find a huge difference in teaching ESL and EFL. Most of the difference is to do with the supplies available but also with the interest and motivation of the majority of the students. There is a huge difference in the expectations of learning too and an emphasis on the culture because it is new to me when I am in an EFL setting.

[LarryLatham]

Sally, of course it is my accent which is correct! All others are obviously off the mark.

Larry Latham

[revel]

Larry, Larry, Larry.

How could you say that your accent is correct? Anyone would correct you by pointing out that it's my accent that is the most correct!

peace,
revel.

[Duncan Powrie]

There is a huge difference in the expectations of learning too and an emphasis on the culture because it is new to me when I am in an EFL setting.

I'm not sure if the cultural aspects really need to be emphasized in EFL (and what of EIL - English as an International Language! - settings, where English might be used for e.g. specific, quite technical purposes), but it does seem to make sense to impart the do's and don'ts of the "target language community" to ESL students seeking to integrate themselves fully, get a better job etc in said TLC (it is a shame that many so-called multicultural societies aren't more open and tolerant cross-culturally speaking, though).