English as a second or foreign language refers to the use of English by individuals whose native language is different, commonly among students learning to speak and write English. Variably known as English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a second language (ESL), English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English as an additional language (EAL), or English as a new language (ENL), these terms denote the study of English in environments where it is not the dominant language. Programs such as ESL are designed as academic courses to instruct non-native speakers in English proficiency, encompassing both learning in English-speaking nations and abroad.
173-598: Teaching methodologies include teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in non-English-speaking countries, teaching English as a second language (TESL) in English-speaking nations , and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) worldwide. These terms, while distinct in scope, are often used interchangeably, reflecting the global spread and diversity of English language education. Critically, recent developments in terminology, such as English-language learner (ELL) and English Learners (EL), emphasize
346-474: A cluster of up to three consonants before the vowel and five after it (e.g. strengths , straw , desks , glimpsed , sixths ). Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese , for example, broadly alternate consonant and vowel sounds so learners from Japan and Brazil often force vowels between the consonants (e.g. desks becomes [desukusu] or [dɛskis] , and milk shake becomes [miɽukuɕeːku] or [miwki ɕejki] , respectively). Similarly, in most Iberian dialects, while
519-509: A master's degree in TESOL. University degrees in English language and literature or other specialist degrees may also be valuable. Some institutions consider proof of English proficiency, a university degree, and a basic teaching qualification sufficient. The academic qualification may not be paramount; a number of schools are more interested in interpersonal skills. For trainers wishing to enter
692-428: A numeronym . For example, "i18n" abbreviates " internationalization ", a computer-science term for adapting software for worldwide use; the "18" represents the 18 letters that come between the first and the last in "internationalization". Similarly, "localization" can be abbreviated "l10n"; " multilingualization " "m17n"; and " accessibility " "a11y". In addition to the use of a specific number replacing that many letters,
865-536: A resident registration number . Korean labour law provides all workers with severance pay equivalent to one month's salary, paid at the end of a contract. Most job contracts are for one year, and include entrance and exit plane tickets. Citizens of the US, Canada, and Australia receive their pension contributions and their employers' part of the pension contributions on leaving the country. Average 2015 starting pay for those with no previous teaching experience and no degree in
1038-524: A second language , but they may also be used in relation to demographic information. English language teaching (ELT) is a widely used teacher-centered term, as in the English language teaching divisions of large publishing houses, ELT training, etc. Teaching English as a second language (TESL), teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) are also used. Other terms used in this field include English as an international language (EIL), English as
1211-645: A single word ("television" or "transvestite", for instance), and is in general spelled without punctuation (except in the plural). Although "PS" stands for the single English word " postscript " or the Latin postscriptum , it is often spelled with periods ("P.S.") as if parsed as Latin post scriptum instead. The slash ('/', or solidus ) is sometimes used to separate the letters in an acronym, as in "N/A" ("not applicable, not available") and "c/o" ("care of"). Inconveniently long words used frequently in related contexts can be represented according to their letter count as
1384-517: A TEFL certificate. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) is a model that has eight components and thirty features. The main goal of the SIOP model is to help English teachers in helping students who are English language learners , but it is often used as a checklist by instructors which has been a critique of the model. Throughout the United States and in the world, the use of
1557-442: A deficiency to them. Recently, some educators have shortened this to EL – English Learner. Typically, a student learns this sort of English to function in the new host country, e.g., within the school system (if a child), to find and hold down a job (if an adult), or to perform the necessities of daily life (cooking, taking a cab/public transportation, or eating in a restaurant, etc.). The teaching of it does not presuppose literacy in
1730-625: A different meaning. Medical literature has been struggling to control the proliferation of acronyms, including efforts by the American Academy of Dermatology. Acronyms are often taught as mnemonic devices: for example the colors of the rainbow are ROY G. BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). They are also used as mental checklists: in aviation GUMPS stands for gas-undercarriage-mixture-propeller-seat belts. Other mnemonic acronyms include CAN SLIM in finance, PAVPANIC in English grammar, and PEMDAS in mathematics. It
1903-614: A foreign language has risen, and was expected to grow strongly through 2017. The number of EAFL (English as a foreign language) teachers in Australia rose to 8,300 in November 2012, and the projected number for 2017 was 9,500. The top three regions in Australia for employment as an EAFL teacher are New South Wales (49.5 percent), Victoria (29.7 percent), and Queensland (7.7 percent). English-language teaching in Bangladesh begins at
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#17328024035902076-511: A foreign language. Studies indicate that the ability to speak English is an important component of transforming the Cambodian standard of living; English speakers are more likely to have better jobs, since the language is used to communicate with international businesses and organizations. Wang Keqiang wrote in 1986 that TEFL had existed in China for about one hundred years and was subject to
2249-468: A foreign language. In some programs, educational materials (including spoken lectures and written assignments) are provided in a mixture of English, and the student's native language. In other programs, educational materials are always in English, but the vocabulary, grammar, and context clues may be modified to be more easily understood by students with varying levels of comprehension. Adapting comprehension, insight-oriented repetitions, and recasts are some of
2422-747: A full member of the association in 1997. The Peace Corps had 36 volunteers in Mongolia in 2024, many of whom are English teachers primarily teaching in rural areas with a low population density. In Ulaanbaatar , a small number of professional native-English-speakers teach at private institutes, universities, and some schools. In addition to foreign instructors from the major English-speaking countries, Filipinos teach in Mongolian schools, institutes, and large industrial or mining companies. Demand for native English speakers willing to teach in South Korea
2595-424: A further barrier to social justice for these ESL individuals. These misconceptions and anxieties point towards an issue of exclusivity that technical and professional communicators must address. This social justice concern becomes an ethical concern as well, with all individuals deserving usable, accessible, and inclusive information. There is a major concern about the lack of accessibility to translation services and
2768-678: A gap in English proficiency among students from various regions. Learners who have had less than eight years of formal education in their first language are sometimes called adult ESL literacy learners . Usually, these learners have had their first-language education interrupted. Many of these learners require a different level of support, teaching approaches and strategies, and a different curriculum from mainstream adult ESL learners. For example, these learners may lack study skills and transferable language skills, and these learners may avoid reading or writing. Often these learners do not start classroom tasks immediately, do not ask for help, and often assume
2941-590: A high percentage of English academic words on weekly tests taught during a tutoring session. It was also found that the literature on the efficacy of peer tutoring service combined with regular classroom teaching, is the best methodology practice that is effective, that benefits students, teachers, and parents involved. Similarly, a longitudinal study was conducted to examine the effects of the paired bilingual program and an English-only reading program with Spanish speaking English learners in order to increase students' English reading outcomes. Students whose primary language
3114-587: A higher salary to teachers who have completed any TEFL course, on- or offline, if the course meets the 100-hour-minimum requirement. Internet-based TEFL courses are generally accepted worldwide, particularly in Asia, where the largest job markets are in China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. The increase in online TEFL certificates has been criticized. Salaries depend on education, training, experience, seniority, and expertise. Employment conditions vary by country, depending on
3287-496: A language. Despite criticism, it continues to be popular in Japan , Taiwan , and Europe. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) of India has also adopted this approach in its affiliated schools in the country. The task-based language learning approach to CLT has gained ground. Proponents believe that CLT develops and improves speaking, writing, listening, and reading skills, preventing students from listening passively to
3460-416: A lingua franca (ELF), English for special purposes and English for specific purposes (ESP), and English for academic purposes (EAP). Those who are learning English are often referred to as English language learners (ELL). The learners of the English language are of two main groups. The first group includes the learners learning English as their second language i.e. the second language of their country and
3633-781: A medial decimal point . Particularly in British and Commonwealth English , all such punctuation marking acronyms and other capitalized abbreviations is now uncommon and considered either unnecessary or incorrect. The presence of all-capital letters is now thought sufficient to indicate the nature of the UK , the EU , and the UN . Forms such as the U.S.A. for "the United States of America " are now considered to indicate American or North American English . Even within those dialects, such punctuation
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#17328024035903806-422: A more formal register than spoken language . There is also debate about "meaning-focused" learning and "correction-focused" learning. Supporters for the former think that using speech as the way to explain meaning is more important. However, supporters of the latter do not agree with that and instead think that grammar and correct habit is more important. Teaching English, therefore, involves not only helping
3979-403: A more technically complex language that ESL students need to know for their courses, but it raises the question of if ESL learners need to know a more complex version of the English language to succeed in their professional careers. Peer tutoring refers to an instructional method that pairs up low-achieving English readers, with ESL students that know minimal English and who are also approximately
4152-420: A number of steps involved in obtaining a visa to teach in China. In February 2017, the legal process for processing and awarding Z visas in China became stricter. Applicants must now have a criminal background check, at least a 120-hour TEFL certification, and a bachelor's degree from a Western university. Before a Chinese employer can issue an invitation letter to work in China, all documents must be notarized in
4325-444: A particular age range – usually between 20 and 40 years of age. In China, age requirements can differ due to provincial-government regulations. People under 19 may be able to teach TEFL, but usually in a volunteer situation such as a refugee camp. Private language schools are likely to require at least a certificate for the successful completion of a course with a minimum of 100 hours. Programs such as EPIK will offer
4498-407: A period when the letters are pronounced individually, as in " K.G.B. ", but not when pronounced as a word, as in " NATO ". The logic of this style is that the pronunciation is reflected graphically by the punctuation scheme. When a multiple-letter abbreviation is formed from a single word, periods are in general not used, although they may be common in informal usage. "TV", for example, may stand for
4671-482: A positive attitude toward learning English. This positive outlook persists across genders. Education in non-English-speaking countries usually focuses on grammar. English is introduced as a compulsory subject beginning in the first grades in these countries. However, despite the widespread implementation of English education, disparities exist in the quality of instruction across different types of schools. Consequently, these variations in educational quality have resulted in
4844-533: A prerequisite for entering the government-funded Native-speaking English Teacher Scheme . Housing and other fringe benefits are provided, including holiday pay, participation in the Mandatory Provident Fund , and health insurance. Housing or rental support is the biggest incentive for foreign teachers, since housing costs in Hong Kong are some of the world's highest. When a teacher is part of
5017-452: A second wave of COVID-19, some schools hired ESL teachers in the belief that the pandemic would abate. English has been increasingly important in education, international trade, and cooperation in Laos since the 1990s. The government began to promote foreign direct investment, and the introduction of Laos as an observer at ASEAN in 1992 increased the importance of English; the country became
5190-436: A single word, such as NATO (as distinct from B-B-C )" but adds later "In everyday use, acronym is often applied to abbreviations that are technically initialisms, since they are pronounced as separate letters." The Chicago Manual of Style acknowledges the complexity ("Furthermore, an acronym and initialism are occasionally combined (JPEG), and the line between initialism and acronym is not always clear") but still defines
5363-457: A sort of educational tourist, particularly immediately before or after graduating from university. TEFL is the teaching of English as a foreign language ; note that this sort of instruction can take place in any country, English-speaking or not. Typically, EFL is learned either to pass exams as a necessary part of one's education or for career progression while one works for an organization or business with an international focus. EFL may be part of
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5536-584: A state school. Demand for TEFL is high in countries which recently joined the European Union , and which tend to have a lower cost of living. Non-EU teachers usually find legal work there with less difficulty. The former Yugoslav countries have seen growth in private TEFL schools, and have recruited Anglophone teachers. Few foreign instructors work in Scandinavia , which has stricter immigration laws and relies on bilingual local teachers. In 2006,
5709-491: A study researched the effectiveness of peer tutoring and explicit teaching in classrooms. It was found that students with learning disabilities and low performing students who are exposed to the explicit teaching and peer tutoring treatment in the classroom, have better academic performance than those students who do not receive this type of assistance. It was proven that peer tutoring is the most effective and no cost form of teaching It has been proven that peer-mediated tutoring
5882-464: A study, which conducted a similar research, their results indicated that low-achieving readers that were chosen as tutors, made a lot of progress by using this procedure. In addition, ESL students were also able to improve their grades due to the fact that they increased their approach in reading acquisition skills. Since there is not enough funding to afford tutors, and teachers find it hard to educate all students who have different learning abilities, it
6055-438: A teacher-led discussion is the most common form of lesson. In this setting, some ESL students will fail to participate, and often have difficulty understanding teachers because they talk too fast, do not use visual aids, or use native colloquialisms . ESL students also have trouble getting involved with extracurricular activities with native speakers for similar reasons. Students fail to join extra-curricular activities because of
6228-603: A teacher. Multimodal learning in classrooms, like video making, can help English-language learning students especially with the rising demand that there is in terms of communication. Through video making, English-language learners (ELLs) are able to practice their literacy skills. There have also been discussions that schools should incorporate the use of multimodal literacies into classroom instruction which would greatly benefit English learning students. A TEFL qualification may be received online. Students can enroll in online classes that are accredited by organizations such as
6401-467: A translated text is "pretty outdated, covers only the basics or is terribly translated," and that "The technical vocabulary linked to programming can be complicated to assimilate, especially in the middle of explanatory sentences if you don't know the equivalent word in your native language." Students can't be proficient in their given subjects if the language barrier is complicating the message. Researchers found that syntax, semantics, style, etc., scramble up
6574-515: A twentieth-century phenomenon. Linguist David Wilton in Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends claims that "forming words from acronyms is a distinctly twentieth- (and now twenty-first-) century phenomenon. There is only one known pre-twentieth-century [English] word with an acronymic origin and it was in vogue for only a short time in 1886. The word is colinderies or colinda , an acronym for
6747-480: A word can begin with [s] , and within a word [s] can be followed by a consonant, a word can never both begin with [s] and be immediately followed by a consonant, so learners whose mother tongue is in this language family often have a vowel in front of the word (e.g. school becomes [eskul] , [iskuɫ ~ iskuw] , [ɯskuɫ] or [əskuɫ] for native speakers of Spanish, Brazilian and European Portuguese, and Catalan, respectively). International students typically exhibit
6920-471: A word, an abbreviation is not an acronym." In contrast, some style guides do support it, whether explicitly or implicitly. The 1994 edition of Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage defends the usage on the basis of a claim that dictionaries do not make a distinction. The BuzzFeed style guide describes CBS and PBS as "acronyms ending in S". Acronymy, like retronymy , is a linguistic process that has existed throughout history but for which there
7093-488: Is a question about how to pluralize acronyms. Often a writer will add an 's' following an apostrophe, as in "PC's". However, Kate L. Turabian 's A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , writing about style in academic writings, allows for an apostrophe to form plural acronyms "only when an abbreviation contains internal periods or both capital and lowercase letters". Turabian would therefore prefer "DVDs" and "URLs" but "Ph.D.'s". The style guides of
English as a second or foreign language - Misplaced Pages Continue
7266-725: Is also low mobility among these students from low to high performing groups, which can prevent them from achieving the same academic progress as native speakers . Similar tests are also used to place ESL students in college-level courses. Students have voiced frustration that only non-native students have to prove their language skills, when being a native speaker in no way guarantees college-level academic literacy. Studies have shown that these tests can cause different passing rates among linguistic groups regardless of high school preparation. Dropout rates for ESL students in multiple countries are much higher than dropout rates for native speakers. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in
7439-573: Is an NGO . The provinces and the Ministry of Education in Beijing govern public schools, but private schools have more freedom to set work schedules, pay, and requirements. English teaching salaries in China depend on a number of factors, including hours, location, fringe benefits and bonuses, public or private sector, and an applicant's qualifications, educational level, and work experience. Salaries have increased due to demand. A standard contract in
7612-483: Is an effective tool to help ESL students succeed academically. Peer tutoring has been utilized across many different academic courses and the outcomes for those students that have different learning abilities are outstanding. Classmates who were actively involved with other peers in tutoring had better academic standing than those students who were not part of the tutoring program. Based on their results, researchers found that all English student learners were able to maintain
7785-460: Is an umbrella term that includes TEFL and TESL programs, and is widely accepted in the field of English-language teaching. Students who are learning English in their home country, typically in a school, are EFL (English as a foreign language) students. More generally, students learning English are referred to as ELLs (English language learners). Teaching English as a second language (TESL) refers to teaching English to students whose first language
7958-721: Is becoming increasingly uncommon. Some style guides , such as that of the BBC , no longer require punctuation to show ellipsis ; some even proscribe it. Larry Trask , American author of The Penguin Guide to Punctuation , states categorically that, in British English , "this tiresome and unnecessary practice is now obsolete." Nevertheless, some influential style guides , many of them American , still require periods in certain instances. For example, The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage recommends following each segment with
8131-411: Is common for grammatical contractions (e.g. don't , y'all , and ain't ) and for contractions marking unusual pronunciations (e.g. a'ight , cap'n , and fo'c'sle for "all right", "captain", and "forecastle"). By the early twentieth century, it was standard to use a full stop/period/point , especially in the cases of initialisms and acronyms. Previously, especially for Latin abbreviations , this
8304-461: Is difficult for ESL students that arrive in the United States relatively late to finish this requirement because they must spend a longer time in ESL English classes in high school, or they might not arrive early enough to complete four years of English in high school. This results in many ESL students not having the correct credits to apply for college, or enrolling in summer school to finish
8477-659: Is dropping. The number of native English speakers teaching in public schools dropped 7.7 percent in 2013, to 7,011. Most of the nation's provinces are removing foreign English teachers from their middle and high schools. Like Japan, Korea is nurturing a government-run program for teacher placement called the English Program in Korea (EPIK) . EPIK reported recruiting 6,831 foreign teachers to work in Korean public schools. There are several associations for English teachers in Korea;
8650-631: Is especially important for paper media, where no search utility is available to find the first use.) It also gives students a convenient review list to memorize the important acronyms introduced in a textbook chapter. Expansion at first use and abbreviation keys originated in the print era, but they are equally useful for electronic text . While acronyms provide convenience and succinctness for specialists, they often degenerate into confusing jargon . This may be intentional, to exclude readers without domain-specific knowledge. New acronyms may also confuse when they coincide with an already existing acronym having
8823-585: Is extremely rare. Particularly in Canada and Australia, the term ESD (English as a second dialect ) is used alongside ESL, usually in reference to programs for Aboriginal peoples in Canada or Australians . The term refers to the use of standard English by speakers of a creole or non-standard variety. It is often grouped with ESL as ESL/ESD . the All these ways of denoting the teaching of English can be bundled together into an umbrella term . Unfortunately, not all of
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#17328024035908996-497: Is for a family of students or one family member. Teachers employed by schools usually cannot engage in paid tutoring or any other paid work, in accordance with their teaching contract. Most teachers contract with schools. Public school contracts are fairly standard, but private schools have their own requirements. Schools try to hire teachers from Anglophone countries; because of demand, however, others with good English-language skills and natural accents may find positions. There are
9169-596: Is formed from the Greek roots akro- , meaning 'height, summit, or tip', and -nym , 'name'. This neoclassical compound appears to have originated in German , with attestations for the German form Akronym appearing as early as 1921. Citations in English date to a 1940 translation of a novel by the German writer Lion Feuchtwanger . It is an unsettled question in English lexicography and style guides whether it
9342-584: Is found to a great extent primarily in pronunciation and vocabulary. Variants of the English language also exist in both of these countries (e.g. African American Vernacular English ). The English language has a great reach and influence, and English is taught all over the world. In countries where English is not usually a native language, there are two distinct models for teaching English: educational programs for students who want to move to English-speaking countries, and other programs for students who do not intend to move but who want to understand English content for
9515-464: Is generally said as two letters, but IPsec for Internet Protocol Security is usually pronounced as / ˌ aɪ ˈ p iː s ɛ k / or / ˈ ɪ p s ɛ k / , along with variant capitalization like "IPSEC" and "Ipsec". Pronunciation may even vary within a single speaker's vocabulary, depending on narrow contexts. As an example, the database programming language SQL is usually said as three letters, but in reference to Microsoft's implementation
9688-467: Is highly important to implement peer-tutoring programs in schools. Students placed in ESL program learn together along with other non-English speakers; however, by using peer tutoring in a classroom it will avoid the separation between regular English classes and ESL classes. These programs will promote community between students that will be helping each other grow academically. To further support this statement,
9861-446: Is its original meaning and in common use. Dictionary and style-guide editors dispute whether the term acronym can be legitimately applied to abbreviations which are not pronounced as words, and they do not agree on acronym spacing , casing , and punctuation . The phrase that the acronym stands for is called its expansion . The meaning of an acronym includes both its expansion and the meaning of its expansion. The word acronym
10034-550: Is legitimate to use the word acronym to describe forms that use initials but are not pronounced as a word. While there is plenty of evidence that acronym is used widely in this way, some sources do not acknowledge this usage, reserving the term acronym only for forms pronounced as a word, and using initialism or abbreviation for those that are not. Some sources acknowledge the usage, but vary in whether they criticize or forbid it, allow it without comment, or explicitly advocate it. Some mainstream English dictionaries from across
10207-539: Is less uniform, with salaries as high as ¥20,000 RMB per month for experienced applicants in major cities. Private positions tend to require more hours, may include teaching in a number of locations, and often require weekend and evening work schedules. Accommodation is not included, but schools typically offer a rent stipend. English teachers should have a bachelor's degree in any discipline, be at least 25 years old, and have at least two years of work experience. English teachers should be native speakers, with citizenship in
10380-500: Is normally used to refer to teaching English only to this group. In the UK and Ireland, the term EAL (English as an additional language) is used, rather than ESOL, when talking about primary and secondary schools, in order to clarify that English is not the students' first language, but their second or third. The term ESOL is used to describe English language learners who are above statutory school age. Other acronyms were created to describe
10553-444: Is not English. The teaching profession has used different names for TEFL and TESL; the generic "teaching English to speakers of other languages" (TESOL) is increasingly used, which covers TESL and TEFL as an umbrella term. Both native and non-native speakers train to be English-language teachers. To teach English as a second language to English-language learners (ELLs), passing a written and oral test in English to demonstrate proficiency
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#173280240359010726-401: Is not English. The terms TEFL, TESL, and TESOL distinguish between a class's location and student population, and have become problematic due to their lack of clarity. TEFL refers to English-language programs conducted in countries where English is not the primary language, and may be taught at a language school or by a tutor . For some jobs, the minimum TEFL requirement is a 100-hour course;
10899-459: Is not uncommon for acronyms to be cited in a kind of false etymology , called a folk etymology , for a word. Such etymologies persist in popular culture but have no factual basis in historical linguistics , and are examples of language-related urban legends . For example, " cop " is commonly cited as being derived, it is presumed, from "constable on patrol", and " posh " from " port outward, starboard home ". With some of these specious expansions,
11072-483: Is recommended but not always required. In California, there is an achievement gap between native and non-native English speakers. English language learners in secondary schools tend to get lower scores in Standard English tests for English Language Arts compared to their peers who are more proficient in English. Communicative language teaching (CLT) emphasizes interaction as the means and goal of learning
11245-500: Is taught is referred to as teaching English as a foreign language ( TEFL ), teaching English as a second language (TESL) or teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Technically, TEFL refers to English language teaching in a country where English is not the official language, TESL refers to teaching English to non-native English speakers in a native English-speaking country and TESOL covers both. In practice, however, each of these terms tends to be used more generically across
11418-486: Is the country's most commonly spoken, written, and read language of India; it functions as a link language , particularly in fields such as law, finance, education, and business. The popularity of English in India has posed problems for the country's regional and traditional languages. Hindi is India's official language, and English is recognized as the country's second official language for governmental work. In Japan ,
11591-529: Is the largest nonprofit organization for language teachers (mainly native English speakers), with nearly 3,000 members. Japan was praised for its first-wave reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic , and schools were able to hire instructors with business visas for a short time in the fall of 2020. The border was then closed to nearly all travelers in January 2021, except for Japanese nationals and residents. Despite
11764-454: Is the peak recruiting month, and many annual contracts run from October to June. Employers prefer graduate students with experience in teaching business English or teaching young learners. International schools hire experienced, qualified non-EU teachers. Education ministries in France and Spain offer opportunities for assistant language instructors in public schools. Part-time employment
11937-415: Is traditionally pronounced like the word sequel . In writing for a broad audience, the words of an acronym are typically written out in full at its first occurrence within a given text. Expansion At First Use (EAFU) benefits readers unfamiliar with the acronym. Another text aid is an abbreviation key which lists and expands all acronyms used, a reference for readers who skipped past the first use. (This
12110-477: Is used as a foreign language. The other broad grouping is the use of English within the English-speaking world . In what Braj Kachru calls "the inner circle", i.e., countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, this use of English is generally by refugees , immigrants , and their children. It also includes the use of English in "outer circle" countries, often former British colonies and
12283-442: Is usually permitted with an education visa, which also requires attendance at an accredited EU college, university, institute, or other educational program. Despite claims by websites which sell courses, state schools often do not accept brief TEFL courses as a substitute for a university degree in English education. In Spain, a foreign teaching degree and passage of a civil-service examination ( oposiciones ) are required to teach in
12456-508: The British Council or Cambridge ESOL . There is no overarching accreditation body for TEFL, and for-profit companies have been known to invent accreditation affiliates. Study materials are divided into modules on which students are tested. Tutors who provide support can be reached via email . After successfully completing the last module, the student receives a certificate digitally or by postal mail. A number of employers require
12629-720: The British Council Bangladesh is a branch of the British Council ; Bangladesh is part of the Commonwealth of Nations . Demand for English teachers in Cambodia has increased. The country has a small population and depends on foreign aid for much of its economic development, however, limiting growth. Cambodia was ruled by the French from 1863 to 1953, and English was not the primary second language. The country experienced civil war and political turmoil from
12802-516: The Colonial and Indian Exposition held in London in that year." However, although acronymic words seem not to have been employed in general vocabulary before the twentieth century (as Wilton points out), the concept of their formation is treated as effortlessly understood (and evidently not novel) in an Edgar Allan Poe story of the 1830s, " How to Write a Blackwood Article ", which includes
12975-968: The JET Programme employs assistant language teachers and teaching assistants to work in Japanese high and elementary schools . Other teachers work in private Eikaiwa schools , universities, and as coordinators for international relations (CIRs) in government and on boards of education. The largest chains are Aeon and ECC , but the sector is not well-regulated. Nova (one of the largest chains with over 900 branches) collapsed in October 2007, leaving thousands of foreign teachers without income or – for some – housing. Agencies are increasingly used to send English speakers to kindergartens , primary schools, and private companies whose employees need to improve their business English . The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT)
13148-623: The Modern Language Association and American Psychological Association prohibit apostrophes from being used to pluralize acronyms regardless of periods (so "compact discs" would be "CDs" or "C.D.s"), whereas The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage requires an apostrophe when pluralizing all abbreviations regardless of periods (preferring "PC's, TV's and VCR's"). Possessive plurals that also include apostrophes for mere pluralization and periods appear especially complex: for example, "the C.D.'s' labels" (the labels of
13321-459: The Philippines , where English is an official language even if it is not spoken as a mother tongue by a majority of the population. In the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand this use of English is called ESL (English as a second language). This term has been criticized on the grounds that many learners already speak more than one language. A counter-argument says that the word "a" in
13494-539: The Restoration witticism arranging the names of some members of Charles II 's Committee for Foreign Affairs to produce the "CABAL" ministry . OK , a term of disputed origin, dates back at least to the early nineteenth century and is now used around the world. Acronyms are used most often to abbreviate names of organizations and long or frequently referenced terms. The armed forces and government agencies frequently employ acronyms; some well-known examples from
13667-590: The United Arab Emirates (UAE), salaries vary by school (international or public school) and fringe benefits include housing, flights, and insurance. Teachers may be exploited by employers. Spain has been criticized for its large number of small-to-medium businesses (including TEFL schools) which routinely avoid employees' social-security contributions to maximize profits. Large European cities have established language schools or operated as agencies which send teachers to various locations. September
13840-558: The language barrier , the cultural emphasis of academics over other activities, or failure to understand traditional pastimes in their new country. Supporters of ESL programs claim they play an important role in the formation of peer networks and adjustment to school and society in their new homes. Having class among other students learning English as a second language relieves the pressure of making mistakes when speaking in class or to peers . ESL programs also allow students to be among others who appreciate their native language and culture ,
14013-1134: The median household income for school-age ESL students is $ 36,691 while that of non-ESL students is $ 60,280. College tuition has risen sharply in the last decade, while family income has fallen. In addition, while many ESL students receive a Pell Grant , the maximum grant for the year 2011–2012 covered only about a third of the cost of college. ESL students often have difficulty interacting with native speakers in school. Some ESL students avoid interactions with native speakers because of their frustration or embarrassment at their poor English. Immigrant students often also lack knowledge of popular culture , which limits their conversations with native speakers to academic topics. In classroom group activities with native speakers, ESL students often do not participate, again because of embarrassment about their English, but also because of cultural differences: their native cultures may value silence and individual work at school in preference to social interaction and talking in class. These interactions have been found to extend to teacher-student interactions as well. In most mainstream classrooms,
14186-415: The mother tongue . It is usually paid for by the host government to help newcomers settle into their adopted country, sometimes as part of an explicit citizenship program. It is technically possible for ESL to be taught not in the host country, but in, for example, a refugee camp, as part of a pre-departure program sponsored by the government soon to receive new potential citizens. In practice, however, this
14359-480: The "belief" that the etymology is acronymic has clearly been tongue-in-cheek among many citers, as with "gentlemen only, ladies forbidden" for " golf ", although many other (more credulous ) people have uncritically taken it for fact. Taboo words in particular commonly have such false etymologies: " shit " from "ship/store high in transit" or "special high-intensity training" and " fuck " from "for unlawful carnal knowledge", or "fornication under consent/command of
14532-580: The 120-hour course is recommended, however, since it may lead to higher-paid teaching positions. TEFL teachers may be native or non-native speakers of English. TESL and TESOL include English-language programs conducted in English-speaking countries. These classes often serve populations who have immigrated , temporarily or permanently, or whose families speak another language at home. TESL is considered an outdated term, because students may speak more than one language before they study English. TESOL
14705-463: The 160-character SMS limit, and to save time, acronyms such as "GF" ("girlfriend"), "LOL" ("laughing out loud"), and "DL" ("download" or "down low") have become popular. Some prescriptivists disdain texting acronyms and abbreviations as decreasing clarity, or as failure to use "pure" or "proper" English. Others point out that languages have always continually changed , and argue that acronyms should be embraced as inevitable, or as innovation that adapts
14878-461: The 18 letters between the initial "i" and the final "n"). Authors of expository writing will sometimes capitalize or otherwise distinctively format the initials of the expansion for pedagogical emphasis (for example, writing: "the onset of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)" or "the onset of c ongestive h eart f ailure (CHF)"). Capitalization like this, however, conflicts with the convention of English orthography, which generally reserves capitals in
15051-546: The 1970s through the 1990s, which devastated the national education system (including second-language study). By 1979 An estimated 90 percent of schools had been destroyed and 75% of teachers were no longer working by 1979; foreign languages were not taught. In Cambodian schools today, however, English is taught from grade seven and is the most popular foreign language studied. Adults can learn English with informal education programs. Professional, institutional, and governmental motivations exist for teaching and learning English as
15224-539: The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 4,747 female English as a foreign language teachers (80.1 percent) and 1,174 male teachers (19.8 percent). Despite the 2007–2008 financial crisis , the number of international students attending universities in Australia remained high. Four hundred sixty-two thousand international students paid full fees in Australia in August 2013, with students from China and India
15397-466: The British press may render it "Nato"), but uses lower case in " Unicef " (from "United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund") because it is more than four letters, and to style it in caps might look ungainly (flirting with the appearance of "shouting capitals"). While abbreviations typically exclude the initials of short function words (such as "and", "or", "of", or "to"), this is not always
15570-609: The Chinese learners did not see classroom 'discussion and interaction' type of communication for learning as important but placed a heavy emphasis on teacher-directed lectures. English contains a number of sounds and sound distinctions not present in some other languages. These sounds can include vowels and consonants, as well as diphthongs and other morphemes. Speakers of languages without these sounds may have problems both with hearing and pronouncing them. For example: Languages may also differ in syllable structure ; English allows for
15743-485: The ESL syllabus must break free of the longstanding intellectual imperiousness of the standard to embrace instruction that encompasses the many "Englishes" that learners will encounter and thereby achieve the culturally responsive pedagogy so often advocated by leaders in the field." ESL students often suffer from the effects of tracking and ability grouping . Students are often placed into low ability groups based on scores on standardized tests in English and math. There
15916-478: The English language was from US$ 1,800 to $ 2,200. There are four main places to work in South Korea: universities, private schools, public schools (EPIK), and private language academies ( hagwons ). Private language academies (in 2005, over thirty thousand such academies taught English), the most common teaching location in Korea, can be for classes of schoolchildren, homemakers, university students (often at
16089-529: The English teachers in the world would agree on just only a simple single term(s). The term TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) is used in American English to include both TEFL and TESL. This is also the case in Canada as well as in Australia and New Zealand. British English uses ELT (English language teaching), because TESOL has a different, more specific meaning; see above. Language teaching practice often assumes that most of
16262-777: The English-speaking world affirm a sense of acronym which does not require being pronounced as a word. American English dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster , Dictionary.com's Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary as well as the British Oxford English Dictionary and the Australian Macquarie Dictionary all include a sense in their entries for acronym equating it with initialism , although The American Heritage Dictionary criticizes it with
16435-753: The L2, pronouncing certain sounds incorrectly or with difficulty, and confusing items of vocabulary known as false friends . This is known as L1 transfer or "language interference". However, these transfer effects are typically stronger for beginners' language production, and SLA research has highlighted many errors which cannot be attributed to the L1, as they are attested in learners of many language backgrounds (for example, failure to apply 3rd person present singular -s to verbs, as in 'he make' not 'he make s' ). Some students may have problems due to certain words being usable, unchanged, as different parts of speech . For example,
16608-700: The NET scheme, they can move from school to school after completing a (normal) two-year contract. Therefore, a teacher with a strong track record has a lot of opportunities to land an ideal position at a perfect school. Public and private schools are looking for TEFL qualifications listed with the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Vocational and Academic Qualifications and the Hong Kong Education Bureau . Missionary schools in Macau were
16781-426: The SIOP model has led to positive results among students. The SIOP model also helps expand background knowledge and it can be used in inductive learning environments which as a result can help English learning students academically. Qualification requirements vary by country and among employers in a country. A number of institutions do not require a degree or teaching certificate, but some require native speakers with
16954-564: The U.S. Navy, is "COMCRUDESPAC", which stands for "commander, cruisers destroyers Pacific"; it is also seen as "ComCruDesPac". Inventors are encouraged to anticipate the formation of acronyms by making new terms "YABA-compatible" ("yet another bloody acronym"), meaning the term's acronym can be pronounced and is not an offensive word: "When choosing a new name, be sure it is 'YABA-compatible'." Acronym use has been further popularized by text messaging on mobile phones with short message service (SMS), and instant messenger (IM). To fit messages into
17127-838: The US is due to the No Child Left Behind Act . Schools that risk losing funding, closing, or having their principals fired if test scores are not high enough begin to view students that do not perform well on standardized tests as liabilities. Because dropouts actually increase a school's performance, critics claim that administrators let poor performing students slip through the cracks. A study of Texas schools operating under No Child Left Behind found that 80% of ESL students did not graduate from high school in five years. ESL students face several barriers to higher education . Most colleges and universities require four years of English in high school. In addition, most colleges and universities only accept one year of ESL English. It
17300-406: The US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa. These rules are often waived due to demand; schools can obtain work permits for teachers who do not meet the minimum standards, although this is less common in the major cities. The Ministry of Education is increasing enforcement of its requirements for foreign English language teachers; enforcement includes fines, suspension, or
17473-497: The United States are among the " alphabet agencies " (jokingly referred to as " alphabet soup ") created under the New Deal by Franklin D. Roosevelt (himself known as "FDR"). Business and industry also coin acronyms prolifically. The rapid advance of science and technology also drives the usage, as new inventions and concepts with multiword names create a demand for shorter, more pronounceable names. One representative example, from
17646-583: The United States reported that the percentage of dropouts in the non-native born Hispanic youth population between the ages of 16 and 24 years old is 43.4%. A study in Canada found that the high school dropout rate for all ESL students was 74%. High dropout rates are thought to be due to difficulties ESL students have in keeping up in mainstream classes, the increasing number of ESL students who enter middle or high school with interrupted prior formal education, and accountability systems. The accountability system in
17819-412: The academic field, publications about English use can be as important as qualifications. Where there is a high demand for teachers and no statutory requirements, employers may accept otherwise-unqualified candidates. Acceptance depends on the demand for English teachers and the teacher's previous teaching and life experiences. The TEFL industry and language schools have settled on 100 hours of coursework as
17992-411: The acronym may use normal case rules, e.g. it would appear generally in lower case, but with an initial capital when starting a sentence or when in a title. Once knowledge of the words underlying such an acronym has faded from common recall, the acronym may be termed an anacronym . Examples of anacronyms are the words " scuba ", " radar ", and " laser ". The word "an acro nym" should not be confused with
18165-590: The adoption of acronyms was modern warfare, with its many highly technical terms. While there is no recorded use of military acronyms dating from the American Civil War (acronyms such as "ANV" for " Army of Northern Virginia " post-date the war itself), they became somewhat common in World War I , and by World War II they were widespread even in the slang of soldiers, who referred to themselves as G.I.s . The widespread, frequent use of acronyms across
18338-417: The amount of time and attention their English proficiency is given throughout their educational experiences. If a student lacks an understanding of the English language and still needs to participate in their coursework, they will turn to translations in order to aid their efforts. The issue is that many of these translations rarely carry the same meaning as the original text. The students in this study said that
18511-506: The apostrophe should be reserved for the possessive ("the TV's antenna"). In some languages, the convention of doubling the letters in the acronym is used to indicate plural words: for example, the Spanish EE.UU. , for Estados Unidos ('United States'). This old convention is still sometimes followed for a limited number of English abbreviations, such as SS. for Saints , pp. for
18684-503: The applicant's home country and verified in China after they are posted to the Chinese employer; this is in addition to the visa process. It can take about three months from receiving a job offer to beginning work in China. A number of English-teaching institutions have opened in Hong Kong ; private companies include Headstart Group and English for Asia, but some treat native-speaking foreigners dishonestly. A TEFL qualification has become
18857-1163: The case. Sometimes function words are included to make a pronounceable acronym, such as CORE ( Congress of Racial Equality ). Sometimes the letters representing these words are written in lower case, such as in the cases of "TfL" (" Transport for London ") and LotR ( The Lord of the Rings ); this usually occurs when the acronym represents a multi-word proper noun. Numbers (both cardinal and ordinal ) in names are often represented by digits rather than initial letters, as in "4GL" (" fourth generation language ") or "G77" (" Group of 77 "). Large numbers may use metric prefixes , as with " Y2K " for "Year 2000". Exceptions using initials for numbers include " TLA " ("three-letter acronym/abbreviation") and "GoF" (" Gang of Four "). Abbreviations using numbers for other purposes include repetitions, such as " A2DP " ("Advanced Audio Distribution Profile"), " W3C " ("World Wide Web Consortium"), and T3 ( Trends, Tips & Tools for Everyday Living ); pronunciation, such as " B2B " ("business to business"); and numeronyms , such as "i18n" ("internationalization"; "18" represents
19030-495: The civil rights decision of Lauv v. Nichols school districts are required to provide this additional instruction based on the needs of students, but this requirement still needs to be acted on. Many ESL students have issues in higher-level courses that hinder their academic performances due to the complicated language used in these courses being at a more complex level than what many ESL students were taught. In many cases of ESL students learning Computer Programming, they struggle with
19203-442: The closure of non-compliant institutions. Public schools usually pay during vacations, but not for summer break unless the teacher renews the contract. Many private schools have shorter vacation schedules, and may pay for days allowed for vacation. Company jobs vary by the number of employees trained. Companies may employ a teacher for one or two classes, or 14 to 16 hours a week. Tutoring also varies, dependent on whether teaching
19376-413: The compact discs). In some instances, however, an apostrophe may increase clarity: for example, if the final letter of an abbreviation is "S", as in "SOS's" (although abbreviations ending with S can also take "-es", e.g. "SOSes"), or when pluralizing an abbreviation that has periods. A particularly rich source of options arises when the plural of an acronym would normally be indicated in a word other than
19549-564: The contrived acronym "P.R.E.T.T.Y.B.L.U.E.B.A.T.C.H." The use of Latin and Neo-Latin terms in vernaculars has been pan-European and pre-dates modern English. Some examples of acronyms in this class are: The earliest example of a word derived from an acronym listed by the OED is "abjud" (now " abjad "), formed from the original first four letters of the Arabic alphabet in the late eighteenth century. Some acrostics pre-date this, however, such as
19722-568: The cultural and linguistic diversity of students, promoting inclusive educational practices across different contexts. Methods for teaching English encompass a broad spectrum, from traditional classroom settings to innovative self-directed study programs, integrating approaches that enhance language acquisition and cultural understanding. The efficacy of these methods hinges on adapting teaching strategies to students' proficiency levels and contextual needs, ensuring comprehensive language learning in today's interconnected world. The aspect in which EFL
19895-453: The diachronic mutations eventually settled on SIGN . Cultural differences in communication styles and preferences are also significant. For example, a study among Chinese ESL students revealed that preference for not using the tense marking on verb present in the morphology of their mother tongue made it difficult for them to express time-related sentences in English. Another study looked at Chinese ESL students and British teachers and found that
20068-438: The dictionary entries and style guide recommendations regarding the term acronym through the twentieth century did not explicitly acknowledge or support the expansive sense. The Merriam–Webster's Dictionary of English Usage from 1994 is one of the earliest publications to advocate for the expansive sense, and all the major dictionary editions that include a sense of acronym equating it with initialism were first published in
20241-423: The difficulties that learners face in the study of English are the consequence of the degree to which their native language differs from English (a contrastive analysis approach). A native speaker of Chinese , for example, may face many more difficulties than a native speaker of German , because German is more closely related to English than Chinese. This may be true for anyone of any mother tongue (also called
20414-500: The dominant image of composition students as native speakers of a privileged variety of English." While the textbooks were successful in referencing global and international perspectives, the portrayal of the intended audience, the you of the text, ultimately alienated any individual not belonging to a predominantly white background and culture. In constructing this guise, prospective ESL learners are collectively lumped into an "other" group that isolates and undermines their capacity to enter
20587-664: The exclusive sense for acronym and its earliest citation was from 1943. In early December 2010, Duke University researcher Stephen Goranson published a citation for acronym to the American Dialect Society e-mail discussion list which refers to PGN being pronounced "pee-gee-enn", antedating English language usage of the word to 1940. Linguist Ben Zimmer then mentioned this citation in his December 16, 2010 " On Language " column about acronyms in The New York Times Magazine . By 2011,
20760-505: The expression of which is often not supported or encouraged in mainstream settings. ESL programs also allow students to meet and form friendships with other non-native speakers from different cultures, promoting racial tolerance and multiculturalism . ESL programs have been critiqued for focusing more on revenue-generation than on educating students. This has led to controversy over how ESL programs can be managed in an ethical manner. The field of technical and professional communication has
20933-485: The field. Furthermore, this alienation is exacerbated by the emergence of English as the pinnacle language for business and many professional realms. In Kwon & Klassen's research, they also identified and criticized a "single native-speaker recipe for linguistic success," which contributed to anxieties about entering the professional field for ESL technical communicators. These concerns about an English-dominated professional field indicate an affective filter that provides
21106-763: The final word if spelled out in full. A classic example is "Member of Parliament", which in plural is "Members of Parliament". It is possible then to abbreviate this as "M's P", which was fairly common in mid-twentieth-century Australian news writing (or similar ), and used by former Australian Prime Minister Ben Chifley . This usage is less common than forms with "s" at the end, such as "MPs", and may appear dated or pedantic. In common usage, therefore, "weapons of mass destruction" becomes "WMDs", "prisoners of war" becomes "POWs", and "runs batted in" becomes "RBIs". Abbreviations that come from single, rather than multiple, words – such as "TV" ("television") – are usually pluralized without apostrophes ("two TVs"); most writers feel that
21279-427: The first language, normally abbreviated L1) setting out to learn any other language (called a target language , second language or L2). See also second-language acquisition (SLA) for mixed evidence from linguistic research. Language learners often produce errors of syntax , vocabulary , and pronunciation thought to result from the influence of their L1, such as mapping its grammatical patterns inappropriately onto
21452-464: The first letter of acronyms, reserving all-caps styling for initialisms, writing the pronounced acronyms "Nato" and "Aids" in mixed case, but the initialisms "USA" and "FBI" in all caps. For example, this is the style used in The Guardian , and BBC News typically edits to this style (though its official style guide, dating from 2003, still recommends all-caps ). The logic of this style is that
21625-453: The first to teach English during the early 17th century. Despite its being a former Portuguese colony, about 1.5 percent of Macau's population speak English; the rest speak varieties of Chinese . The most popular foreign language in schools is English, which is usually spoken by those engaged in commerce and tourism. Beginning in 1759, English has been taught in India . After Hindi , English
21798-508: The full field. TEFL is more widely used in the United Kingdom and TESL or TESOL in the United States. The term "ESL" has been seen by some to indicate that English would be of subordinate importance; for example, where English is used as a lingua franca in a multilingual country. The term can be a misnomer for some students who have learned several languages before learning English. The terms "English language learners" (ELL), and, more recently, "English learners" (EL), have been used instead, and
21971-500: The functional and descriptive nature of languages evidenced from distribution. For example, a cleric, Robert Lowth , introduced the rule to never end a sentence with a preposition, inspired by Latin grammar, through his book A Short Introduction to English Grammar . The inconsistencies brought from Latin language standardization of English language led to classifying and sub-classifying an otherwise simple language structure. Like many alphabetic writing systems, English also has incorporated
22144-456: The initial letter of each word in all caps with no punctuation . For some, an initialism or alphabetism , connotes this general meaning, and an acronym is a subset with a narrower definition: an initialism pronounced as a word rather than as a sequence of letters. In this sense, NASA / ˈ n æ s ə / is an acronym but USA / j uː ɛ s ˈ eɪ / is not. The broader sense of acronym , ignoring pronunciation,
22317-435: The king". In English, abbreviations have previously been marked by a wide variety of punctuation . Obsolete forms include using an overbar or colon to show the ellipsis of letters following the initial part. The forward slash is still common in many dialects for some fixed expressions—such as in w/ for "with" or A/C for " air conditioning "—while only infrequently being used to abbreviate new terms. The apostrophe
22490-500: The label "usage problem". However, many English language dictionaries, such as the Collins COBUILD Advanced Dictionary , Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary , Macmillan Dictionary , Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English , New Oxford American Dictionary , Webster's New World Dictionary , and Lexico from Oxford University Press do not acknowledge such a sense. Most of
22663-588: The language associated with formal content material and academic learning. These skills usually take from five to seven years to develop. According to some English professionals, reading for pleasure is an important component in the teaching of both native and foreign languages: "Studies that sought to improve writing by providing reading experiences in place of grammar study or additional writing practice found that these experiences were as beneficial as, or more beneficial than, grammar study or extra writing practice." As with most languages, written language tends to use
22836-836: The language to changing circumstances. In this view, the modern practice is just the "proper" English of the current generation of speakers, much like the earlier abbreviation of corporation names on ticker tape or newspapers. Exact pronunciation of "word acronyms" (those pronounced as words rather than sounded out as individual letters) often vary by speaker population. These may be regional, occupational, or generational differences, or simply personal preference. For instance, there have been decades of online debate about how to pronounce GIF ( / ɡ ɪ f / or / dʒ ɪ f / ) and BIOS ( / ˈ b aɪ oʊ s / , / ˈ b aɪ oʊ z / , or / ˈ b aɪ ɒ s / ). Similarly, some letter-by-letter initialisms may become word acronyms over time, especially in combining forms: IP for Internet Protocol
23009-437: The language used in instructional manuals. Writing media centers have caused ESL students issues with universities unable to provide proofreading in their writing media center programs. This causes many ESL students to have difficulties writing papers for high-level courses that require a more complex lexicon than what many of them were taught. Fortunately, university tutors have had successes with teaching ESL students how to write
23182-532: The largest one with a significant number of native speakers is Korea TESOL . Institutions commonly provide round-trip airfare and a rent-free apartment for a one-year contract. On 15 March 2008, visa rules changed; prospective teachers must undergo a medical examination and a criminal background check, produce an original degree certificate, and provide sealed transcripts. On arrival in South Korea, teachers must undergo another medical check before they receive
23355-579: The level of economic development and residential desirability. In relatively-poor countries, a low wage may provide a comfortable middle-class lifestyle . EFL teachers often focus on East Asian countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan, where demand is high. The Middle East is often cited as one of the best-paying regions, although better qualifications are usually needed: at least a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) and one or two years of experience. In
23528-507: The methods used in training. However, without proper cultural immersion (social learning grounds) the associated language habits and reference points (internal mechanisms) of the host country are not completely transferred through these programs. The major engines that influence the language are the United States and the United Kingdom and they both have assimilated the language differently so they differ in expressions and usage. This
23701-528: The minimum standard for a recognized or accredited TEFL course. Asian countries, particularly Thailand, tend to hire TEFL teachers based on superficial criteria such as race; Caucasian native speakers are preferred. Parents expect an American or British TEFL teacher, and schools will not risk a declining enrollment. Age or gender requirements might also be encountered. In some countries outside Europe and America (such as Middle Eastern countries), schools might prefer men to women or vice versa and hire teachers in
23874-418: The more general "x" can be used to replace an unspecified number of letters. Examples include "Crxn" for "crystallization" and the series familiar to physicians for history , diagnosis , and treatment ("hx", "dx", "tx"). Terms relating to a command structure may also sometimes use this formatting, for example gold, silver, and bronze levels of command in UK policing being referred to as Gx, Sx, and Bx. There
24047-408: The novice role when working with peers. Generally, these learners may lack self-confidence. For some, prior schooling is equated with status, cultured, civilized, high class, and they may experience shame among peers in their new ESL classes. Learners who have not had extensive exposure to reading and writing in a second language, despite having acceptable spoken proficiency, may have difficulties with
24220-498: The original messages. This disorientation of the text fogs up the message and makes it difficult for the student to decipher what they are supposed to be learning. This is where additional time and attention are needed to bridge the gap between native English speakers and ESL students. ESL students face difficulties in areas concerning lexico-grammatical aspects of technical writing., overall textual organization and comprehension, differentiation between genres of technical communication and
24393-645: The paired bilingual reading approach appeared to work as well as, or better than, the English-only reading approach in terms of reading growth and results. Researchers found differences in results, but they also varied based on several outcomes depending on the student's learning abilities and academic performance. Teaching English as a foreign language Teaching English as a second ( TESL ) or foreign language ( TEFL ) and teaching English to speakers of other languages ( TESOL ) are terms that refer to teaching English to students whose first language
24566-538: The person rather than the language to be learned. The term Limited English proficiency (LEP) was first used in 1975 by the Lau Remedies following a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court . ELL (English Language Learner), used by United States governments and school systems, was created by James Crawford of the Institute for Language and Education Policy in an effort to label learners positively, rather than ascribing
24739-535: The phrase "a second language" means there is no presumption that English is the second acquired language (see also Second language ). TESL is the teaching of English as a second language. There are also other terms that it may be referred to in the US including ELL (English Language Learner) and CLD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse). In the UK and Ireland, the term ESL has been replaced by ESOL (English for speakers of other languages). In these countries TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages)
24912-729: The plural of 'pages', or mss. for manuscripts . The most common capitalization scheme seen with acronyms is all-uppercase ( all caps ). Small caps are sometimes used to make the run of capital letters seem less jarring to the reader. For example, the style of some American publications, including the Atlantic Monthly and USA Today , is to use small caps for acronyms longer than three letters; thus "U.S." and " FDR " in normal caps, but " nato " in small caps. The acronyms " AD " and " BC " are often smallcapped as well, as in: "From 4004 bc to ad 525 ". Where an acronym has linguistically taken on an identity as regular word,
25085-600: The policies and politics of the times. TEFL in China began in the second half of the 19th century with the Westernization movement introduced by Qing dynasty officials. The movement brought Western culture and trade, and some Chinese officials saw the need to learn English. Tongwenguan, the first institute for teaching the language, was founded in 1862 and became part of Beijing Normal University in 1901. Opportunities exist in preschools, universities, private schools and institutes, companies, and tutoring; Teach For China
25258-406: The potential to disrupt barriers that hinder ESL learners from entering the field, although it can just as easily perpetuate these issues. One study by Matsuda & Matsuda sought to evaluate introductory-level textbooks on the subject of technical communication. Among their research, they found that these textbooks perpetuated the "myth of linguistic homogeneity—the tacit and widespread acceptance of
25431-433: The primary level and continues through high school. Although Bengali is the official state language and the mother tongue of almost 97 percent of the population, English is widely spoken in the country as a result of two centuries of regional British colonial rule and is used in formal day-to-day activities. Almost all colleges and other higher-education institutions provide programs in English language and literature, and
25604-540: The principle that graphemic units should correspond to the phonemic units; however, the fidelity to the principle is compromised, compared to an exemplar language like the Finnish language . This is evident in the Oxford English Dictionary; for many years it experimented with various spellings of 'SIGN' to attain a fidelity with the said principle, among which were SINE, SEGN, and SYNE, and through
25777-483: The pronunciation is reflected graphically by the capitalization scheme. However, it conflicts with conventional English usage of first-letter upper-casing as a marker of proper names in many cases; e.g. AIDS stands for acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome which is not a proper name, while Aids is in the style of one. Some style manuals also base the letters' case on their number. The New York Times , for example, keeps "NATO" in all capitals (while several guides in
25950-523: The public-school system generally entails less than 20 hours of teaching time with weekends off, accommodations, a flight stipend or reimbursement (for one-year contracts), paid public holidays, medical insurance, and Z-visa (work permit) sponsorship. These positions offer a monthly base salary of ¥6,000–7,000 RMB in smaller cities and rural areas. In larger cities such as Beijing, Shanghai , Shenzhen and Guangzhou , these positions offer over ¥10,000 RMB per month due to higher living costs. The private sector
26123-685: The publication of the 3rd edition of the Oxford English Dictionary added the expansive sense to its entry for acronym and included the 1940 citation. As the Oxford English Dictionary structures the senses in order of chronological development, it now gives the "initialism" sense first. English language usage and style guides which have entries for acronym generally criticize the usage that refers to forms that are not pronounceable words. Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage says that acronym "denotes abbreviations formed from initial letters of other words and pronounced as
26296-476: The purposes of education, entertainment, employment or conducting international business. The differences between these two models of English language education have grown larger over time, and teachers focusing on each model have used different terminology , received different training, and formed separate professional associations . English is also taught as a second language for recent immigrants to English-speaking countries, which faces separate challenges because
26469-510: The reading and writing in their L2. Joann Crandall (1993) has pointed out that most teacher training programs for TESOL instructors do not include sufficient, in most cases "no", training for the instruction in literacy. This is a gap that many scholars feel needs to be addressed. Basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) are language skills needed in social situations. These language skills usually develop within six months to two years. Cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) refers to
26642-501: The required courses. ESL students can also face additional financial barriers to higher education because of their language skills. Those that don't place high enough on college placement exams often have to enroll in ESL courses at their universities. These courses can cost up to $ 1,000 extra, and can be offered without credit towards graduation. This adds additional financial stress on ESL students that often come from families of lower socioeconomic status . The latest statistics show that
26815-419: The same age and same grade level. The goal of this dynamic is to help both the tutor, in this case, the English speaker, and the tutee, the ESL student. Monolingual tutors are given the class material in order to provide tutoring to their assigned ESL tutee. Once the tutor has had the chance to help the student, classmates get to switch roles in order to give both peers an opportunity to learn from each other. In
26988-445: The second group includes those who learn English as a totally foreign language i.e. a language that is not spoken in any part of their county. EFL , English as a foreign language, indicates the teaching of English in a non–English-speaking region. The study can occur either in the student's home country, as part of the normal school curriculum or otherwise, or, for the more privileged minority, in an anglophone country that they visit as
27161-470: The sides of railroad cars (e.g., "Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad" → "RF&P"); on the sides of barrels and crates; and on ticker tape and newspaper stock listings (e.g. American Telephone and Telegraph Company → AT&T). Some well-known commercial examples dating from the 1890s through 1920s include " Nabisco " ("National Biscuit Company"), " Esso " (from "S.O.", from " Standard Oil "), and " Sunoco " ("Sun Oil Company"). Another field for
27334-455: The social hierarchies that concern the subject matter. This inhibits their ability to comprehend complex messages from English texts, and it would be more beneficial for them to tackle these subjects individually. The primary issue with this is the accessibility to more instruction. ESL students need an individual analysis of their needs and this needs to revolve around the student's ability to communicate and interpret information in English. Due to
27507-482: The state school curriculum in countries where English has no special status (what linguistic theorist Braj Kachru calls the "expanding circle countries"); it may also be supplemented by lessons paid for privately. Teachers of EFL generally assume that students are literate in their mother tongue . The Chinese EFL Journal and Iranian EFL Journal are examples of international journals dedicated to specifics of English language learning within countries where English
27680-667: The student to use the form of English most suitable for their purposes, but also exposure to regional forms and cultural styles so that the student will be able to discern meaning even when the words, grammar, or pronunciation are different from the form of English they are being taught to speak. Some professionals in the field have recommended incorporating information about non-standard forms of English in ESL programs. For example, in advocating for classroom-based instruction in African-American English (also known as Ebonics), linguist Richard McDorman has argued, "Simply put,
27853-475: The students in one class may speak many different native languages. The many acronyms and abbreviations used in the field of English teaching and learning may be confusing and the following technical definitions may have their currency contested upon various grounds. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is described below. These terms are most commonly used in relation to teaching and learning English as
28026-440: The students' native languages and cultures are considered important. Methods of learning English are highly variable, depending on the student's level of English proficiency and the manner and setting in which they are taught, which can range from required classes in school to self-directed study at home, or a blended combination of both. Teaching technique plays an important role in the performance of English language acquisition as
28199-516: The teacher without interacting. Dogme is a similar communicative approach that encourages teaching without published textbooks, focusing on conversation by learners and teacher. Blended learning is a combination of multimedia elements (also known as computer-assisted language learning ) in a virtual learning environment (VLE) with classroom instruction, a teacher, and peers. It uses technology to provide large amounts of comprehensible input to learners through video and other types of media without
28372-502: The terms as mutually exclusive. Other guides outright deny any legitimacy to the usage: Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words says "Abbreviations that are not pronounced as words (IBM, ABC, NFL) are not acronyms; they are just abbreviations." Garner's Modern American Usage says "An acronym is made from the first letters or parts of a compound term. It's read or spoken as a single word, not letter by letter." The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage says "Unless pronounced as
28545-570: The twenty-first century. The trend among dictionary editors appears to be towards including a sense defining acronym as initialism : the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary added such a sense in its 11th edition in 2003, and both the Oxford English Dictionary and The American Heritage Dictionary added such senses in their 2011 editions. The 1989 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary only included
28718-516: The two largest markets. International students applying to Australian universities had been required to be tested, and were accepted according to their academic performance and English-language proficiency. Australian universities now provide alternative pathways to higher-education programs to allow international students to improve their English-language and academic preparation. Alternative pathways include foundation studies and intensive English-language courses. Employment for teachers of English as
28891-446: The university), or businesspeople. Hagwons can be small and independent or part of a large chain, and foreigners should be aware of all the education laws of their school of employment before going overseas. Acronym and initialism An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with
29064-536: The whole range of linguistic registers is relatively new in most languages, becoming increasingly evident since the mid-twentieth century. As literacy spread and technology produced a constant stream of new and complex terms, abbreviations became increasingly convenient. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED ) records the first printed use of the word initialism as occurring in 1899, but it did not come into general use until 1965, well after acronym had become common. In English, acronyms pronounced as words may be
29237-425: The word " an achro nym ", which is a type of misnomer. Words derived from an acronym by affixing are typically expressed in mixed case, so the root acronym is clear. For example, "pre-WWII politics", "post-NATO world", " DNase ". In some cases a derived acronym may also be expressed in mixed case. For example, " messenger RNA " and " transfer RNA " become "mRNA" and "tRNA". Some publications choose to capitalize only
29410-399: The word "suffering" in "I am suffering terribly" is a verb, but in "My suffering is terrible" is a noun — and confounding matters is the fact that both of these sentences express the same idea, using the same words. Other students might have problems due to the prescribing and proscribing nature of rules in the language formulated by amateur grammarians rather than ascribing to
29583-539: Was Spanish and were part of the ESL program were participants of this study. Three different approaches were the focus in which immersing students in English from the very beginning and teaching them reading only in that language; teaching students in Spanish first, followed by English; and teaching students to read in Spanish and English simultaneously. This occurs through a strategic approach such as structured English immersion or sheltered instruction. Findings showed that
29756-511: Was done with a full space between every full word (e.g. A. D. , i. e. , and e. g. for " Anno Domini ", " id est ", and " exempli gratia "). This even included punctuation after both Roman and Arabic numerals to indicate their use in place of the full names of each number (e.g. LII. or 52. in place of "fifty-two" and "1/4." or "1./4." to indicate "one-fourth"). Both conventions have fallen out of common use in all dialects of English, except in places where an Arabic decimal includes
29929-449: Was little to no naming , conscious attention, or systematic analysis until relatively recent times. Like retronymy, it became much more common in the twentieth century than it had formerly been. Ancient examples of acronymy (before the term "acronym" was invented) include the following: During the mid- to late nineteenth century, acronyms became a trend among American and European businessmen: abbreviating corporation names, such as on
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