TESOL | Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

TESOL is a term commonly used in the UK, New Zealand and Ireland to describe the act of teaching English to non native speakers in countries where English is the official language. It is also used to refer to the same teaching situation in areas where English is commonly spoken but not necessarily the official language. This type of teaching situation is often centred on migrants and refugees who need to learn the English language as a means of integrating into their new environment. To service this section of the English language industry there are numerous government and charity based programs available in many English speaking countries. Examples of this type of teaching include Eastern European migrant workers studying English in the UK and refugees from Iraq or Afghanistan studying English in New Zealand. As well as the previously mentioned definition, the term TESOL is also used in areas where American style English is taught (predominantly North America) as an umbrella term that covers all teaching situations that are defined under the acronyms TEFL and TESL. TESOL is not used in this manner in areas where British English is used, such as the UK, New Zealand and Ireland, as it has a more specific meaning in these countries.