TEFL TIPS – Introduction to ESL

What Is ESL?

The acronym ESL stands for English as a second language. In the United States, ESL refers to the teaching of those students for whom English is not a first language. Some people don’t like the term ESL, pointing out that in many cases English may be the third or fourth language of the students. In addition, in some countries, like India, Singapore, or Kenya, ESL has a slightly different meaning. In those places, it refers to the fact that English is a second official language that is learned in school and often used in government and business but may not be the first language of the majority of people.

In fact, a number of other terms are used to describe ESL. You may see the term ESOL (Eng lish for
students of other languages). The acronym TESOL refers to “teaching English to students of other languages.” TESOL is also the name of the professional international organization of teachers of ESOL. You
may also see other terms such as ELL (English language learning) and ELD (English language development) used to describe students and programs that serve students who are learning English as a second language. You may also see the term LEP (limited English proficiency) to describe ESL students. However, most ESL practitioners dislike this term because they do not feel that ESL students are limited.
You may also see the term EFL, which stands for English as foreign language. Generally, EFL is used to describe English teaching that occurs in places where English is not the native language, and ESL is used to describe English teaching that occurs in places like the United States, Canada, England, and Australia where the first language of most people is English.

Who Are ESL Students?

In the United States, many different people are ESL students. Many are K–12 students, often immigrants who have recently arrived with their families. In other cases, they and their families may have been in the United States for a longer period of time. Many immigrant children, especially from refugee families, may have resided in a number of countries before arriving in the United States. Some of them may have limited schooling. Some of them may not know how to read and write in their native language. But other ESL students may have had very good schooling and may already be able to read and write in more than one language. Other students who may need ESL services are children adopted from overseas by American parents.
There are also native-born non-English students who may receive ESL services under the umbrella of bilingual education. These may include Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and many Hispanics. Another group that sometimes receives language services under the umbrella of ESL are dialect-different students. These are students who speak a dialect of English different from the standard English used in a school or job setting in the United States. Many of these students may come from the Caribbean or countries such as Hong Kong and Malaysia where English is spoken but the dialect may be different enough to cause communication problems in the United States.
Many ESL students are adults. In some cases, they are international students who have come to the
United States to study in higher education but need to improve their English skills before enrolling at a
college or university. In other cases, they are already enrolled but need En lish support to help them improve their English. In other cases, adults immigrate to the United States. Like children, they have a wide range of education and language levels. Some adults may not be literate in their own language. In other cases, adults may have advanced degrees from their own countries and already know a number of other languages. Other adults come to the United States as visiting professionals in business or government. While here they may want to improve their English. Thus, the needs of ESL students can vary widely.

What’s the Difference between an Approach, a Method, and a Technique?

In general an approach is viewed as an overall theory about learning language, which then lends itself to “approaching” language teaching and learning in a certain manner. A method is often viewed as a series of procedures or activities used to teach language in a certain way. A technique is usually seen as one activity or procedure used within a plan for teaching. The reality is, however, that language teaching professionals often find themselves in disagreement over these terms. Depending on how one is defining the term and the circumstances in which the term is being used, an approach may become a method or a method may become a technique.

So Which Approach Is Best?

There is no one best approach because the circumstances and needs of ESL students vary so greatly.
To choose approaches that are the most appropriate for your students, you must take into account many
variables. What are your students’ needs? Where will they use their English? Will they need their English for school? Will they need their English for work? What kind of work do they do? How old are they? How
much time do they have to learn English? Have they studied English or another language before? How well do they know their own language?

Which Approach Is Best for Certain Groups?

Even within certain groups there may not be one best approach. Nonetheless, there are certain approaches that tend to be used more often with certain groups than others. For example, in K–12 many ESL approaches are similar to the language arts approaches used to teach language to native speakers. We have grouped those approaches in the Language Arts section. But just as communicative approaches are also used with native speakers learning their own language, so they are frequently part of the teaching pedagogy of K–12 ESL teachers. It is also important to understand that students in school must learn the English used in school. This is especially important for ESL students who arrive in the United States at an older age such as middle school or high school.
In the United States, there are programs available for various types of adult ESL students. Many students who have just arrived may find themselves in adult basic education ESL programs sponsored by the government. These programs often use some of the approaches discussed in the Adult Literacy section.
But such programs also make use of language arts approaches. In some cases, such as family literacy programs, both K–12 and adult basic education programs are involved in the same program. Other adult students are here as students in higher education or on a professional basis.

Why Do We Need to Know about Various Methods and Approaches?

Although there may be no single best approach, there are best approaches for particular circumstances, as mentioned earlier. In addition, to be a professional and an effective ESL teacher, one must  be aware of the different theories and approaches that have developed. Most effective teachers choose from a number of approaches, methods, and techniques to create a learning environment that fits the needs of their students. They put these approaches together to create a varied syllabus and an optimum learning experience. Some times this is referred to as selective eclecticism. It may also be referred to as an organic or integrated syllabus or curriculum. This does not mean that teachers can just put together a bunch of activities to create a plan. Good teachers must always consider what the results of these activities will be and how these will form a long-term, effective program to teach another language.

Aren’t Some Approaches Out dated?

Although it is true that some approaches become outdated as ESL practitioners find that they do not do a very good job of meeting either teachers’ or students’ needs, most have some strong points about them that tend to be borrowed to use with other approaches and thus have become a part of contemporary
teaching approaches. In addition, there is a tendency in education for the popularity of approaches to
swing back and forth. Thus, an approach that may be popular one decade may find itself out a favor in the
next. This makes it all the more important that teachers be aware of the many approaches, with their strengths and weaknesses, so that they can use this knowledge to create an effective curriculum.