TEFL vs TESOL vs TESL, What’s the Difference?

TEFL vs TESOL vs TESL, what are the differences between them, and which wins the battle of the English teacher training certifications?

TEFL vs TESOL vs TESL

TEFL, TESOL, and TESL are all acronyms related to English language teaching. They each mean something slightly different, and all represent an English teaching certification that qualifies you to teach English to non-native English speakers.

In order to choose the right certification and path for you it’s important to understand their differences and determine which is most suited to your English teaching goals. Here’s what you need to know about the difference between TESL, TESOL, TESL, and other options:

TEFL

TEFL stands for teaching English as a foreign language. It is a term commonly associated with teaching English abroad in countries where the native language is not English. In other words, non-English speaking countries. However, it can also be applied to teaching non-native English speakers in a native English speaking country.

TEFL is often used as an umbrella term to describe English language instruction to non-native speakers, and if you want to start teaching English abroad a TEFL certification is the most widely recognized TEFL qualification globally.

To get TEFL certified and become a TEFL teacher, you’ll need to take a TEFL course. You can either attend a classroom TEFL course, which are available in different countries, or you can take an online TEFL course. Once you pass you’ll obtain your TEFL certification and can start teaching English as a foreign language.

TEFL certified English teachers can teach English language learners around the world or teach English online.

Read more about what is TEFL and how to get TEFL certified and find the right TEFL certification for you.

TESOL

TESOL stands for teaching English to speakers of other languages. It is a term commonly used in the USA and can be applied to both teaching English abroad and teaching English to speakers of other languages in English speaking countries. In this sense, it is a broader term than TEFL (which focuses more on teaching English abroad).

Therefore, a TESOL qualification covers you for both teaching abroad and at home, or in other native English speaking countries! So, if you want to have some flexibility it could be worth getting a TESOL certification. However, in truth, a TESOL certification is largely the same as a TEFL certification.

TESOL courses cover many of the same topics as TEFL courses and course providers often use TEFL and TESOL interchangeably when advertising the same course. Some even give you your choice of TEFL and TESOL certificates at the end of the course!

Nevertheless, this doesn’t apply to all TESOL courses, and some will have more of a focus on teaching English as a second language rather than teaching English as a foreign language. You should therefore carefully research and compare the content of different courses before making your choice. After all, if you choose to go for a TESOL certification you want your TESOL certificate to stand out and be valued by employers.

TESL

TESL stands for teaching English as a second language. It is a term that typically applies to teaching English to non-native speakers who are either living or studying in a native English speaking country.

So, while TEFL refers to teaching English abroad, TESL refers to teaching English in native English speaking countries. TESOL sits somewhere in between the two.

A TESL course is therefore focused more on teaching ESL learners the language skills required to thrive in native English speaking countries. Although they have now largely been replaced by TESOL courses with much the same content.

TESL is suitable for teachers looking for work in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia, with the role of ESL teacher being a very popular career in the USA in particular.

You can find out how to become an ESL teacher here.

Which TEFL Course Should You Take?

So, which course comes out on top in the TEFL, TESOL, and TESL debate?

Firstly, it is worth noting that “TEFL courses” can be used as an overarching phrase to describe all of the above course types. Furthermore, if you look at the course content of each qualification you will find that they largely overlap with each other and all qualify you to teach English.

However, you should be aware that there are different TEFL levels when it comes to TEFL courses, so make sure you do your research and choose the best TEFL course for you.

TEFL or TESOL or TESL?

Overall, TEFL, TESOL, and TESL qualifications share a lot of similarities and can all provide you with a great starting point for your TEFL journey. They all prepare English language teachers to teach non-native speakers and can help you secure a teaching job at home, abroad, or online.

Of the three qualifications, TEFL is the most widely recognized. Once you obtain your TEFL certificate you’ll be able to teach English at home, abroad, or online. However, it is targeted more at those who wish to travel and teach English abroad or online. Do this if you want to teach abroad. You can check out some of the best online TEFL courses here.

TESL is the most specific in scope in terms of who it trains you to teach. People who live in English speaking countries and intend to stay and teach English there should consider TESL. Although TESL courses are now largely being replaced by TESOL courses.

TESOL falls neatly somewhere between the offerings of TEFL and TESL, though a TESOL course can almost be identical to a TEFL course. As mentioned, some course providers even use the names interchangeably. Getting a TESOL certification keeps your options open, which makes it a great choice!

That begs the question, should you go for a TEFL or TESOL certificate? This largely comes down to personal preference, as both can help you secure English teaching jobs. However, before deciding upon your qualification, you should always check the requirements of your potential employer or the country you wish to work in. There can be a number of requirements for teaching English abroad so make sure you can fulfil these. Some employers may even request a specific certification.

What about CELTA and DELTA?

There are also other more intensive and advanced qualifications available such as the CELTA and DELTA respectively. These are qualifications from Cambridge English and are highly respected by employers and language schools.

In the most competitive locations, some private language schools will only hire English teachers who have passed the CELTA, so if you’re serious about a career as an English teacher to speakers of other languages they are well worth looking into.

You can read more about the differences between TEFL, TESL, TESOL, CELTA, and DELTA here.

Fortunately, for most English teaching positions a TEFL or TESOL certificate will suffice. And, at the end of the day, all of these TEFL and TESOL training courses will help you secure your first TEFL job.