The TEFL world is full of acronyms, but what does TEFL stand for!? Here is a list of TEFL acronyms and what they all mean:
CELTA: Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults
Does what it says on the tin! Although CELTA is now also known as the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, which covers a broader demographic.
CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning
CLIL refers to the teaching and learning of subjects such as geography, science and history through a foreign language, which in the context of TEFL is of course English.
DELTA: Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults
In 2011 the qualification title was updated to the Cambridge English Level 7 Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Delta) and now also includes preparation for teaching younger learners.
EAP: English for Academic Purposes
EFL: English as a Foreign Language
ELF: English as a Lingua Franca
This describes the global use of English as the international language of communication, particularly in the business world.
ELT: English Language Teaching
ESL: English as a Second Language
You can get a fuller under standing of the meaning of ESL here.
ESP: English for Specific Purposes
TEFL: Teaching English as a Foreign Language
The acronym TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This refers to English language teaching that takes place in a country that does not count English as its native language.
TESL: Teaching English as a Second Language
TESL is the teaching of English to people who live in an English-speaking country, but whose first language is not English.
TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
TESOL includes elements of both TEFL and TESL.
TEYL: Teaching English to Young Learners
Another one that requires no further explanation!
That completes our list of TEFL acronyms, so if you were ever wondering “what does TEFL stand for?” now you know! If you can think of any other acronyms we’ve missed let us know in the comments and we’ll add them to the post!
James has been helping people teach English abroad for over twelve years. He’s traveled to over 30 countries, lived in 3, and taught English in Chile and online.
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