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ELT:
English Language Training: refers to English as a
second or foreign language training and is widely
used in the UK.
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ESL:
English as a Second Language: Someone whose mother
tongue is not English learns English as a second
language if they study English in an English
speaking country. For example: A Korean in Canada
learns ESL.
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EFL:
English as a Foreign Language: A person whose
mother tongue is not English learns English as a
foreign language if they study the language in a
non-English speaking country. E.g. a Korean in Korea
studies EFL.
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TESL and TEFL:
Teaching English as a Second Language and Teaching
English as a Foreign Language.
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TESOL:
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages:
is an acronym of a professional association in the
USA and is also used to refer to the field itself.
This term is more commonly used in the US, while
Canada uses the acronym TESL. The terms are used
interchangeably.
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TOEIC: Test
of English for International Communication: a test
developed to measure a non-native speaker's ability
to communicate in English. This is exam is more
readily recognized in Asia and Europe.
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TOEFL: Test
of English as a Foreign Language: this test is used
to determine a non-English speaker’s ability to
understand and speak English. Universities and
colleges often ask for the scores of this exam when
admitting students who are non-native speakers of
English.
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EP: English
for Specific Purposes: the focus of ESP is on
terminology used in specific fields such as law,
medicine, technology, finance, etc. While knowledge
of the subject and its terminology is important, it
is important to remember that it is the usage of the
English language in a specific context which is
being taught.
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EAP:
English for Academic Purposes: is preparation for
high school or university studies in an English
speaking country. A more formal approach is
generally taken in teaching EAP, with focus on
reading, writing and presentations.
TEFL
Acronyms 