LTi TESOL - Learn to teach English to speakers of other languages
  • TESOL Courses
    • Course Levels >
      • Diploma
      • Certificate IV
      • International Certificate
      • Graduate Certificate
      • Dual TESOL Qualification
    • Course Comparison
    • Entry Requirements
    • Course Outcomes
    • Timeframes & Assessment
    • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
    • Practical Placement
    • Testimonials
    • 5 most popular questions ​about TESOL
  • Who are we?
  • Enrol
  • Online Courses
  • Pricing
  • Locations
    • Worldwide - Online
    • Adelaide, SA
    • Brisbane, QLD
    • Melbourne, VIC
    • Perth, WA
    • Sunshine Coast, QLD
    • Sydney, NSW
    • Toowoomba, QLD
    • India
    • Iran
    • Vietnam
  • TESOL Industry Standards
  • Partnerships & Licensing
  • Resources
    • TESOL Resources
    • ESL Resources
  • Current Students
    • Extensions
    • Change Your Details
    • Prac Forms
    • Student Handbook
    • Feedback
  • Replacement Certificates
  • Job opportunities
  • Blog
    • What is TESOL?
    • Teaching English in Australia
    • Using technology in TESOL
    • Cultural Concepts & Australian Idioms
    • What is RPL?
    • English teaching job boom
    • How to prepare for an interview
    • English Proficiency Tests
    • Teaching English to Young Children
    • 8 tips for studying from home
  • Contact Us
  • Online Learning Tour
TESOL =
Teaching
English to
Speakers of 
Other
Languages

What is TESOL?

© Language Training Institute
​Last updated: 28th March, 2022
Starting to look into the world of TESOL can feel a little bit like deciphering a secret code or staring into a bowl of alphabet soup 🤔
 
Firstly, let’s clear something up: 
  • TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

It is used to encompass both employment (i.e. teaching English to people whose first language is something other than English) and training (i.e. learning to teach English to speakers of other languages).
 
In addition to the common name of “TESOL” it can also be called other acronyms, such as:
  • TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language
  • TESL = Teaching English as a Second Language
 
If you’re looking at doing training in England then you may also run into:
  • CELTA = Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults
  • DELTA = Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults

If this is you, you might also be interested in our up and coming article “What’s the difference between TESOL and CELTA?”. Follow us and we'll post when this article is published.
 
Now we’ve got the TESOL terms down pat, let’s dive a little deeper into the different terms around ESL – you’ll start to see a pattern.
 
Some other common acronyms you’ll run into with English teaching are:
  • ESL = English as a Second Language
  • EFL = English as a Foreign Language
  • EAL = English as an Additional Language
  • ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages
  • EIL = English as an International Language
  • L1 = First Language or Native Language
  • L2 = Second Language
  • SLA = Second Language Acquisition
  • ELD= English Language Development
  • ELT = English Language Teaching
  • EAP = English for Academic Purposes
  • ESP = English for Specific Purposes
  • NESB = Non-English Speaking Background
 
Is your head spinning from all the letters yet?
Feel like you’ve earned a TESOL qualification already just by learning all this?
​Not quite, but we can help you with that. Check out our TESOL Courses:
  • Certificate IV in TESOL
  • Diploma of TESOL

​
Want to learn more about the world of TESOL?
Subscribe to our blog or follow us on Instagram 
@tesolmadepractical
Enrol Now
Online TESOL Courses
​e: lti@unet.org.au​
Ph: 1300 660 809

Quicklinks

Course Content
Entry Requirements
Assessment 
Practical Placement

Course Outcomes
Class Locations
Online Distance Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning

Enrol Online
Change Contact Details
Request an Extension

Contact LTi
About LTi
Order Resources (Partners & Licensees only)
​
Picture
Language Training Institute is a Division of Universal Education and Training Ltd. Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO No. 30173).
Where this website states:
  • "Certificate IV" it is referring to the 11021NAT - Certificate IV in English Language Teaching (TESOL) qualification.
  • "Diploma" it is referring to the 11020NAT - Diploma of English Language Teaching (TESOL) qualification. 
  • "Grad Cert" it is referring to the 11057NAT - Graduate Certificate in English Language Teaching (TESOL) qualification.
  • "International Certificate" it is referring to the non-accredited specialised International TESOL Certificate training course developed by Language Training Institute. 
​
© Language Training Institute (LTi) with thanks to freepik.com and unsplash.com
  • TESOL Courses
    • Course Levels >
      • Diploma
      • Certificate IV
      • International Certificate
      • Graduate Certificate
      • Dual TESOL Qualification
    • Course Comparison
    • Entry Requirements
    • Course Outcomes
    • Timeframes & Assessment
    • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
    • Practical Placement
    • Testimonials
    • 5 most popular questions ​about TESOL
  • Who are we?
  • Enrol
  • Online Courses
  • Pricing
  • Locations
    • Worldwide - Online
    • Adelaide, SA
    • Brisbane, QLD
    • Melbourne, VIC
    • Perth, WA
    • Sunshine Coast, QLD
    • Sydney, NSW
    • Toowoomba, QLD
    • India
    • Iran
    • Vietnam
  • TESOL Industry Standards
  • Partnerships & Licensing
  • Resources
    • TESOL Resources
    • ESL Resources
  • Current Students
    • Extensions
    • Change Your Details
    • Prac Forms
    • Student Handbook
    • Feedback
  • Replacement Certificates
  • Job opportunities
  • Blog
    • What is TESOL?
    • Teaching English in Australia
    • Using technology in TESOL
    • Cultural Concepts & Australian Idioms
    • What is RPL?
    • English teaching job boom
    • How to prepare for an interview
    • English Proficiency Tests
    • Teaching English to Young Children
    • 8 tips for studying from home
  • Contact Us
  • Online Learning Tour