Re: ESL - EFL: What's the difference?

Thank you for your reply, Emma. I appreciate that you've given the topic serious consideration. Actually, I both agree and disagree with what you've written.

I partially agree with your reasoning regarding why most people don't see a distinction between ESL and EFL; that is, due to more and more people doing or wanting to do business. Right or wrong, English has become the world's language for doing business - at least, in the current atmosphere. However, when looking back at my own experience teaching ESL in America, I remember that most of my students, adult immigrants, did not fall into that category. Many of them, in fact, were already successful in business. Their main motivation was simply the desire to be more socially communicative. Interestingly, I had many Korean students, mostly women, who had been in America for many years; however, they had not successfully integrated into American society due to their close ties with the Korean community in the area where I lived at that time.

Yes, an ESL teacher will need to cover the more practical aspects of living in a new society - especially if their students don't have a support group that consists of people who have lived in America for many years, such as the Korean women I mentioned above. This is where the difference becomes quite critical. For example, as an ESL teacher it was necessary to assign extension activities - activities outside the classroom that would enable students to observe and practice specific target language. Naturally, in China that would not be possible. Moreover, I find it mind boggling that administrators in colleges fail to provide a legitimate ESE (English Speaking Environment) for English majors, even in classrooms let alone the college or university environment as a whole, despite the pleas of foreign teachers who clearly recognize the need to do so. For more on this, I would suggest that you research the work done over a five year period by Dr. Niu Qiang of Changchun University and Martin Wolff on Holistic English. Fascinating stuff. (www.usingenglish.com/esl-in-china/holistic-english-1.pdf)

"To keep the discussion going, I'd like to hear people's thoughts on the difference between an ESL course for recent immigrants to Canada, and an ESL course for foreign students staying short-term (perhaps two years) in Canada. How would that need to be different? Does it really need to be any different?"
Emma

I think these are valid questions. Personally, I think they do need to be different, but how different would be dependent on the needs of each student. I have limited experience with international students in America, but at two different community colleges where I taught and where English instruction was provided for both immigrants and international students there was and is a perceived difference and they were, therefore, separated. However, at one college, international students were encouraged to attend, in a relaxed environment, what was called a communication table - similar to English Corners abroad, but very loosely facilitated by an instructor or a volunteer student. It was a setting where ESL students and international students had the opportunity to practice their skills together. Generally, though, international students had their own classrooms and, understandably, were required to undergo instruction that was far more focused on form than would be a course for immigrants where function, at least at the lower levels was far more important.

Of course there are other salient points quite critical to the discussion on the differences between ESL and EFL. Chief among these, I believe, is that at least in China there are motivational factors to consider. That is, most ESL students I encountered in America, even those with very little education in their native countries, were far more motivated than EFL students in China. I guess that makes sense; however, I was definitely unprepared for such low motivation when I first arrived in China. In fact, I still find it mind boggling even though I'm beginning to understand the underlying reasons for such low motivation. Moreover, I've found that I have to take motivational factors into consideration when preparing lesson plans for my students. In addition, it is quite frustrating that most, if not all, of my students will pass regardless of their performance in my classroom. In America, guidelines were established a few years back that will not allow ESL students to continue getting free English training without passing periodic evaluative exams; therefore, those students who have approached their lessons as more of an opportunity to socialize than to learn will not be allowed to continue if they fail their evaluations unless they pay for the classes.

Time to go, but thanks again, Emma, for your input.

ESL - EFL: What's the difference?

Recently I was interviewed by a student who is already doing the ground work for a thesis that won't be due for another 18 months or so. His thesis will center around EFL teaching in China. Much of what he will discuss in his thesis will touch on some of the topics that have been discussed at length here in this forum, such as teacher qualifications and what motivates teachers to come to China in the first place. Even more recently, the same student asked me if he could do a follow up interview with me in the near future that centers around the differences between ESL and EFL. I appreciate that he gave me the head's up because I have a lot of scattered thoughts on the subject that I've been wanting to coalesce.

Central to this conversation may be the fact that relatively few teachers in China seem to realize that there is a difference. No surprise there; after all, some folks consider it just a matter of rhetoric, and in fact ESL and EFL seem to be used interchangeably more and more as if the lines between the two are not only blurred but are disappearing all together. Personally, I disagree with that view, as I have found there is a very distinct difference between the two. This is based on my experience as an ESL teacher in America for several years and an EFL teacher in China for over five years. Moreover, as college students in China become more and more sophisticated, they too are wondering why their teachers think they're teaching ESL. A valid point, I think. In fact, though I've only recently become a frequent visitor to this site, I can't help but notice that the more prolific posters here seem quite willing to discuss EFL related issues as if they are ESL issues. In addition most of my colleagues also seem to think they're teaching ESL. No wonder; most of the job sites are filled with offers that run something like this: "Teach ESL in exotic China!" If recruiters and schools don't know the difference, why should the teacher?

Of further interest to me, and probably to the student as well, is the question of materials selection. I've found, in fact, that much of the material used in EFL classrooms, especially Communication classes, is actually far more appropriate for ESL students - more often than not for British or American ESL students.

It is not my intention, though, to outline my beliefs here. I'm more interested in getting some feedback from visitors to this site. So, if you feel like contributing to such a thread, I'd appreciate it very much and so would the aforementioned student.

Thanks.