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.