1. What is ESL?

ESL is the abbreviation for English as a Second Language. It refers to teaching English to people who come from a place that is not naturally English speaking, and whose first language is not English.

ESL is often used alternatively wit EFL or English as a Foreign Language.

2. What is ESOL?

ESOL means English to Speakers of Other Languages or English for Speakers of Other Languages. This is seen as a more correct term than ESL or English as a Second Language, since many of them may already have learned a second language (or even know a third, fourth or fifth language).

3. What is the difference between ESL and EFL?

The only real difference is that EFL classes tend to cater to a homogenous group of students, who normally have similar if not identical cultural or linguistic perspectives. This is to allow the teacher to use one native language to introduce English. They are normally part of the curriculum of schools in non-English speaking nations.

ESL classes, on the other hand, are taught in English, by teachers who may not be familiar with the native language of the students. The teacher themselves are natural English speakers and use English as a mode of instruction. The students may come from different backgrounds and are prepared to take a more regimented and rigorous curriculum, and are typically aiming for certification in English—whether it be for the purposes of entering a university, applying for a job, or as part of immigration requirements.