TESL Canada Journal, Volume 4, Issue 1, 1986

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ESL or EFL, Same or Different? - The Question of Professional Roles

John Sivell

Abstract


It is readily agreed that appropriate teaching methods and classroom materials can vary widely between ESL (for instance in Anglophone Canada) and EFL (in a non-Anglophone environment abroad). However, this article suggests that additional changes between the two domains also exist: ESL instructors moving into EFL overseas will often find their role as language teaching professionals considerably modified, in terms of their politico-cultural impact, their professional prominence, and their psychological security. Adaptation to such changes - both for maximized effectiveness and satisfaction abroad, and for greatest long-term growth after returning home-depends on clear-sighted expectation and comprehension of the demands of these challenging but rewarding new experiences.

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ISSN: 0826-435X

TESL Canada Journal is indexed in CBCA Education (Canadian Education Index), EBSCO, ERIC, The Gale Group, and H.W. Wilson.