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

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.