Field Notes: ESL Technique, Realia

I was reading the blog the other day, and noticed someone asking about ESL terminology.  Well, that got me to thinking about my own ESL tutoring, and I wanted to share a great technique that always works well for me and my students.

It's "Realia."  In other words, it is "stuff" that I bring to my ESL tutoring session.  Kind of like tutoring props. 

By using real objects during my ESL tutoring, I can help my tutee increase his or her vocabulary, act out English speaking scenarios, and improve his or her conversational skills.  Plus, it gives my students real, actual, tangible things to use when working through sentences and grammar.

A great example of realia I use all the time: travel brochures and play money.  My student and I go through the travel brochures together, and then my tutee chooses where he or she would like to go on vacation.

Then, my tutee tells me how they want to travel (train, ship, airplane, car, etc.), where they want to stay (good for learning basic travel/hotel vocabulary), what time and date they would like to leave and return (great for learning numbers, time, and calender dates), and how they want to pay for the vacation.  If my tutee wants to pay with cash, it gives my tutee a chance to practice counting money in English. All while looking at some great pictures of travel destinations!

Also good is the fact that this kind of realia is easy to travel with, because it folds flat, and is lightweight.  A definite must if, like me, you ride a bike to your tutoring appointments.

So far, I have had a lot of success with this technique, and my students really seem to love it!
Tammy from Eau Claire, WI

Ask Micki New to ESL and confused!

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 Question: Hi Micki, I’m hoping to be an ESL tutor, and I need some guidance.  

I got the idea to be an ESL tutor recently, and am really excited about it!  I’m just starting out, trying to get all of the information I can, but I have to admit that I am kind of puzzled.  It seems like there are A LOT of different terms out there when it comes to ESL related subjects, and I am completely confused by them.

TESL, TEFL, TESOL, ESP, ELT - help!

What do they mean, what do they do, and are there any that I need to be less worried about than others?  

I want to tutor ESL, but I also want to know everything I can about the terminology so that my students can feel confident that I know what I am talking about when I meet with them.

Thanks for your help!

Confused Katie in RI

Answer: Hi there, Katie!  Great question - you hit on an important aspect of the tutoring profession.  

Pretty much any profession under the sun with have its own lingo.  A lot of it is terminology and jargon that you will pick up as you move forward in your profession - in this case ESL tutoring - however, it is a great idea to have a foundation of knowledge to use when you are getting getting started in your new career.

In other words - way to think ahead! It will save you time and trouble later.  With that said, let’s get into Micki’s quick guide to ESL acronyms - you may want to grab some coffee or tea, this is going to be a long post!

ESL - English as a Second Language

This is the term you will likely encounter most often.  It refers to a person whose mother tongue is a language other than English, who is learning English in a foreign country.  An example of an ESL student might be a Russian man learning English in the US or Canada.  

EFL - English as a Foreign Language

This term is similar to ESL in that it refers to a student who is learning English, whose mother tongue is a language other than English.  The difference is, while ESL students learn English in an English speaking country (UK, US, Canada, etc.), EFL students learn English in a non-English speaking country.  For example, a Japanese woman learning English in Japan.  

TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language

TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

              (or Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages)

All of the above terms and acronyms refer to the practice of teaching English to non-English speakers.  TESOL refers to both a professional association in the US, and the field of ESL teaching and tutoring. Usually, you will see TESOL used more often in the US, while Canada typically uses TESL.  For the most part, the terms are used pretty interchangeably.

You will likely be seeing the above terms and acronyms most often as you begin your ESL tutoring career.  However, here are some other terms used in the ESL profession.  

ESP - English for Specific or Special Purposes

ESP puts into practice exactly what we were talking about - specialized lingo and terminology for specific professions.  The main focus of ESP is on teaching specialized terminology that is most often used in very specific fields.  An example would be a professional in medicine or technology who needs to learn specialized English terminology (vocabulary and context) within his or her field.  

EAP - English for Academic Purposes

EAP refers to preparing students to speak English in an academic setting within an English speaking country. A high school student in India, for example, who wants to study at a university in Canada.  Typically, EAP utilizes a more formal approach with a lot of focus on reading, writing and presenting.

ELT - English Language Training

ELT is training relating to the teaching or tutoring of English as a second or foreign language.  It is a term widely used in the UK.

TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language

This is the test that measures a non-English speaker’s ability to understand English.  Typically, foreign, non-native speakers of English take the TOEFL as part of the application process to colleges and universities in Canada and the US.  A student from Malawi who wants to prove her English language abilities, for example, would take the TOEFL test for admission to college or university.  

TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication

The TOEIC, much like the TOEFL, is a test used to determine a non-native speaker’s English communication abilities.  The TOEIC is more recognized in Europe and Asia, whereas the TOEFL is more widely recognized in Canada and the US.

Phew - Thanks for sticking with me through all those acronyms!  And good luck on your journey towards becoming an ESL tutor - with your enthusiasm (and quest for knowledge), I have a feeling you will be really successful! 

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