Resources and Useful Information

Important Terms in TESOL

​

EL/ELL--English learners (EL) and English language learner (ELL) are two common terms to refer to a student who is learning English as an additional language to their first language (L1)

L1 and L2--refers to the first or home language of a student (L1), the language they learned as a child and any later language they learn (L2)

ESL/ESOL--these acronyms describe the classes taken to learn English as an additional language.  ESL stands for English as a Second Language and ESOL stands for English for Speakers of other Languages.The terms vary by region and age group

​

emerging bilingual--a more recent term used to describe a person learning a new language who is not yet proficient.

​

multicultural learners--another recent term for people learning a new language

​

linguistically and culturally diverse--descriptor of people who are different from the majority of their surrounding peers

​

TESOL--can refer to the area of instruction for professionals (Teaching English to Speakers of oOther Languages) or to the organization of these professionals (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.  The international organization of  TESOL professionals is TESOL.org

​

newcomer/new arrival--a person who has recently arrived in their new country, usually less than two years

​

newcomer programs--a special program designed for new arrivals, usually for students who have limited English and often limited first language literacy

​

SIFE/SLIFE--a student who has experienced interrupted (SIFE) or limited (SLIFE) formal education

refugee--a person who has been forced to leave their home country and meets the requirements of the United Nations (persecuted based on race, religion, national origin, or membership in a social group)

​

immigrant--a person who has left their home country and is now living in a new country.  A refugee is one category of immigrant.  An immigrant may be in their country with or without prior authorization.

​

Unaccompanied minor--an unaccompanied minor is a person under the age of 18 who enters a new country without the benefit of adult supervision.

​

refugee-background student--a person who came to their country through refugee-resettlement or their children

​

trauma-background student--a person who has experienced trauma in their past

​

resilience--the ability to recover from a traumatic experience

​

OELA--The division of the US Department of Education which oversees second language education

​

ORR--The division of Health and Human Services that oversees refugee issues (Office of Refugee Resettlement)