English as a second language Facts for Kids

English is a very important language spoken all over the world. Many people learn English as a second language because it helps them with school, jobs, and connecting with others online. When someone learns English after their first language, it's often called "English as a Second Language" (ESL) or "English as a Foreign Language" (EFL).

Here are some common ways to talk about learning English:

ESL means "English as a Second Language". This is often used when people learn English in a country where English is the main language, like the United States or the United Kingdom.
EFL means "English as a Foreign Language". This is used when people learn English in a country where English is not the main language, like France or Japan.
EAL means "English as an Additional Language". This term is not used very often.
ESOL means "English for Speakers of Other Languages". This term is also rare.
ELF means "English as a Lingua Franca". This term is about English being a common language used by people from different countries to talk to each other, especially because of global connections.

All these terms mean almost the same thing. They describe people who already have a "mother" language and want to learn English too.

A Brief History of English Learning
Why Learn English?
Testing Your English Skills
- What is the Global Scale of English?
Teaching English to Others
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A Brief History of English Learning

Teaching English to people who speak other languages has been happening for a long time. For example, in India, English officially became part of the education system in 1835.

Why Learn English?

Learning English as a second language is one of the most popular subjects in the world, right after mathematics. English is super important in the world of business. Many people study English because they want to get a better job or work internationally.

English is also very important for education. A huge number of pages on the internet are in English, so knowing the language helps you find lots of information.

Many people who cannot go to regular English classes study online. Websites like BBC Learning English offer great ways to learn from home.

Some students choose to study English in a country where people speak English every day. This helps them learn to listen and speak English much better by practicing all the time.

Testing Your English Skills

There are many different English exams you can take. These tests are important because they show how well someone can use English. It can be hard to compare different English exams because each one is a little different. You can find more information about these tests by reading Testing English as a foreign language.

What is the Global Scale of English?

The Global Scale of English (GSE) is a special test for people learning English. It helps measure how good a learner is at English. The GSE uses a list of "can-do" statements, which means it describes what a learner can do with the language. These statements are based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for English.

Learners' skills are scored on a scale from 10 to 90 for four main areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. A student reaches a certain level on the scale when they can correctly do at least half of the tasks for that level. The education company Pearson PLC created this scale.

Teaching English to Others

Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is all about helping students who have a different first language learn English. This can happen in public schools, private language schools, or with a private tutor. TEFL can also happen in English-speaking countries for people who have moved there.

TEFL teachers can be people who grew up speaking English (native speakers) or people who learned English as a second language (non-native speakers). Other terms for teaching English include TESL (Teaching English as a second language), TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages), and ESL (English as a second language).