What are the different types of ESOL programs?
There are four main categories of English teaching programs that we will consider here:
- General English
- Academic English
- Business English
- Young learners
For each program, we will have a look at who they are for, what they generally involve and anything else of particular note.
General English
Who the program is for: This is the type of English taught in government schools and private language institutes throughout the world.
What the program generally involves: The syllabus is usually defined for five levels of study using an established book series such as New Headway, ‘Let’s go’ for example.
Of particular note: There are many millions of students learning general English worldwide.
Academic English (Also referred to as English for Academic Purpose EAP)
Who the program is for: English programs taught for students who need to show that a particular level has been achieved, either for employment or university entrance. Two of the best known programs of this type are IELTS and TOEFL.
What the program generally involves: They involve study of all four English skills, speaking, writing, listening and reading, in preparation for exams on the same.
Of particular note: There are many millions of students learning English for Academic Purposes worldwide.
Business English
Who the program is for: There are a whole range of business English programs, many leading to examinations, such as the Cambridge BEC exam suite (B1, B2, C1).
What the program generally involves: They usually test all four skills (at the higher levels) reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Of particular note: Many of these exam systems use both a paper test and a computer test format, which you can choose.
Young Learners
Who the program is for: There are a whole range of language exams from a wide range of providers, such as Cambridge and many smaller companies, such as Language Cert.
What the program generally involves: They usually have examinations available that test all four skills, reading, writing, listening and speaking, at a range of levels.
Of particular note: Many of these exam systems use both a paper test and a computer test format, which you can choose.
Other Notes
The General English section usually covers some of the elements of the other sections as there will be overlap in much of the content. Therefore, in terms of teaching these different types of programs, you should not be put off if you have no specific knowledge in business for example. The vast majority of the English taught in business English is just general English. As you are dealing with business specialists already you do not need to teach them about their job, only how to use English in the contexts and situations that will arise for them.
Having said that, there are different teaching principles that can be used for the different age groups, young learners versus business English for example. It is useful therefore to be aware of some background to these specific areas, in terms of what should be taught and how it will be tested (if at all).
Additional ESOL courses are available in all these specialisms, business English, young learners, academic English, for those with a specific desire to teach them.
