Hi Dominic,

I know that there are certain perceptions of what 'an ESOL learner' is like, compared to what 'an EFL learner' is like, but in my experience they really are just perceptions. In the end, they are all English language learners. In this country, the main distinguishing feature is usually how much they are paying for their courses (and that is no longer such a big difference - don't get me started on that topic!).

For example, I have taught English in so-called EFL contexts in other countries across Europe, where some members of the class were newly arrived in the country, often refugees and economic migrants, some better educated than their local class mates. I have also taught ESOL classes in this country that were mostly made up of young Europeans who really planned to return home after a year or three. People don't fit into neat boxes, much as governments would like them to.

If your students feel that they need an IELTS score (for example to access HE or get a job in the NHS) then I would say: if you can, help them to achieve that. The main thing that learners want, I find, is to feel they are making progress in their language proficiency. That is true whether they are settling here in the UK or just here for a short time.

To answer your second point, the British Council accredits language schools and other English language teaching centres and inspects them regularly. Check the website for more details: http://www.britishcouncil.org/accreditation.htm

As for your third point, I'm afraid I can't really help, not knowing your learners' interests / priorities / aims. If you are concerned about the particular language issues that Spanish / Portuguese learners might face when learning English, you could do worse than consult Swan and Smith's 'Learner English' (CUP) - 25 years old but still an ELT must have ;)

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,

Anne Margaret

ELT well

On 18.07.2012 12:41, Dominic Clarke wrote: