What’s the difference between TEFL, TESOL, and TESL?

There is no difference between TEFL, TESOL, and TESL courses. These acronyms mean the same thing — certification to teach English to non-native speakers — and any institute claiming to differentiate their courses based on the acronym is misleading you. The three acronyms stand for:

  • TEFL — Teaching English as a Foreign Language
  • TESOL — Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
  • TESL — Teaching English as a Second Language

Some organizations say you should take a TEFL course if you want to teach English abroad and a TESOL or TESL course if you want to teach in an English-immersion program in North America. This is not true. The course content, methodology, and skills are the same regardless of which acronym a provider chooses for their program. What matters is the quality of the training and the accreditation, not the four letters on the certificate.

Watch: What is TESOL, TEFL, and TESL?

Is the teaching methodology different?

The methodology of TEFL, TESOL, and TESL is identical. Whether you want to teach English abroad or teach in an English-immersion program in North America, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is the dominant methodology worldwide. In fact, the CLT method can be used to teach any language, not just English.

Several approaches branch off CLT. The two most widely used in ESL immersion programs in North America, in ESL textbooks, and in professionally run language schools around the world are:

A quality TEFL, TESOL, or TESL course will train you in ESL lesson planning frameworks (PPP, TTT, ESA, TBL) that put CLT into practice in real classrooms. Course providers that skip lesson planning — regardless of which acronym they use — are not preparing teachers for actual classroom work.

International TEFL, TESOL, and TESL accreditation

Any organization claiming there is a meaningful difference between TEFL, TESOL, and TESL is not telling the truth. What matters is the quality of the program, the tutors, and the accreditation. The acronyms themselves carry no information about quality.

For example, some universities and recruitment agencies in Toronto advertise that candidates need a TEFL course (rather than a TESOL course) to teach English abroad — because they sell unaccredited online TEFL courses. Those courses are not recognized for teaching jobs in Canada precisely because they are easy to complete and don’t teach lesson planning. Some online TEFL courses are more expensive because they carry the brand of a reputable university, but what matters for your career is quality and accreditation.

TESL Canada

TESL Canada is the leading accrediting organization in Canada and one of the most reputable bodies worldwide. They set standards covering everything from 120-hour entry-level courses to master’s degrees. TESL Canada accredits TESOL, TEFL, and TESL courses interchangeably — providers are free to choose their acronym, and a wide range of courses meet the same TESL Canada standard regardless of label. TESL Canada is equivalent to the UK-based CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL.

Trinity CertTESOL

Trinity CertTESOL is accredited by Trinity College London and is recognized worldwide. Like TESL Canada, Trinity accredits courses under any of the TEFL, TESOL, or TESL labels.

ACCET (U.S.)

ACCET — the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training — is a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency. ACCET-accredited courses earn U.S. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and are widely recognized internationally. Like TESL Canada and Trinity, ACCET accredits courses under any of the TEFL/TESOL/TESL acronyms.

The takeaway: a reputable accreditation (TESL Canada, Trinity, ACCET) on the certificate is what employers and recruiters look for. The acronym beside it is cosmetic.

Now that you know the acronym doesn’t matter…

The real question is which course matches your career goals — how many hours you need for the jobs you’re targeting, whether you want a generalist credential or a specialization, and which accreditation is recognized in your destination.

See our TEFL/TESOL course comparison to choose between the 120-hour Advanced Certificate, the 250-hour Diploma, and our 20-hour specialist courses for young learners, Business English, IELTS, and online teaching.