Introduction

to TEFL
Getting to know TEFL
1. What is TEFL?
2. What is the importance of it?
3. Who need it and who do not?
4. How is TEFL in the future?
The place of English
 English is not the language with the largest
number of native or first language speakers.
 English is a lingua franca.
 Even people with no english often know

words: bank, chocolate, computer,

hamburger, hospital, hot dong, television,
restaurant
 But there are ‘false friend’ : eventualmente

(italian/in case) – eventuallly (english/in the

end)
The numbers game (past)
 Kachru (1985) :
◦ 320 - 380 millions as first language.
◦ 250 – 350 millions as second language.
 David crystal (1995-1997)
 377 millions as first language (75 countries)
 98 millions as second language

 In total app. 600 – 700 millions of

speakers
Ethnologue.com (most recently)
 World Population : 7,106,865,254 (2016)
 Living Languages : 7,102
 Institutional : 578,
 Developing : 1,598,
 Vigorous : 2,479,
 In Trouble : 1,531,

 Dying: 916 

 
For categories, see Development and
Endangerment above.
 By language family
 By name of countries
Varities of english
 Known as three circles
EXPANDING e.g. China, Russia,
CIRCLE Indonesia
OUTER CIRCLE
e.g. India,
INNER CIRCLE Singapore

e.g. USA, UK
How english got there ....
 A colonial history
 Economics
 Travel
 Information exchange
 Popular culture