{{redirect|TESL|the video game|The Elder Scrolls: Legends}}
Teaching English as a second language (TESL) refers to teaching English to students whose [[first language]] is not English. The teaching profession has used different names for TEFL and TESL; the generic "teaching English to speakers of other languages" (TESOL) is increasingly used, which covers TESL and TEFL as an umbrella term.<ref name=itefla>{{Cite web |title=What is TEFL? |url=https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/blog/what-is-tefl-and-what-is-tefl-certification |website=International TEFL Academy |date=2021 |accessdate=24 August 2021}}</ref> Both native and non-native speakers train to be English-language teachers. To teach English as a second language to English-language learners (ELLs), passing a written and oral test in English to demonstrate proficiency is recommended but not always required.<ref>{{Cite news |last=REF |first=Team |date=2020-09-14 |title=Do ESL Teachers Need an English Proficiency Test? |url=https://rapidenglishfluency.com/do-esl-teachers-need-an-english-proficiency-test/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Rapid English Fluency |language=en-US}}</ref> In California, there is an achievement gap between native and non-native English speakers.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Spycher |first=Pamela |date=2007-09-11 |title=Academic writing of adolescent English learners: Learning to use "although" |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2007.07.001 |journal=Journal of Second Language Writing |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=238–254 |doi=10.1016/j.jslw.2007.07.001 |issn=1060-3743}}</ref> English language learners in secondary schools tend to get lower scores in Standard English tests for English Language Arts compared to their peers who are more proficient in English.<ref name=":2" />
