TESOL stands for "teaching English to speakers of other languages"

There are two forms of TESOL:

• TESOL as a training program to teach English to speakers of other languages (in the US or abroad)
  
• TESOL as a professional organization

TESOL Teachers are ‘Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.’ Their role and function is very similar to that of ESL Teachers, however for the TESOL Teacher, their work is typically located in countries where English is not the national language.



While the main role of the TESOL Teacher is to provide students with English instruction, they also have a number of preparatory duties in addition to work in a classroom setting. They must prepare lesson plans and activities, develop evaluative tests and exercises, and source or prepare language resources. In addition, they must often adapt their lessons according to the needs of individual students.



TESOL Teachers must have a very good grasp of all aspects of the English language, including grammar, punctuation and pronunciation. They should have excellent:



* interpersonal

* communication

* listening skills

* confidence

* patience

* tact



Cultural sensitivity and awareness are also important qualities, as TESOL Teachers spend much of their working life in non-English-speaking countries.



source:

http://www.guidetocareereducation.com/career/esl-and-tesol-teacher.html#tesol-teacher-career

By James E. Alatis, Georgetown University

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL) is an independent professional organization established in 1966. The organization was created out of professional concern over the lack of a single, all-inclusive professional organization that might bring together teachers and administrators at all educational levels with an interest in teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL). The formation of the organization was a sign of TESOL’s maturity as a profession. It is worth looking back to where TESOL has been in order to understand where TESOL, both the profession and the organization, is today and where it is likely to go in the future.

The creation of the TESOL was the culmination of more than 4 years of organizational groundwork and discussions centering around three issues: (1) The need for a professional organization that would be permanently devoted to the problems of teaching English to speakers of other languages, at all levels. (2) The need for a pedagogical journal to serve the entire profession. (3) The need for a register of specialists that might be helpful to foundations, government agencies, and universities in their attempt to cope with the ever-growing need for qualified personnel in the area of ESOL.


article found at:

http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=674&DID=2728

TESOL is an acronym used to describe the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Throughout the history of language teaching, we have used numerous terms to describe the field such as:


* TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
* TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
* TEAL (Teaching English as an Additional Language) and several other terms.


However, the field as a whole has never been able to agree upon one single term to describe our profession. In practice, there is essentially no difference between TESOL, TEFL, or TESL. All of these terms are used to describe the teaching of English to non-native speakers of the English language.

information found at:
http://www.anaheim.edu/content/view/475/222/

The mission of Ohio TESOL, an affiliate of TESOL, is to develop the professional expertise of its members and others involved in educating those learners for whom English is a non-native language by:

• advocating for the TESOL profession at the local, state and federal levels;
• promoting professional development;
• acting as a resource in the dissemination of information;
• improving standards for high-quality instruction;
• promoting better employment conditions;
• encouraging opportunities for networking, interaction, leadership and research; and
• promoting respect for the language rights and culture of all people.

Below is a document that provides an overview of programs and changes included in the U.S. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 as related to English language professionals in the United States.

Title VII: Bilingual Education, Language Enhancement and Language Acquisition Programs