Busy Teacher's ESL Glossary: What Do All These Abbreviations Mean?

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, OTHER

Teaching Terminology

ASAP

As Soon As Possible
BC

British Council
BULATS

Business Language Testing Services, a computer-based test of business English, produced by CambridgeEsol. The test also exists for French, German, and Spanish.
BVT

Bilingual Vocational Training.
CAE

Certificate of Advanced English - Cambridge 4th level
CALI

Computer-Assisted Language Instruction
CALL

Computer Assisted Language Learning.
CBT

Computer-Based Teaching Computer-Based TOEFL
CEELT

Cambridge Examination in English for Language Teachers
CEIBT

Certificate in English for International Business and Trade
CELBAN

Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses
CELT

Comprehensive English Language Test
CELTA

The Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, or CELTA , is a professional credential held by many teachers of English as a foreign language.
CELTYL

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Young Learners.
CLIL

Content and Language Integrated Learning. This is the balance struck between language learning through content. Teachers of regular subjects become language tutors at the same time and support both sets of learning: content and learning.
COTE

Certificate for Overseas Teachers of English
CPE

Certificate of Proficiency in English (Cambridge 5th & highest level)
CTESOL

Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
CUP

Cambridge University Press
DELTA

DELTA, the Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults, is a professional qualification in English language teaching awarded by Cambridge Assessment, formerly UCLES, a part of the University of Cambridge.
DoS

Director of Studies
DOTE

Diploma for Overseas Teachers of English
EAP

English for Academic Purposes.
EFL

English as a Foreign Language. Used when a non-native English speaker is studying English in a non-English speaking country.
ELICOS

English Language Intensive Courses to Overseas Students. Government registered centres teaching English to overseas students in Australia.
ELL

English Language Learner.
ELP

English Proficiency Level
ELT

English Language Training or English Language Teaching.
EP

English Program
ESL

English as a Second Language. Used when a non-native-English speaker is studying English in an English-speaking country.
ESOL

English for Speakers of Other Languages. This term is more recent and is intended to be a more inclusive term (includes ESL and EFL).
ESP

English for Specific Purposes or English for Special Purposes
FCE

First Certificate in English - (Cambridge 3rd level)
FLT

Foreign Language Teaching
GMAT

Graduate Management Admission Test.
GRE

Graduate Record Examination
IATEFL

International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
ICELT

In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching
IELTS

International English Language Testing System
IEP

Intensive English Program
IPA

International Phonetic Alphabet or International Phonetic Association
iTEP

International Test of English Proficiency
K12

Kindergarten - 12th grade.
KET

Key English Test - (Cambridge 1st level)
L1

Language One. Refers to the student’s first, or native language.
L2

Language Two. Refers to the new language that the student is learning.
LEP

Limited English Proficient or Limited English Proficiency
LES

Limited English Speaker
LTE

London Tests of English by Pearson Language Tests
MELAB

Michigan English Language Assessment Battery
MT

Mother Tongue
MTELP

Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency
NATECLA

National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (UK)
NATESOL

National Association of Teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages
NGO

Non-government organization.
NNEST

Non-Native English Speaking Teacher
NNS

Non-Native Speaker
NS

Native Speaker
OED

Oxford English Dictionary
OPI

Oral Proficiency Interview
OUP

Oxford University Press
PBT

Paper Based TOEFL
PDI

Professional Development Interview
PET

Preliminary English Test - (Cambridge 2nd level). Another meaning - Professional English Trainer.
RP

Received Pronunciation - 'standard' British pronunciation.
RSVP

Please respond. (Repondez S'il vous plait)
SAT

Scholastic Assessment (Aptitude) Test - pre-university entrance exam in the USA
SLA

Second Language Acquisition
STT

Student Talking Time
TEFL

Teaching English as a Foreign Language. A TEFL teacher will be one who teaches English to speakers of other languages in non-native-English-speaking countries.
TELC

The European Language Certificate
TESL

Teaching English as a Second Language. A TESL teacher teaches English to speakers of other languages in an English-speaking country.
TESOL

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. A more inclusive term for teaching EFL and ESL.
TKT

Teaching Knowledge Test (Cambridge)
TOEFL

Test of English as a Foreign Language.
TOEIC

Test of English for International Communication.
TPR

Total Physical Response.
TSE

Test of Spoken English
TTC

Teacher Training Course
TTO

This stands for Tweetalig Onderwijs in the Netherlands. It is the collective name given to Bilingual Education or Dual Language Education. Pupils receive half their curriculum in their own language and the other half in English.
TTT

Teacher Talking Time - referring to the amount of time the teacher spends as opposed to the time hisher students speak.
TWE

Test of Written English
UCAS

Universities and Colleges Admission Service
UCLES

University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, an exam board
VESL

Vocational English as a Second Language
YLE

Young Learners English Tests - Cambridge Examinations for young learners