 What is the difference between TESOL and TEFOL? There is often much confusion surrounding these acronyms, but essentially they mean the same thing. TEFOL stands for teaching English as a foreign language. TESOL stands for teaching English to speakers of other languages. The above are generally used interchangeably. However, TEFOL is most commonly used within the UK and TEFOL is usually preferred in Australia and the United States. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFOL certification and a TEFOL certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFOL and TEFOL training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical difference between the two. The general perception is that speakers of English as a foreign language live in a non-English-speaking country, meaning they don't need to speak English on a daily basis and are usually learning the language for travel, business, or simply as a hobby. In contrast, speakers of English as a second language live in an English-speaking country, meaning they do need to speak English on a daily basis for work, socializing, shopping, and many more.