TEFL refers to teaching English to which group of individuals?

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, which specifically pertains to instructing individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who are located in a country where English is not the dominant language. This context reflects the objective of TEFL, which is to facilitate language acquisition and communication skills in environments where English is considered foreign.

In TEFL settings, instructors often work with students who might be learning English for better opportunities in education, employment, or social integration within a globalized world. This approach typically involves methods tailored to the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students, focusing on practical usage of the language that can be applied in their respective contexts.

The other categories, while they deal with English language education, do not align explicitly with the TEFL framework. For example, teaching native English speakers abroad or in an English-speaking country addresses different educational contexts, such as TESOL or ESL, highlighting the distinction in the terminology and its practical applications.