Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) refers to teaching the English language to students with different first languages. TEFL can occur either within the state school system or more privately, at a language school or with a tutor. TEFL can also take place in an English-speaking country for people who have immigrated there. TEFL teachers may be native or non-native speakers of English. Other acronyms for TEFL are TESL, TESOL, and ESL.