Acronyms and abbreviations form a dialect that distinguishes the "ins" from the "outs" in many groups.

People who can express themselves spontaneously and correctly through the dialect are part of the in-group.
• Those who cannot express themselves well but who can understand the acronyms and abbreviations are on the fringe.

  Those who cannot use or understand them at all make up the out-group.

Where do you stand in the world of TESOL? In? Out? On the fringe? Find out by taking this "quiz"!

Directions

Start

Look at each acronym or abbreviation below. Some are specialized TESOL acronyms, others are from the world of education, and some are even more general.

See if you can say the words that the acronym stands for. Then try to explain the meaning behind the words.

For example:

SCUBA:

Words: "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus"

Meaning: "Equipment and procedures for swimming underwater for extended periods of time."

If you want to test yourself more rigorously, try writing out the words and meanings on a sheet of paper.

After you have made your guesses, click on each acronym to see what it stands for in the world of education and TESOL.

Once you have gone through the entire list, check your responses (if you have not already done so) by clicking on the acronyms that you are not sure of or by simply scrolling through the following section.

After you have mastered these acronyms you will have a good start on being a true "insider" in the world of TESOL. But remember that it is only a start. You will need to learn many more acronyms and terms (and their meanings) before you have truly mastered the "inside language" of TESOL.


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1. GPA
   Answer ---------- Grade Point Average ---------- A mathematical mean of grades received at a school. For example, 3.85 on a scale of 4.0 is a great grade point average. A GPA of 1.7 is something to worry about.
2. BA
   Answer ---------- Bachelor of Arts ---------- A common undergraduate degree. The other common undergraduate degree is a B.S. (Bachelor of Science).
3. PTA
   Answer ---------- Parent-Teacher Association ---------- An organization composed of the teachers and parents of students at an elementary or secondary school.
4. IQ
   Answer ---------- Intelligence Quotient ---------- An indication of one's level of "intelligence." An IQ of 100 is supposedly average. An IQ of 135 indicates exceptional brilliance.
5. GRE
   Answer ---------- Graduate Record Examination ---------- A major test offered throughout the United States [and the world] by ETS (see no. 10) and required for admission to many graduate programs at U.S. universities.
6. NAACP
   Answer ---------- National Assocation for the Advancement of Colored People ---------- A U.S.-based organization for Afro-American affairs.
7. VESL
   Answer ---------- Vocational English as a Second Language ---------- A specialized branch of ESL that deals with English language skills needed in the workplace. If you thought this one had to do with blood or ships, you were really off!
8. SPSS
   Answer ---------- Statistical Package for the Social Sciences ---------- A powerful and widely used computer program that is often used by researchers dealing with quantitative data.
9. CEEB
   Answer ---------- College Entrance Examination Board ---------- A major testing organization that offers examinations such as the ACT (see no. 11).
10. ETS
    Answer ---------- Educational Testing Board Estimated Time of Seperation ---------- The largest testing organization in the world, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, and offering examinations such as the GRE (see no. 5) and the TOEFL (see no. 16).
11. ACT
    Answer ---------- American College Test ---------- An examination offered by CEEB (see no. 9) and taken by many thousands of high school seniors because it is required for admission to many U.S. universities.
12. CALI
    Answer ---------- Computer-Assisted Language Instruction ---------- Instruction in a second or foreign language provided via computer and intended to supplement (not replace) what is taught in a more traditional class by a live teacher.
13. CALICO
    Answer ---------- Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium ---------- An international organization of professionals concerned with language-teaching via computer, originally headquartered at Brigham Young University but now operating out of Duke University in North Carolina.
14. CBTE
    Answer ---------- Competency-Based Teacher Education ---------- An approach to teacher preparation based on the demonstration of certain specified competencies, rather than merely taking a required sequence of courses.
15. ERIC
    Answer ---------- Educational Resource Resource Center ---------- A clearinghouse funded by the U.S. government which receives and disseminates thousands of education-oriented documents via microfiche and other means. ERIC provides a rich resource of information related to TESL.
16. TOEFL
    Answer ---------- Test of English as a Foreign Langauge ---------- An English language proficiency examination offered by ETS (see no. 10) several times each year and taken by many thousands of English language learners around the world because it is required of non-native speakers of English seeking admission to many U.S. universities.
17. TENES
    Answer ---------- Teaching English to N/E Speakers ---------- An old acronym that has been replaced by TESL, TEFL, and TESOL (see nos. 18, 19, and 20).
18. TESL
    Answer ---------- Teaching English as a Second Language ---------- English language teaching for non-native speakers who are living in an English-language society or environment.
19. TEFL
    Answer ---------- Teaching English as a Foreign Language ---------- English language teaching for non-native speakers who are living in an environment where English is not widely spoken.
20. TESOL
    Answer ---------- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages ---------- Two meanings: (a) Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages = An acronym intended to include the practice of both TESL and TEFL [see nos. 18 and 19]., (b) Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages = An international organization of around 20,000 English language teaching professionals, which has numerous local affiliates and holds a gigantic annual convention.
21. NAFSA
    Answer ---------- National Association of Foreign Student Affairs ---------- A U.S. government supported organization that deals with various aspects of dealing with international students in the United States and that has various sections devoted to areas such as admissions, community relations, and (of course) TESL.
22. NABE
    Answer ---------- National Association of Bilinguial Educators ---------- A U.S.-based organization devoted to issues in bilingual education.
23. SESD
    Answer ---------- Standard English as a Second Dialect ---------- A variety of English taught to speakers of non-standard dialects such as "Black English".
24. L1
    Answer ---------- First Language ---------- Native language. Mother tongue. Can you guess what L2 stands for?
25. CAL
    Answer ---------- Computer-Assisted Learning ---------- Learning of any type facilitated or supported by computers.
26. ALM
    Answer ---------- Audio-Lingual Method ---------- A widely used language teaching approach popularized in the 1950's and 1960's, which emphasized oral language use and was characterized by tenets such as habit formation and procedures such as dialog memorization and drilling.
27. MTELP
    Answer ---------- Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency ---------- A standardized English Language proficiency examination developed at the University of Michigan and used at many universities through the United States and the world.
28. ESP
    Answer ---------- English for Special Purposes ---------- English language teaching focusing on a particular domain of language use, such as science, agriculture, or business.
29. I-TESOL
    Answer ---------- Intermountain TESOL ---------- Intermountain-TESOL (an affiliate of TESOL (see no. 20-b) with members in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming.
30. LEP
    Answer ---------- Limited English Proficiency ---------- A label widely used in the United States for students in elementary and secondary schools whose native language is not English and whose English language proficiency is below that of their native-English speaking peers.
31. Bonus: SPEBSQSA
    Answer ---------- Society for the Preservation and Ecouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America ---------- The longest, most unpronounceable acronym I could find. I included it here just for fun.

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    1998 © Dr. Lynn E. Henrichsen
    Department of Linguistics
    Brigham Young University
    Last Updated: Saturday, January 24, 1998