Teaching English can refer to various things, including primary and secondary school classes in the US and UK, university-level courses in linguistics, literature, and creative writing, and English as a Second Language courses. In both the US and UK, English education includes reading, writing, mechanics, grammar, and literature. In Japan, high school students must take English classes to develop fluency in the language.
The definition of teaching English depends on the perspective of those who define it. Some of the things this term can mean include: English classes taught in US primary and secondary schools or literacy and English classes taught in UK primary and secondary schools. It can also refer to courses in linguistics, creative writing, or literature that lead to a university-level degree and English as a Second Language, available in many countries.
In the United States, basic elementary and high school education features annual courses in English. In primary school, this includes instruction in learning to read and write and then they diverge, taking on more difficult subjects, which include mechanics and grammar. By the time students are ready for seventh or eighth grade, they’ve learned a variety of subjects in what’s called English education and studied things like literature, reading comprehension, and creative writing. Senior grades continue to work on reading comprehension, mechanics, interpretation, and writing.
There are similarities between the UK and the US in English education. Primary school students in the UK generally study what is called literacy as opposed to English education. It should be noted that an education at a school in England is, by definition, an education in English. When this term is applied specifically to learning to read and write in English, it is divided into primary and secondary literacy classes. Most secondary school students in England study English until age 16.
At colleges in both countries, English typically means the study of literature and can include the study of linguistics and creative writing. Technically, the study of English literature is the study of works produced by those who resided in England or were born there. In American colleges, some people work on the English major and spend most of their time specifically studying American writers, but this is not referred to as an American Literature degree.
Teaching English can also describe learning English if one speaks a foreign language. In settings where English is the predominant language, these could be English as a Second Language courses for students in traditional settings, at colleges or in adult education settings. There are also some countries that require students to learn English as a second language. In Japan, for example, high school students must take two to three years of English classes to develop fluency in the language. Unless courses are specifically taught in English, the study of Japanese literature or other topics would not be considered part of an English education.
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