SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

English as a Second Language (ESL) is considered important in countries where the English language is dominant in certain areas of daily life such as business and education. A majority of the most politically and economically powerful countries in the world have English established as at least one of their primary languages. ESL is normally a fundamental part of education for residents of these countries that first learned to speak a different language at home. Proficiency in English is often a prerequisite for most jobs in these nations as well as for careers that involve international travel and trade. At this juncture, the significance of ESL to the Korean students, ESL Teachers, ESL Schools and to the society in general will be discussed. Hereinafter, are the implications of this study: *Significance of ESL to Korean Students -English Language Acquisition - Better Work Opportunities - Communication is enhanced - Gain Self-Confidence in Socializing with People Through ESL, the student will not only learn to speak, read and write their own native language but they will also learn English as their second language. Today, English is known to be an international language and more often than not, it is one of the qualifications if one applies for an employment specially those relating to the field of business, education, trade, and international relations. In addition, ones ability to communicate with other people is improved; more so, useful when traveling in other countries. Self-confidence is the positive result of acquiring ESL. *Significance of ESL to ESL Teachers -Career Opportunities -Diversity Experience -Practical Experience -Improvement of Teaching Strategies -Updated Curriculum First, on career opportunities, ESL teachers often seek professional development while actively teaching, either through furthering their degrees from a bachelor's to a master's, or from a master's to a doctorate in teaching. They can also receive training to teach students with special needs, or targeted training for a specific school subject. This increases their chances of moving up in their profession. Second, on Diversity Experience, an ESL teacher will potentially be teaching students with a high level of diversity. A teacher may work with students who come from different first languages, possibly in a single class. As a result, an ESL teacher must know how to reach out to students of different socioeconomic statuses, lifestyles, cultures and speaking barriers. ESL teachers prepare for the diversity they will be encountering in their profession by taking language classes, anthropology or sociology classes, and specialized teacher training. Third, on Practical Experience, ESL training classes examine the potential roadblocks an ESL teacher might encounter in the classroom. ESL teachers lacking professional development are forced to guess at a best solution when problems arise. While trial-and-error will eventually serve as

effective training, a developed ESL teacher will be prepared to deal with common problems when they arise them in a holistic manner. Fourth, on the improvement of teaching strategies: Undoubtedly, teaching students who have a limited understanding of the English language can be a daunting task. Since ESL students speak a different language at home, some of them do not know the meanings of simple English words and phrases, and it can be difficult for teachers to communicate with them. Nevertheless, teachers can exercise more patience and try to find the right ways to help to their students become more proficient in the language through: understanding the individual needs of the students, making sure that students know what is going on with the class, helping students speak English more comprehensibly and encouraging them to speak English outside class. Lastly, the ESL curriculum, as well as best practices, is constantly evolving. By staying up with current credentials, training and college teaching curriculum, an ESL teacher avoids falling behind peers. This provides the opportunity to become a candidate for higher positions as an ESL teacher, and serve as a leader in the field. Perhaps most importantly, it affords the ability to better teach students using the most effective and updated methods. *Significance of ESL to ESL Schools - Profitable market Since learning and teaching ESL is in demand, owners of ESL Schools have increased income because of the profitable market. Certainly, engaging in the said business is financially rewarding not only to the owner of the school but also to its teachers. *Significance of ESL to the Society -Increased Employment Opportunities -Economically Competitive -Tourism Learning to speak, read, and write English is generally a requirement for day-to-day functioning. Many non-English speaking countries throughout Asia, Europe, and Latin America have mandatory ESL classes in their primary and secondary schools. The reason for this educational requirement is that these nations' governments recognize that English is the international language of commerce. Residents of these countries who finish school with a command of English have many more career opportunities open to them, and this factor often helps to keep their home countries economically competitive with the rest of the world. Not only that, the tourism of the country where ESL was offered is promoted.