The History of ESL

The history of ESL (English as a second language) is relatively short as modern English has only become a dominant world language in the last 300 years whereas verbal communication has presumably existed for at least two million years. The history of ESL education and instruction is even shorter. It began with the rise and spread of the British Empire in the late 15th century, which was largely a product of expanded trade routes. Thus, English began to take root as the lingua franca of today’s modern business world. It was not until a few centuries later, however, that formal English instruction came into play.

The Spread of English in the British Empire

The British needed a way to communicate with and effectively govern their overseas businesses and colonies, so they began to educate a select few upper-class colonists, indoctrinating them with British ideas and culture, including the English language. The idea was that this generation would grow up and take a place in the government, thereby furthering the empire by passing a British world view down to the lower classes through legislation and local influence. Because the British understood that not everyone was learning English, they favored a bilingual educational system. This would ensure that those in power would look and sound local, thus gaining the trust and support of the locals, while holding to the beliefs and practices of the British. In this way, English began not only to spread as a second language throughout the world, but also to grow as words from foreign cultures were added to the lexicon. Then, in the mid-19th century, interest in what was about to become the newest global power produced a new generation of ESL learners.

The History of ESL in the United States

As opportunity in the United States increased and transportation technology improved with the Industrial Revolution, millions of immigrants flocked to the U.S. in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. What they found was an abundance of work in a country on the verge of civil war. Most immigrants wound up in large cities, living in ethnic neighborhoods with other immigrants of the same nationality. In such an enclave, a working knowledge of English was not necessary to survival.Immigrant communities wished to both retain their cultural traditions and participate in American life, and America, having been built on the belief that all men are free to do so, did its best to be accommodating. Bilingual or non-English instruction popped up in both public and private schools across the nation depending on the culture of the local population (French was used in Louisiana, for example, Spanish in New Mexico, etc.). This continued until the late 1800s when the United States, groping for some sense of a national identity and afraid of defeat without it, began to mold all Americans into a cultural standard. The Naturalization Act, passed in 1906, for example, required that all immigrants must be able to speak English in order to become naturalized citizens of the U.S.In 1914, the Ford Motor Company started an in-house English program for its employees as a part of its controversial $5-a-day wage program. In order for employees to garner the full wage, they were required to meet certain standards of living. One such standard was that families live in single family homes as opposed to small apartments. It naturally followed that proficiency in English was required as families began to spread outside of their ethnic neighborhoods, so Ford offered English classes to employees who wished to fully participate in the program.By the mid-1920s, most states had instituted English-only instructional policies in both private and public schools, which was essentially a form of submersion education for immigrant children. It was not until World War II and just after that the United States began to recognize once again the importance of foreign languages, foreign language education and cooperation with (as opposed to fear of) speakers of other languages, which naturally led to a greater interest in ESL education. During this time (1950s-1980s), linguists and educators put a lot of effort into researching language, language learning and language teaching, producing a variety of ESL teaching methods that are still used, at least in part, today. Additionally, the past five decades have seen both state and federal budgets come to include funding for public schools and adult basic education programs nationwide.

 

ESL Around the World

Today, there are countless ESL teaching certification programs offered around the globe, combining the allure of world travel with the security of knowing that as long as there are people who don't speak English, ESL teachers will be a valuable commodity.

 

When you step back to look at the big picture, it’s fascinating to see how English has spread naturally and forcibly, for the purposes of commerce and community, as the world has grown smaller and smaller. The process hasn’t always been noble or pretty, but in the end, it has served in small part to join the world together through the gift of communication.