Is there a difference between "English as a second language" or "English as a foreign language"?

English as a Second Language ESL is a term used to describe English language instruction for non-native speakers of English.

The difference between ESL and English as a Foreign Language EFL is that: ESL means learning English in an English speaking country; whereas, EFL means learning English in a non-English speaking country.

Apparently it seems the same but actually they are different. Take the example of a hospital to get a better understanding of this issue. All the sections of a hospital; emergency, ICU, OPD, different wards, etc. are busy to look after and treat the sick but still they serve different purpose.

In the same way EFL (English as a foreign language) and ESL (English as a second language) serve different purposes. EFL is catered in the non-English speaking countries and ESL in English speaking countries. ESL needs contents of course that can immediately improve the English language skills of the learners to let them survive in an English speaking environment. EFL doesn't have such an emergency so learners are put on a track to strengthen the base of their English language skills.

No because second language is same as foreign language

English as a Second language (ESL) means the main language is not English and English is used for maily official purposes.

for example, in Jordan, people speak Arabic which is the native language, which is the first language. If you go to hospitals, you can see doctors and nurses communicate using English not Arabic, so English is used here as a second language because it is used mainly for communication rather than the native language, Arabic.

In contrast, If you go to schools, English is not used for communication at schools and it is only taught to students, so here it is as a foreign language.

English as Second Language is usually studied in a less formal environment by new residents to a country where English is the primary language, often so that they can have a social and professional life at all outside of an immigrant community.  English as Foreign Language is usually an academic topic taught in a formal classroom environment, often graded, in a country where English is not the native language, frequently to make them a more appealing employee in fields where English skills are not a necessity for securing employment but a perk on a resume.

This leads to a lot of differences in how classes are organized, what sorts of materials are used, and even what students learn.

An ESL classroom, for example, can rely much more on students finding opportunities to practice speaking English outside the classroom, whereas an EFL classroom ends up a focusing more on grammar and written English, mostly because that's what's available. EFL often focuses much more on 'right' and 'wrong' answers whereas ESL is much more concerned with communicating at all.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) typically take place in a foreign country, usually with students from the same country. In contrast, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes takes place in an English-speaking country, with students from all different backgrounds.

 English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) require two different strategies for teaching for a number of reasons. Most people don’t know the difference between the two and don’t consider the difference when they set out to teach English. It’s important to know what each one is so that the different needs of the students can be met.

English is taught as a second language when the country is using the language for official purposes, take for example African countries, with so many tribal languages used, the country decides to use a second language for official purposes and not one of the tribal languages as it would be unfair. 

but when it is taught as a foreign language it means that the country uses it for international purposes, commerce, international diplomacy, etc no need to use it within the country  . for example in the middle east English is taught as a foreign language, you can go to any governmental institute and do all your  paperwork using Arabic, no need for English.

Starting with the basics, EFL stands for English as a Foreign Languag and ESLstands             for English as aSecond Languag 

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language.

An English teacher who teaches English to speakers of other languages in a non-English speaking country is teaching EFL. For example, an American living and teaching English in Spain is an EFL teacher. His or her students are most likely Spanish and their first language (L1) is most likely Spanish. The students are studying EFL.

A teacher living and teaching English in an English speaking country, such as the U.S. or Australia, is teaching ESL. The teacher's (or tutor's) students are most likely students who are from non-English speaking countries, but are now living and studying English in an English-speaking country. The English language learner (ELL) may be living permanently in the country or may just be visiting the country.

More recent and inclusive ESL acronyms or abbreviations are ESOL and TESOL. ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. TESOLstands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. These abbreviations could render EFL-ESL differences irrelevant on paper, but the differences are still important to the teacher preparing his or her English lesson plans.

EFL is where the teacher teaches English to students in a country where English isn’t the native language. For example, a Chinese student learning English in China would fall under this category.

On the other hand, ESL is where English is taught to students in a country where English is the .primary language. An example of this is where a Chinese student is learning English in Australia

Basically there is a great difference between these 2 terms. Ao an English teacher who teaches English to speakers of other languages in a non-English speaking country is teaching EFL. While a teacher living and teaching English in an English speaking country, such as the U.S. or Australia, is teaching ESL. In this case the students are most likely  from non-English speaking countries, but they are now living and studying English in an English-speaking country. 

Yes, technically, we study EFL in a country where English is not the mother tongue. On the other hand, we study ESL in a country where English is the local or native language.