Students routinely check for accreditation marks before choosing a TEFL course, but can you always trust the kitemark?
Accreditation services such as the (World TEFL Accrediting Commission). WTEFLAC set out to raise standards in the TEFL and TESOL sectors and to give potential students the information they needed to make an informed decision. Its logo can still be found on many providers to this day. However, just as you should as if you can trust a TEFL provider, you should also check if you can trust the accreditor.
About the WTEFLAC
The key to any trust in the TEFL sector is transparency. The WTEFLAC demanded transparency of the providers it reviewed and it carried through that transparency into its marketing.
The WTEFLAC was set up to address a growing problem in the TEFL and TESOL sectors. Because there was no clear regulation in this sector, anyone could quickly and easily set up a course. For those searching on the internet, it could be extremely difficult to work out if a course could deliver on its promises.
The WTEFLAC set up a code of practice which it used as a benchmark for all companies to meet.
The code of practice
The code of practice was displayed clearly on the website. It allowed anyone to see what criteria any provider had to meet.
Providers would first have to show they were a legitimate company and that the claims on their websites were reflected in the service they offered.
All teachers employed would also have to be qualified with at least three years of practical experience teaching English as a foreign language.
The course should be laid out clearly with students given clear expectations about what standards they were expected to meet. If they met those standards they should expect a recognised qualification at the end of it.
The WTEFLAC also scrutinized each company’s culture. It would have to offer a clear commitment to equal opportunities and give all employees plenty of opportunities to progress in their careers.
All course contents should meet minimum standards and the company would have to commit to reviewing the structure of courses to make sure they continue to meet best practices.
The Accreditation process
Any company wishing to be accredited would have to apply to the WTEFLAC. An accreditation board would review their documents and compare each provider against the code of practice.
In their applications, the companies would have to provide full details about the business, its future plans, and how it felt it satisfied the criteria. Details of the qualifications and experience of all staff would be reviewed.
From time to time the accreditation board would organise a site visit to verify a company and get any additional information. This was a chance to check that a provider was real and to see them in action.
If the provider satisfied all criteria they would be cleared for accreditation and permitted to display the WTEFLAC logo on all their marketing material.
By understanding the WTEFLAC’s process in this way, students would know precisely what standards a provider had to meet and if they could proceed safely. The WTEFLAC provided a clear and reliable indication about each company, its culture, and its value.