The World TEFL Accrediting Commission’s accreditation mark was crucial in raising standards in the TEFL and TESOL sectors.
In today’s modern world, we can find almost anything we need online. However, it’s also becoming more difficult to verify the legitimacy of any provider. Marketing slogans are easy to produce without having to back them up. Without any oversight, people searching for training options have no way of knowing if their chosen courses are up to scratch. That’s why the World TEFL Accrediting Commission was set up – to let people know if the course they chose would lead to a recognized qualification.
Staying safe online
The last few years have seen a rapid increase in the number of people studying to teach English as a foreign language. At the same time there has been an increase in the number of companies claiming to offer courses. However, not all of them offer the service they claim. Some offer attractive prices but offer poor-quality courses that will not help you find a placement.
Some are outright fraudulent with a rise in fraudsters creating legitimate companies as a way of parting with people’s cash. People would pay for a course but receive nothing in the post.
In such an environment it becomes difficult to trust anybody. Customers will feel wary about choosing any course provider. Everyone suffers. Customers risk paying money for poor-quality courses, and reputable providers find it more difficult to differentiate themselves from malicious participants.
What the WTEFLAC offered?
At a top level, the WTEFLAC offered verification of a company’s product offering. They first set a standard using the code of practice. It covered key qualities that the WTEFLAC board believed companies should be able to meet such as the quality of the course content, the transparency of marketing materials, and commitment to ongoing improvement.
Companies would have to demonstrate to an accreditation board that they were legitimate and show how they were committed to each of the principles in the code of practice. If the WTEFLAC was satisfied with the application, they would be allowed to display the WTEFLAC logo on their website.
The WTEFLAC, therefore, did the due diligence that customers would like to do themselves but might lack the time or the means. It provided a sense of reassurance that the company they were looking at was reputable and would help them move forward with a career teaching English as a foreign language.
It also made life much more difficult for those companies that could not back up their marketing claims with a solid product offering. The aim was to eliminate substandard companies and to leave the field open for the best training providers. The companies listed on the WTEFLAC website vary in structure, size and the amount people have to pay. However, they are all united by one thing – a commitment to providing the best possible services to their customers and an ability to demonstrate the quality of their courses and professionalism of staff.