People looking to teach English as a foreign language could have a myriad of providers to choose from. The WTEFLAC helped to make that choice a little easier.

The World TEFL Accrediting Commission was set up with one clear aim in mind – to improve the standards of the TEFL and TESOL industries and give people the reassurance of knowing that the providers they choose are reputable and run by qualified professionals. In doing so, they would give people the peace of mind of knowing that their chosen course would give them the knowledge and skills needed to pursue their chosen career aspirations.

There are around 12 million English teachers worldwide and with English continuing to be the main default international language demand for teachers continues to rise. Whether looking for a career or as a way to finance a global adventure, thousands of people have been taking TEFL qualifications with an eye to a career teaching English. However, before you can head off and start teaching, you need a relevant qualification.

This is where TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other language) courses come in. These courses equip people with the skills they need to teach English as a language and to communicate with people without a shared language in common. For many years, these have been associated with people looking to spend time overseas, teaching foreign students English.

However, the problem is that with this demand came a surge in the number of providers promising to help people gain this qualification. Unfortunately, as so often, some were better than others. Trainees were easy targets for scams or providers whose courses were of little or no value.

Differentiating between them could feel impossible. Anybody can put together a convincing looking website making bold and unsubstantiated claims. Without independent verification, there is no way of knowing whether they can back that up.

The WTEFLAC sought to provide that verification. Working to a strict code of conduct, they set benchmarks which providers would have to meet if they were to be accredited. They cracked down on marketing which did not reflect the true content of the course, and they also made sure people offering these courses had the experience and qualifications to offer them.

Before accrediting an organization, they would assess every part of their business from the structure and content of their courses, to the experience and qualifications of the people providing them and the content of any promotional material. Where relevant they would carry out onsite inspections and make sure the provider was continually reviewing and improving its course offering.

Only when the provider had satisfied all of these criteria would it be granted the much-coveted seal of approval. For customers, it provided a sense of reassurance that they had chosen provider could offer value for money. For the providers meanwhile, it gave them a chance to differentiate themselves from other, lower quality providers.