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BUSINESS NEWS - TEFL accreditation from a reputable external body is incredibly important. Accreditation reassures that you’ve chosen a quality course — one that has undergone analysis and regular assessment and covers the essential groundwork of becoming a great EFL teacher.
Basically, accreditation from an authoritative body ensures that you’re completing a course that holds academic integrity and will be well regarded by employers.
If you've found yourself increasingly interested in taking a TEFL course but are unsure of how to choose one that's right for you, then you're in the right place. You might have found that a simple google search for TEFL courses will be met with pages upon pages of results. You will find multiple TEFL providers such as WITS University, The TEFL Org, and others.
With a bit more research, you'll soon find that many of the companies selling TEFL courses don’t have adequate accreditation. If you're really considering changing your career to become a TEFL teacher then you should pay attention to this. While it's hard to ignore the fact that many of these providers without accreditation are much more budget-friendly, you have to ask if they could really secure you a job with no extra hidden costs. It’s unlikely.
What does TEFL accreditation mean and why does it matter?
TEFL accreditation should indicate that you’re receiving a qualification of a high standard from a genuine provider. Your certification should be widely recognised and respected by employers. Wherever you get your TEFL qualification, ensuring that you invest in one from a well-accredited provider will not be money wasted.
However, sometimes accreditation alone isn’t enough. There’s a lack of regulation monitoring how TEFL courses are marketed and sold, meaning that some providers can be misleading about the quality of the courses they’re offering. Accreditation is only useful when it’s coming from authoritative bodies and you need to be linked back to the providers’ website so that you can verify this.
There are plenty of companies selling courses that haven’t undergone any means of quality control or assessment, which is why heavy emphasis is being placed on getting qualified to teach English with a well-accredited provider.
A quality course sets you up to do the job you’re aiming to do. You’ll be taught how to teach English effectively and once you’ve completed it you’ll be at an ideal starting point to find work.
Here’s how to determine whether a TEFL provider is well-accredited so that you know what to look out for:
How can I tell if a course provider is ‘well-accredited’?
As we’ve discussed, a TEFL provider simply stating that they’re ‘accredited’ isn’t enough to go by. You need to research where the accreditation comes from. Well accredited TEFL providers offer courses that are superior in quality and also provide good employment opportunities. Employers recognise the level of training you’ve undergone as being sufficient and therefore will be more likely to consider you for the job.
There isn’t a setlist of partnering associations for TEFL accreditation but you can do some research. First of all, check out whether the accrediting body is established and if the provider lists any other accrediting partners. If you can find this information out relatively easily — as well as how the accreditation has been earned and if other well-established course providers are also accredited by them — then you can trust the provider’s credibility.
However, if the provider lacks clarity about where they’ve received accreditation, it could be better to search elsewhere. They should be transparent about where the accreditation comes from so that you can research the link yourself and ultimately have confidence in its authenticity.
How much should I be willing to pay for a TEFL course from an accredited provider?
How much you should be willing to spend on your TEFL course completely depends on what’s included in the price. The cost of a TEFL course that will adequately prepare you to get started in a career teaching English won’t be cheap. It won’t necessarily be extremely high either, but if the price is lower than you’d expect a quality, in-depth course to be, then that’s perhaps a sign to avoid it. Budget TEFL courses are quite cheap because they tend to not be accredited. Getting accredited requires effort and money.
For a 120-hour long basic TEFL qualification (which is typically a standard requirement for employers), you can expect to pay anything between R3120 and R10400 from an accredited provider. On top of this, some providers might offer intensive or advanced courses, such as a course specifically tailored to teaching English online, all of which will usually be at an additional cost.
Investing in a quality course to begin with will be worth it in the long run. You’ll stand a better chance of finding employment quickly and therefore able to earn back the money you invested sooner. Plus, you’ll be properly prepared for TEFL and therefore ready to take on the job.
TEFL accreditation is important. If you’re looking for a TEFL qualification, don’t be tempted to rush into anything without having completed thorough research first. When you understand how it affects the quality of the certification you’ll receive and the jobs you can apply for, then you’ll be in a better position to find a course that suits you best.
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