Unfortunately, there is no single body worldwide to moderate TEFL courses, which creates a lot of confusion for people like you who are looking for an accredited course which is recognised internationally.
However, these 5 questions will weed out the bogus TEFL courses:
1) How many hours of observed teaching practice are included in the course fee? It should be 6 hours minimum. Warning – your teaching practice lessons have to be observed. 20 hours teaching practice means nothing if nobody is going to watch you.
2) How often does the accrediting body come and visit? It should be monthly, or bi-monthly
3) What are the pass rates? This is a great question, as bogus course providers may say “100%” – to try to encourage you to sign up. But it’s important that not everyone passes, or the qualification is meaningless. About 90% should be the norm.
4) How much tutor – trainee contact time is there? For in-class courses it needs to be 120 hours minimum. For blended or online courses, you need regular contact with tuturs, and lots of zoom tutorials.
5) Who is the accrediting body? You need to make sure they specialise in TEFL. “X University in Y city” isn’t enough. Google them and find out what they require.
– So in a nutshell, don’t fall for “180 hour, accredited TEFL course” ads! Anyone can send you off to read a book or watch videos for 180 hours and set up a bogus accrediting body.
To ensure that your TEFL certificate is recognised around the world, our course is moderated with regular visits by the UK based body IATQUO (International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying Organisations). They only accredit TEFL courses, and you will probably get to meet them in week 4 when you come to do your course with us.
“I’m looking for a CELTA course in South West France”
You’ve come to the right place. Our 4 week TEFL course meets and often exceeds CELTA standard – especially now, since many CELTA courses have gone online. Here is how we are the same or better:
- Course length – 4 weeks
- Teaching Young Learners training included – CELTA stands for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults
- Contact hours with trainers – over 120 hours
- 6 hours’ minimum observed teaching practice (one hour lessons, not 45 minutes) with indepth feedback
- Qualifications and experience of training staff – Cambridge DELTA / MA TEFL / PGCE TEFL qualified with 10 years minimum experience
- Regular moderation visits by a moderating body specialising in EFL teaching
The above are worldwide standards – and within l’education nationale in France we are moderated and accredited by national government bodies QUALIOPI , and recognised for government funding by the Pole Emploi, Mon Compte Formation and CARIF OREF
Course reviews and feedback from past trainees
The French government requires that at the end of the course we also hear and react to your feedback, with satisfaction surveys immediately after the course and 6 months afterwards. So you are also part of the moderation and constant improvement process! Also see our google reviews here
Some stats from 2023:
Needless to say our course is in line with British Council recommendations for TEFL courses
Since 2009 we have always been successful in gaining accreditation by IATQuO, which means that our course surpasses internationally recognised requirements for TEFL courses.
Taking a course accredited by a reputable body adds the required weight to your TEFL qualification and gives you peace of mind when you book a course. There is an excellent article here on what to avoid and how to choose a TEFL course
Find out more about IATQUO, its quality standards and accreditation criteria
“The accreditation that comes with your TEFL certificate carries a lot of weight and I was so pleased to see employers take it seriously.”
Arlen Mabe, USA