International Recognition

The TEFL job market is undoubtedly becoming increasingly competitive. Not too long ago, any native English speaker looking for a life of travel could pursue a successful career as an "English Teacher" without experience or qualifications. However, these days all reputable language schools and employers throughout the world require teachers with a professionally recognised initial TEFL qualification.

A wide range of TEFL courses have been developed to provide this initial teacher training in many countries of the world which makes it very difficult for aspiring teachers to decide which course to choose. The prerequisite for this decision-making should be the certainty that the course chosen is of a standard recognized by those bodies within the industry which designate what constitutes professional status.

The Via Lingua TEFL course significantly exceeds international standards for similar four-week TEFL certification programs.  In order to gain a Via Lingua Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, for example, students need to complete a minimum of 120 hours of tuition, including an average of ten hours teaching practice. The Fischler School of Education and Human Services of Nova Southeastern University (FSEHS-NSU) has reviewed the Via Lingua course and awards graduate credits to all Via Lingua trainees who successfully complete the course. NSU provides all graduates with a certificate stating that they have eanred credits towards a Master's Degree in TEFL, which may be completed online.

Accreditation

Our Via Lingua TEFL course is accredited by the College of Teachers and we are an accredited centre of the College of Teachers. The accreditation is for the Advanced Certificate TESOL (see below).

The College of Teachers is a chartered body with the power to award officially recognised UK qualifications from introductory certificates through to professorships. It has a very long and illustrious 158 year history as a pioneer in education in the UK and overseas despite its diminutive size (such as developing the original UK school exams and investing the first professor of education).

The College was incorporated by Royal Charter as the College of Preceptors in 1849, and changed its name to the College of Teachers in 1998. The College has the same status to award qualifications through its charter as any university in the UK and as such it does not require validation from any body other than the Privy Council Office.

The College awarding powers from the Royal Charter allows the College to make awards that carry official UK academic dress and post-nominal designations for those achieving Associateship or Fellowship levels.

The College awards professional qualifications which run alongside HE qualifications and can be benchmarked to them. The College qualifications are professional awards which are equivalent to UK academic qualifications (the Fellowship qualification is recognised as being at Master's degree level, for example).

The British Council regards the College Of Teachers; University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate; Trinity College, London and all UK universities as acceptable validating bodies.
The College qualifications are accepted all over the world and are accepted by the British Council as valid qualifications for teachers in their accredited schools at certificate and diploma levels.
Advanced Certificate TESOL

The Advanced Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is designed to prepare candidates for their first English teaching job. This internationally accredited course provides the candidate with a deeper understanding of the relationship between the theories underpinning the practice of teaching English together with guided, purposeful observations of qualified and experienced tutors.

A course at this level should include specialist learning and involve detailed analysis of a high level of information and knowledge in TESOL. There should be guided purposeful observations by qualified and experienced tutors.

An Advanced Certificate TESOL will give a candidate the developed skills and knowledge with a strong foundation in TESOL.

More information: http://www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk/tesol/advanced-certificate