Much has been written on this forum, and others, about which certificate course to take – online vs. classroom delivered, Trinity / Cambridge vs. others etc.

One of the main concerns voiced is over the accreditation, and hence international recognition of standards of TEFL certificate courses.

The Cambridge CELTA has long been considered the industry benchmark although Trinity is now regarded as its equal. These two organisations currently dominate the industry.

However, as smaller organisations attempt to cash in on the lucrative trade of teacher training, and courses are now being delivered over the Internet, the industry is seeing the appearance of alternative ‘so called’ accrediting / moderating bodies.

Henry provides us with his take on some of these: http://tinyurl.com/5mzom

Whilst some of these organisations indeed look dodgy, is it really true for all of them?

I would be interested to hear from teachers who have taken courses accredited by these organisations in order to add first-hand assessment to Henry’s observations.

I would also like to hear what teachers expect from an accrediting body and provider of English Language Teacher Training courses.

Is it international recognition, quality assurance, regular observation of all courses delivered, guarantee of work after completion of course, a choice of different course locations or just a competitive price?

Are your teacher training needs being met?