Last Updated on: 9th April 2024, 06:14 pm
NILE, the section of INTO University Partnerships dedicated to teacher education, is championing the introduction of a cutting-edge TEFL qualification in association with English UK.
AccessTEFL, the programme in question, aims to facilitate entry into English language teaching in the UK, featuring on-the-job training within a well-structured CPD framework.
Designed for individuals lacking a TEFL certificate, AccessTEFL will confer TEFLi status on its participants, rendering them suitable for positions that meet the Accreditation UK standards.
The scheme will be run by English UK, with day-to-day support, oversight and moderation from teacher training specialists from NILE – Norwich Institute for Language Education, part of the INTO University Partnerships group.
NILE has made a significant mark in the English language teaching sector, having provided professional development training to over 70,000 educators from more than 90 countries since its establishment in 1995.
The initiative was inspired by the findings from the periodic review conducted by Accreditation UK, which underscored the merits of an apprenticeship approach in teacher training.
To address this, English UK has developed an economical qualification pathway aimed at expanding the qualified teacher workforce, making the ELT sector more accessible, and enhancing the support framework for new entrants. Candidates will benefit from the expert tutelage of NILE’s teaching professionals, gaining essential expertise in the UK’s ELT landscape, supported by their schools’ mentorship and development programmes.
Thom Kiddle, the Director at NILE, shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “We are excited to be working on a new project with the team at English UK – developing and managing a situated and supported CPD scheme, AccessTEFL, for new teachers joining English UK schools.”
“The scheme, to be launched later this year, will ensure new entrants to the profession are supported with structured, focused development activities, observation and feedback while they learn their craft and help accredited English UK members recruit teachers in combination with the traditional TEFLi routes.”
The AccessTEFL curriculum mandates 40 hours of theoretical study and 80 hours of practical teaching, including mentorship and collaboration with peers. The core subjects encompass The English Language, The English Language Learner, The English Language Classroom, and Reflective Practice.
Expressing her excitement about the programme’s inauguration, Jodie Gray, English UK’s Chief Executive, stated: “We are delighted to launch ATEFL after many months planning. Many ELT centres have been struggling to hire enough qualified teachers to meet increasing student demand, and that could impede the continuing growth of UK ELT.”
“We believe ATEFL is a great way for centres to grow and develop their own staff, supporting people who are keen to teach English in the UK but who do not have a conventional TEFLi qualification. This is an affordable and accessible way for centres to train high-quality staff as part of their staff CPD, and we hope that as many as possible will be able to take advantage of it.”
