INTO University Partnerships’ NILE Collaborates with English UK to Launch Innovative TEFL Course
NILE, the teacher training segment of INTO University Partnerships, is instrumental in rolling out a fresh TEFL course, brought to fruition by English UK.
The programme, dubbed AccessTEFL, seeks to provide an accessible pathway for individuals aspiring to teach English in the UK, through a job-based training regime complemented by a structured CPD plan.
AccessTEFL aims to offer a gateway for those yet to secure a TEFL qualification, enabling them to attain TEFLi status and meet the Accreditation UK’s teaching criteria.
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.
As a global leader in English language teacher professional development, NILE has imparted training to over 70,000 educators from a diverse array of over 90 countries since its foundation in 1995.
The drive for this programme originated from the regular evaluations undertaken by Accreditation UK, which acknowledged the value of an apprentice-based training model.
In turn, English UK has introduced a budget-friendly qualification route designed to swell the ranks of competent ELT professionals, enhance the field’s accessibility, and amplify the level of support available to novices. Under the stewardship of NILE’s expert educators, aspirants will hone vital competencies pertinent to the UK ELT milieu, with their institutions offering the requisite mentorship and professional growth opportunities.
Thom Kiddle, NILE’s Director, voiced his excitement about the venture: “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.”
Participants of the AccessTEFL scheme will engage in 40 hours of academic learning and 80 hours of teaching practice, which includes observing and collaborating with experienced teachers. The foundational modules cover topics such as The English Language, The English Language Learner, The English Language Classroom, and Reflective Practice.
Jodie Gray, English UK’s Chief Executive, shared her thoughts on the launch: “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.”