OTTSA - Accrediting Professionals

Frequently asked questions

1.Can any organisation apply for OTTSA accreditation?

No. OTTSA is dedicated to online education training provision; courses that fall outside that field cannot be accredited by OTTSA.

2.Can OTTSA provide me with information from trainees who have completed the courses they accredit?

Yes. Whilst we are unable to give out personal information about trainees, such as email addresses, we can share their course feedback with you, which is part of the moderation process.

3.What does accreditation actually mean?

Accreditation is basically a system that checks that a course meets a set of standardised (by the Industry) criteria. With an accredited course you know that there is a system of checks being made by the moderators on the course provider to ensure that standards, procedures and materials are appropriate, fit for their purpose, up to date and regularly updated, and that there are systems in place to monitor and give feedback on student progress.

4.Do you accredit organisations or individual courses?

Only individual courses can be accredited. If a course provider offers more than one course, then each course must undergo the submission, accreditation and moderation process.

5.How long does OTTSA accreditation last?

Indefinitely. After the initial accreditation of a course has been approved the course is subject to regular review.

6. How do OTTSA moderators keep up to date?

Our moderators are dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of on line training programs. As such we regularly attend courses and conferences throughout the world to keep abreast of the latest developments and improve our knowledge.

Through our own continual development we are able to pass this knowledge on to our accredited course providers through their course moderations, to keep them up to date and at the leading edge of the industry.

7. Why should I choose an OTTSA accredited course??

There are many accrediting agencies and organizations worldwide, some are better known than others. As a rule of thumb, you should contact these agencies and talk to the people who operate them, before making a firm decision about a course.

8. Where do OTTSA operate?

As OTTSA is an on line accreditation agency it is able to operate worldwide. There are no limitations, other than internet access.

9. Can OTTSA guarantee a course is genuine?

Yes we can, as a professional agency we stand by our reputation within the industry. We will do all we can to ensure that the information we present is truthful and up to date.

10. What do the following mean?

Within the field of English language teaching, there is a variety of acronyms that are commonly used. These are some of the more common:

• TEFL � Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This term is predominantly used when English is being taught in a country where it isn�t the native language (for example teaching English to Spanish people in Spain).
• TESL � Teaching English as a Second Language. This is where English is being taught to non-native speakers of English in a country where English is the native language (for example teaching immigrants to the UK or USA).
• TESOL � Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This term theoretically encompasses both of the above.
• ELT � English Language Teaching. Mainly used by institutions in the UK.
• EYL � English for Young Learners. A common term for teaching children.
• ESP � English for Specific Purposes. This refers to teaching specialist and specific areas of English. There are many examples, such as English for International Banking and Finance, English for Nursing, for Tourism, etc.
• EAP � English for Academic Purposes.
• EAL � English as an Additional Language. This is a term becoming more widely used in the US and the UK, and has a similar meaning to TESL.