TYPE “online TEFL training” into Google and you’ll get a bewildering array of links to courses that claim they can turn you into a professional English teacher in anything from a couple of days to a few weeks. How do teachers know that they have signed up for something well designed and professionally delivered?

The first thing to do is to check to what extent the organization offering the training is reputable — by investigating its website, talking to colleges and peers or asking other trusted courses. Apart from accreditation and validation issues, online courses need to demonstrate current best practice in online learning. With these crucial elements in mind, someone looking for quality online teacher development would be well advised to ask the following questions.

Online delivery mode

How is the course offered online — via a virtual learning environment or an ad-hoc selection of tools, such as e-mail and Skype? What provision is made for delivery of materials such as videos — are they online or on CD-Rom?

Course design

Does the delivery mode match the content? If the course claims to help you improve and practice your pronunciation, but is delivered by e-mail, it is unlikely to work! How much of the course takes place asynchronously and how much synchronously — indeed, is provision made for both? What provision is made for getting to know course colleges and for working in online groups/pairs?

Course materials

What materials are used in the course? Are a range of online tools used to deliver this content and to encourage reflection? Are a range of task types used — not just the old “read and reflect” approach?

Tutors

Apart from having the necessary subject expertise, how experienced in e-learning are the course tutors? How much support can you expect from them, and what form will it take? How quickly will they answer queries and provide support? How much feedback and guidance on course work or on progress is provided?

Assessment

How will your course book be evaluated and assessed? Will it include assessment that is formative or summative?

Certification

Will you receive a certificate at the end of the course, and who will issue it?

Getting satisfactory answers to all of the above questions should show you whether an online teacher development course is worth taking or not.