Opinion and Perspective

A Question of Qualifications: Making a
Case for TESOL Diplomas

Robert Lowe
Rikkyo University
As teachers of English working in Japanese colleges and universities, we are
all familiar with the format of job advertisements for recruiting lecturers
and instructors, each one generally containing a section on the qualifications
required of prospective employees. For the majority of jobs, in addition to having
experience teaching English at the tertiary level, the candidates are expected
to hold either a master’s (MA) degree or even a doctoral degree in TESOL or
applied linguistics. In some cases, candidates may have academic degrees in fields
unrelated to the teaching of English.
What the majority of these job advertisements have in common is a focus
on academic credentials, and conspicuous by their absence is the mention of
professional qualifications. In particular, these job adverts almost universallydisregard professional TESOL diplomas as a requirement for teaching in higher
education. In this article I will be attempting to make the case that universities andcolleges should consider professional TESOL diplomas as being equally valuable
to academic degrees when considering candidates for English teaching positions.
It should be noted that I will be discussing positions which primarily involve theinstruction of English, and that the argument made here will not extend to, forexample, professors of literature who teach a small amount of English discussion
classes, nor will it apply to professors of English education or researchers into
second language acquisition (SLA) and TESOL. The argument will be made with
relevance purely to those positions which require, as the primary responsibility,
the teaching of English.
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In making this argument, it will first be important to define what is meant by
a “TESOL diploma,” and to underline the distinction between professional andacademic qualifications.

TESOL Diplomas: A Brief Overview

While they are widely recognized in European countries, TESOL diplomas
are far less well known in Asia, and as a consequence of this there may be somemisconceptions surrounding them that need to be tackled. This discussion will
be framed in terms of the UK National Qualifications Framework (NQF), as it
is in the UK where the two most well-known and respected diplomas are based.
However, I will make some comparisons with academic degrees in order to givesome sense of equivalency.
It should first be understood that a TESOL diploma is not the same as a
TESOL certificate. Well-recognized TESOL certificates (the Cambridge
CELTA or Trinity College London CertTESOL, for example) are accredited
at level 5 of the NQF, putting them at the same level as the first or second yearof undergraduate degree studies or professional certificates. TESOL diplomas,
on the other hand, are advanced qualifications that can only be taken after aminimum of two years post-certificate teaching experience, and are accredited at
level 7 of the NQF, as are Master’s degrees (OFQUAL, 2010).
The two most well regarded diplomas are the Cambridge Delta and the
Trinity College London DipTESOL, both of which contain a similar numberof hours of study and are assessed through similar procedures (Collins, 2005).
Each qualification is assessed through a written exam of around three hours(testing candidates on grammar, knowledge of methodology, and so on), a
written portfolio of around 10,000 words (usually consisting of action research,though this may vary), and a teaching practicum (a number of lessons which areassessed both internally by the training center and externally by an independent
body, such as a university or exam board) (Hawkey & Milanovic, 2013; see alsointernal link to “DipTESOL syllabus and assessment procedures” at http://www.
trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=694).
Although there are slight differences between the assessment components
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of the Cambridge and Trinity courses, they follow the same basic pattern, andare considered to be entirely equivalent qualifications. In the wider English
language teaching (ELT) world, diplomas are generally a prerequisite for jobs in
ELT management, teacher training, and materials development, and are highly
regarded by large international organizations such as International House andthe British Council.
The next section will address my reasons for arguing that TESOL diplomas
should also be considered as suitable qualifications for college and university
teachers in Japan.

The Suitability of TESOL Diplomas for University
Educators

Thornbury (2008) argues that “teaching is a highly skilled activity, but it is not,alas, rocket science. In fact, it is probably not a science at all” (p. 6). Traditionally,it has been important for language teachers at Japanese universities to obtainhigh-level academic qualifications, which demonstrate sophisticated knowledgeof theory and the ability to carry out research. In other words, candidates forthese jobs have been recruited on the same basis as candidates for other academic
positions, despite what would appear to be quite different responsibilities andduties between the two roles.
It is certainly valuable for a teacher to have a thorough knowledge of
ELT theory and methodology, but what often seems to be overlooked is theprofessional gap between the teaching done by English instructors and thatcarried out by lecturers and professors in other subjects; that is, the gap between
the teaching of a subject and the teaching of a skill. English language teachingis essentially skill teaching. The job of English teachers is not to teach students
about ELT methodology and theories of second language acquisition, but rather
it is to teach them English while employing those methodologies, and while usingthat knowledge of second language acquisition.
One very significant way in which TESOL diplomas differ from most(though not all) MA courses is that they have a heavy focus on assessed teachingpractice. While requiring theoretical understanding, they are chiefly concerned56

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with providing teachers with practical teaching skills rather than an exhaustive
knowledge of methodology and SLA theory. In other words, teaching is a skilled
activity, and while knowledge of the academic side of ELT is essential for teachers
to marry their teaching practice to the findings of SLA research, TESOL
diplomas provide the teaching skills required for good classroom practice. In fact,
it is nearly impossible to complete a TESOL diploma without demonstrating ahigh level of classroom competence and teaching skill.
It could well be argued that experience in the classroom can provide adequate
training for teachers in the practical skills required for language teaching, andalso that a number of MA courses include practical teaching components. Bothof these points are absolutely true, and I am not intending in this article to makea negative case against other, more academically focused qualifications, but rather
to make a positive case in favour of TESOL diplomas. The job of a university
English instructor is chiefly to teach the skills of English, and TESOL diplomas
are designed to ensure that teachers who gain these qualifications are highly
skilled classroom practitioners.
There may continue to be some doubts in the minds of readers about thesuitability of TESOL diplomas for teachers at the tertiary level, and I will now
examine some of the possible objections that could be raised against this notion.
1. Universities are academic institutions, and therefore all
educators should hold academic qualifications.
This is a powerful objection, but one which strikes me as somewhat arbitrary. I
have argued above that in many cases the jobs done by university English teachers
are qualitatively different from those done by lecturers and professors in othersubjects. While professors of oceanography may be expected to hold an MSc or
PhD in their fields, scuba diving instructors would more reasonably be expected
to hold professional qualifications guaranteeing that they had been tested andfound to be competent in the requisite skills for their job. If the suitability ofa qualification is judged entirely on the basis of the institution in which it isemployed, we risk losing qualified and skilled practitioners through an arbitrary
conflation of a kind of institution with a kind of qualification. It is hard to see
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why a master’s degree “in any field” should be a more desirable precondition
for employment than a professional diploma in the specific field of the position
advertised. As such, while this appears to be a reasonable objection, it does notseem adequate to dismiss the case outlined in favour of TESOL diplomas.
2. TESOL diplomas may be accredited at the same level as
master’s degrees, but they are not fully equivalent.
It is true that an equivalent NQF level does not make two qualifications truly
equivalent. It is also true that holders of diplomas are granted a varying numberof credits towards an MA, implying that diplomas are lower-level qualifications.
This is another strong objection but once again seems arbitrary. As argued above,
diplomas equip teachers with practical skills that many MA courses do not, andas such to argue that one qualification is better because it is “higher” than anotheris to ignore the relevant applications of the skills gained from the study of each.
Once again, this is not to diminish the value of master’s or doctoral degrees, but
only to argue that comparisons over the level of the qualifications do not make astrong argument against TESOL diplomas.
3. Job advertisements often include the open-ended “orequivalent”, which may allow for legitimate TESOL diplomas tobe considered.
This is certainly true, and I have previously been offered positions on the basisof my TESOL diploma. However, there are two problems with this objection.
Firstly, it places the candidate at a disadvantage, requiring them to explain andjustify their qualification. This is something not required of holders of academic
qualifications, which have more universal currency. Secondly, diplomas are often
not accepted as a relevant qualification for teaching jobs, and I am personallyaware of a number of highly experienced, diploma-qualified teachers who havebeen rejected from jobs on the basis that they were considered underqualified.
4. Students expect their instructors to be academically, rather thanprofessionally qualified. It reflects badly on institutions to employ
people who do not have higher academic qualifications.
This is an important objection, and one that is perhaps more persuasive58

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as it focuses on practicalities rather than on merit. Certainly, students may bedisappointed to find that their instructor does not have an academic qualificationin their field and may respect that instructor less as a result. However, this seems
less an objection to diplomas in themselves and more a concern about theprestige of the qualification. This appears to beg the question, in that universities
are unlikely to employ people with diplomas because students don’t knowwhat they are, and students don’t know what they are because diplomas are notusually recognized as legitimate qualifications by universities. While this may
be a practical concern, it could easily be overcome by awareness raising amongst
students.
5. If people without academic qualifications are allowed to work
as university-level English instructors, the job will be devalued
in the eyes of our colleagues, and English instructors will beaccorded less respect.
This is another important, practical concern for teachers at universities. It
should be remembered at this point that, as stated in the introduction, I am
concerned here with jobs that feature primarily the teaching of English, rather
than other jobs in which teaching is a feature but is not the primary responsibility.
Once again, these jobs are qualitatively different from the jobs done by the
majority of university educators. English instructors typically teach moreclasses per week than other university lecturers, and the teaching is of a different
nature, focusing on skills rather than subject matter. Teachers who hold a lesswell known, but equally valuable qualification directly related to their profession
should not for any clear reason be accorded less respect than those doing thesame job with a more academically focused qualification. If respect is lost for
English instructors on this basis, it is indicative of the same arbitrary preference
for academic qualifications discussed above.
6. It will be difficult for universities to differentiate between“legitimate” TESOL diplomas and “illegitimate” ones.
It is an unfortunate fact that the world of TESOL is awash with charlatanry,
and fake or unaccredited qualifications. This can be a difficult landscape for
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institutions and teachers to navigate and is a cause for concern when considering
accepting teachers with professional qualifications. Naturally, universities cantake the same steps as they take when evaluating any other kind of qualifications,such as checking course accreditation and the reputation of the organization inquestion. However, more to the point, there are only two internationally wellknown and recognized diploma-level qualifications - the Cambridge Delta, andthe Trinity College London DipTESOL - and as such it should be rather easy foruniversities to identify whether these qualifications are legitimate or not. There isa further concern related to this, however.
7. Diploma courses are not run by the organizations themselves,
but rather are licensed to schools and other teaching centers.
This may indicate a varying quality among the courses.
This may be a valid criticism of poorly-moderated courses, but both theCambridge and Trinity courses are standardized and regularly inspected, as wellas providing external evaluations for each candidate and a centralized system
for the grading of examinations. This ensures the quality of all courses will be
as uniform as possible and should not be a concern in hiring diploma-qualified
instructors.
The seven points above are some of the central objections that may be raised
against the acceptance of professional diplomas by universities. It is almost certainthat other objections could be raised, and I would welcome further scrutiny of theideas discussed here. However, I have outlined what I believe to be a strong casein favour of the notion that professional TESOL diplomas should be consideredalongside academic qualifications by universities when hiring English instructors.

Conclusion

In this article I have argued that professional diplomas in TESOL should beconsidered as valid qualifications by universities when hiring English instructors.
I provided an outline of what is meant by a “TESOL diploma” and presented andcritically examined a number of possible objections to my argument. As English
instructors we are required to teach a skill, and the type of teaching required forthis is different from the type required of lecturers and professors. As such, I have60

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argued here that qualifications with a focus on the practical elements of foreign
language teaching ought to be considered alongside academic qualifications
on the spectrum of suitable teaching credentials for university-level English
instructors. I’m not sure I agree with Thornbury when he states that teachingis “probably not a science,” but as important as the science may be, we should be
careful not to neglect the skill.

References

Collins, A. (Ed.). (2005). The guide to English language teaching yearbook 2005.
London, England: Modern English Publishing.
Hawkey, R. & Milanovic, M. (2013). Cambridge English exams: The first
hundred years. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
OFQUAL (2010). Explaining the National Qualifications Framework.
Retrieved from: http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/qualifications-assessments/89articles/250-explaining-the-national-qualifications-framework
Thornbury, S. (2008). What good is second language acquisition theory?
English Teaching Professional 55, 4-6.

Author’s bio

Robert Lowe is an English language teacher, currently based in Japan. He has
been teaching in Japan for four years, and he has taught in both private schools
and universities. He holds the Trinity College London DipTESOL and an MA
in Applied Linguistics from the University of Nottingham. His research interests
include student motivation, English as a Lingua Franca, and the development anddescription of Asian Englishes. robertlowe@rikkyo.ac.jp

Submitted: September 14, 2012
Accepted: November 25, 201261