Some clips of Flight of the Conchords. "Business Time" and "Jenny" are partcularly great. Two very talented and funny Kiwis!

Friday, January 19, 2007

Tefl.com

Recognise anyone here? They all gave testimonials (knowingly or unknowingly) to support Tefl.com. The reason Tefl.com has a provisional blacklisting is because of two of our friends: the first, Peter Leech (sorry Peter Beech) of Anglo-Hellenic who was described (in such poetic language by one disgrunted teacher in an earlier post as a cowboy); and the second, the infamous Kramar's School of English, Slovakia. I have therefore ordered an in depth investigation into the conduct of your co-advertisers as you appear to accept money from anyone and have little concern for the consequences. You've also posted a fair few ads for The British Institutes, who are also BLACKLISTED. Tefl.com looks very much like the UK version of St. Dave's ESL cafe.

And this testimonial is suspicious
All of our staff do appreciate what you are doing for us. Your free services really give us a lot of help. Beijing Friendship Hotel.
FREE?
We all know that normal advertisers pay and free is not normally in the tefl.com vocabulary. Are you short of cash and are trying to drum up custom in Asia by offering freebies and trying to take business away from St Dave Sperling? It looks like it to me. Readers rest assured that The Inspector will swiftly down in one, a double Yak's Milk with Tonic (shaken not stirred) and report back to you ASAP.

Judge Tefl.com by the company they keep .

I await your response Tefl.com at High Noon.

A list of employers who have provided testimonials and who adore TEFL.com...

Colchester English Study Centre, UK.


Embassy CES


Echo Hill, Spain


St Bedes European Scheme, UK.


Family Housing Association (Manchester) Ltd., UK.


Lex English, Brazil.


Kramar's School of English, Slovakia


WSI Almeria, Spain.

English Worldwide, London, England.


University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China.


ELS Language Centers, New Jersey, USA


The English School, Gandía, Spain.


Westgate Corporation, Japan.


Tara Language Services, Oman.


English Fast, Turkey.


Anglo-Hellenic Teacher Recruitment, Greece.


ESADE Idiomas, Barcelona, Spain.

Sunrise English School, Nagoya, Japan.


Teach Korea.


Maple English School, Japan.


Long Hungary.


ECC Thailand.


Cook's English Centre, Bosnia Herzegovina.


York Idiomas, Spain.


Billington Recruitment Consultants.


BKC-IH Moscow.


Berlitz Korea.


Global English, Mexico.


Cido Kindergarten, Taiwan.


Kunsan National University, South Korea.


Dover Idiomas, Spain.


English Speaking Play & Pre School, Oulu, Finland.


Beijing Friendship Hotel.


LCCT, Thailand.


Four Arrows, Canada.



Inspector McHammered of the Lard
FOR THE MOST RECENT POSTING CLICK HERE
FOR BLACKLIST NOMINATIONS CLICK HERE

1 comment:

Inspector Mchammered of the Lard said...

This article appeared on the website "www.englishschoolwatch/org"
(http://www.englishschoolwatch.org/
webboard_detail.php?topic_id=569)

TEFL.com BOYCOT [CHINA]

TEFL.com BOYCOT ,

In an article titled “China EFL: A Case of False Advertising,” (GOOGLE SEARCH) TEFL.com was identified as a web site which carries China EFL/ESL teacher job advertisements which do not comply with the SAFEA regulations for the recruitment of teachers for China.

In response to that article TEFL.com claimed, amongst other things, that it was not subject to the laws of China. (Lawsuit Threatened)

There is an apparent new wrinkle in TEFL.com’s China EFL advertising. Rather than demand that advertising comply with Chinese goals, objectives and laws, it appears that TEFL.com will continue to run advertisements which require no prior teaching experience or college degree by simply trying to avoid any liability under Chinese law through placing the following statement on its emails:

"To access this e-mail, our website and our services YOU MUST AGREE that
the contents and our relationship are governed by the law of England
and Wales. If you do not agree, you are not at liberty to proceed beyond
this point. If you do proceed, that is your agreement to this
statement."

A spot check of TEFL.com on February 29, 2004 revealed that their China EFL/ESL ads were still not in compliance with the SAFEA Regulations.

A very knowledgeable and well respected British friend, who for obvious reasons does not want to become embroiled in this matter, writes the following commentary:

“As I read the TEFL.com disclaimer, without any knowledge of applicable UK advertising laws, TELF.com, but in the knowledge that the contents of advertisements displayed on their Website may be misleading, and in the [assumed] knowledge that they are aware of existing Chinese Law with respect to "pre-qualifications" required of applicants for teaching positions as Foreign Experts; the disclaimer itself may be in beach of the relevant UK legislation governing the publishing of advertising that is knowingly and substantially untrue. Such a disclaimer [in most Western countries] does not absolve the publisher of responsibility.

If they were to be fair to all concerned, both advertiser AND reader, they would publish the relevant Chinese legislation on their site, in an obvious position, thus allowing the reader and potential applicant the opportunity to make a valued judgment. By not doing so and resorting to legal "gobbly-gook" they are only discrediting themselves and the good name of TEFL, as a consequence.”

Another friend writes “I do stand to be corrected on this, but I was always under the
impression that under English law advertisments had to be factual and honest.
Any untruths were punishable with a hefty fine and possible
imprisonment.”

To be completely fair to TEFL.com, let us assume, for the sake of argument, that they are not in violation of any law, policy, goal or objective of any country. The fact remains that they are running job advertisements for EFL/ESL teaching positions which claim to require no EFL?ESL training or experience, let alone any regular teacher training or teaching experience. Every professional teacher in the world should be reeling from the sting of this resounding disrespectful slap in the face. TEFL.com reduces the teaching profession to a glorified babysitting job.

Professional teachers everywhere should consider boycotting this web site that shows so much disrespect and contempt for their profession, while milking it for whatever advertising income may be available.





Teng [2004-03-01, 14:30:00][ID: 569-2700] Doeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!

Homer J.Simpson [2004-03-01, 15:45:00][ID: 569-2701] Excellentttttttt.

Montgomery Burns. [2004-03-01, 15:48:00][ID: 569-2702] A spot check of www.tefl.com on May 15, 2004 revealed that all but one of the China job ads were in compliance with the laws and regulations of China.

This is a radical departure from their past practices and threats of lawsuits.

This may be a small victory, but a victory for the enhancement of EFL teaching in China none the less.

Martin


Martin [2004-05-15, 17:54:00][ID: 569-3577]