Common ELT scams and red flags: how to spot

As far as we believe, the most crucial thing in English teaching is embracing professionalism, creativity, and support. 

However, as in every sphere, there is another side to fraud, misleading information, and unfair business practices, which we will warn you about in this article. 

How do we spot unfair businesses and services in  ELT? Stay with us and get the answer!

Many students have unrealistic expectations due to some popular online narratives and their inability to conclude whether such narratives are fake information. 

Moreover, teachers who only start their journey in ELT may also become victims of such narratives: they start comparing themselves with other “professionals,” follow clients’ unrealistic requests, or are too shy to discuss the money matter honestly. 

Let’s talk about each situation in more detail.

From A1 to B1 in a month

Have you ever met students who want to become fluent in 30 days and expect you to have a magical set of recommendations that can be quickly followed and are supposed to have instant results? I am sure everybody has.

True, every teacher obtains a set of techniques and the knowledge of methodology to help the student proceed with the studying quicker than on their own. 

For more information, check out our article on how much time you need to learn English, where we mention CERF classification, a set of requirements that a language learner must fulfill to prove their proficiency at a certain level, and a fact that to move from level to level you need to spend from 70 hours (moving from A1 to A2) to 1200 hours (from C1 to C2).

Here is a table of requirements that a student has to fulfill to move from level to level: 

Now, it’s only a matter of Maths. Imagine that  the student needs to move from A2 to B2. 

According to the CERF classification, which defines all the requirements and is the basis of every studying process, you must spend approximately 1115 hours studying English. If you are promised to reach such a result in a month, you have to manage to fit these hours into a four-week schedule. 

After an easy manipulation of numbers, we see that the task is clearly impossible. 

Firstly, you may meet the students who want to study “quickly.” Sure, you may propose an intense schedule to them; however, many people are not ready to work as much and as  hard. They are often victims of the myth that a teacher must know a particular trick to make studying quicker.

Make sure that the student doesn’t underestimate the difficulties and challenges of learning a language, particularly the degree of commitment that awaits each student after they have decided to begin. Set realistic and achievable goals to avoid disappointment. 

Secondly, the company you apply to might spread such a myth as part of their marketing strategy.

1-hour-a-week challenge

Another widespread problem is a “busy student.” These students want to make insane progress by having one  lesson a week. 

Moreover, such students often fail to complete their homework because they are “too busy for that.”

It is easy to do if you work with individual students. 

However, it’s harder to manage such a situation when you are an employee of a client-oriented company whose priority is to make the student happy and carefree. You may work for a company where teachers work with the students for one hour a week and are still expected to show great results.

Too expensive

Money is always a tricky question. However, it would be best to value your time and effort rather than settle for a salary that doesn’t correspond to your skills. 

Any lesson’s price includes:

Moreover, a low salary makes you work more and conduct a greater  amount of lessons, which makes you more and more exhausted. 

As for the employers who do not value your efforts and professionalism, the solution is simple: you must find a better position. 

Some employers may even be manipulative when it comes to raising salaries.

You are dealing with scammers.

We have discussed the importance of being certified and getting proper qualifications. And it’s unsurprising why so many teachers decide to give it a go and enroll in various certification programs. 

However, are you always sure your chosen company doesn’t consist of fraudsters who only take your money and waste your time? Let us go over some of the most common warning signs that you might be a victim of a scam. 

Too good to be true

Make sure to thoroughly read all the terms and conditions and ask further questions before signing up for anything or moving abroad to avoid ending up in a scenario where you don’t get what you were promised. 

Additionally, don’t hesitate to say no if the idea seems too good to be true. It’s never too late!

Also, if you are promised any of these things, chances are you may be ripped off:

Pay for everything

Is it all for a course? Do you need to buy any materials? Afterward, will you be given a certificate or have to pay for it? Does the cost include the effort of the personal agent, whose responsibility it is to find you a job or help you with any questions? 

Decide what is most appropriate for you by asking, and avoid letting others take advantage of you by charging you for your lack of knowledge.

Why should you, as a respectable professional whom  various companies may only dream of having as a part of their team, pay? Don’t fall for it because you feel like you lack experience or qualifications for certain positions. 

Well, maybe, but is it an excuse to charge the potential employee? I don’t think so. 

When it comes to the visa, which you might require after finishing the course and landing a job abroad, there should be an upfront discussion about who will handle the paperwork and how it will be handled during enrollment.

No proofs

Reputable businesses regularly and gladly, or at least occasionally, post about their successes on social media platforms or websites. 

What about the institution you are enrolling in? Can you find their website? Can you find anyone working there on LinkedIn or who has already found a better position thanks to this establishment? Can you reach any people who can genuinely recommend this place? Where is this company situated? Is it a respectable and unsuspicious location that is easy to find and come around to? 

Try to answer these questions and make your decision. 

Sharing your data

Sharing your personal information is not a part of any enrollment process. What is more, never believe executives who constantly claim to be experiencing technical difficulties and request remote access to your computer under the excuse of showing something to you. They cannot possibly need it for your advantage.

“Helping hand”

They either contact you during the entire application process until you pay the fee, then disappear as soon as they have what they want, or they take a significant portion of your paycheck for “helping” either during the studying process itself or at the new location (this could happen if you decide to look for a position after the course). 

Unreliable businesses may use “agents” in various other ways.

Don’t be shy to do it, and refuse the unwanted help if you feel like you don’t need any. It is true that some companies provide clients with personal assistance, and there is nothing wrong with this type of service. Just make sure you know whether you are supposed to pay for that.  

Sometimes, though, it’s pretty hard to see the scammer before you become part of the team. 

However, if you start noticing these red flags at any point in your work with your employer, it might be a sign that you are dealing with scammers. 

A big turnover

People are coming and leaving all the time. Your position has been occupied three times a year, but no one seems to stay too long. Is it a coincidence?

Why? It’s an excellent question. 

Pay no effort

Sure, if you are a great specialist, interviews are never a challenge or a struggle. 

However, have you ever found yourself in a place where the interview could be more challenging? The company representatives don’t ask about your prior experience too much; they don’t care about your education or even ask about teaching certification. 

Well, you have to know that it’s not good at all.

Be careful, and don’t be too happy if the interview is too easy and short. You might have talked to a scammer! 

Strange ways of attracting new students

We all know that ads often go wild nowadays. However, every business that sells services should present them to their customers first and foremost.

There are many ways to attract the attention of eager English learners, so look for a company that knows them. 

Find-your-students-quizz 

There are specific pros and cons to working as a self-employed ESL teacher. 

One of the possible problems that many ESL teachers can’t stand is looking for new students on their own and doing a lot of managing work instead of teaching itself. That is why some join companies, schools, courses, etc. 

This way, you may get less money but won’t do one more piece of work simultaneously. 

No approved curriculum 

Working in an educational establishment means following specific requirements. 

Of course, you may add your bits of creativity and use your materials as some additional practice; however, don’t let scammers use your intellectual property for their own benefit and give you nothing in return.

To sum up, there are plenty of ways you may face some red flags or even become a victim of a scam. 

There are no general rules on how to avoid such situations; however, remember to listen to your gut feeling, treat yourself as a professional, and demand the respect that any professional deserves.