What is RPL?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the formal acknowledgement of knowledge and skills obtained through activities such as:
- Formal courses and training programs (e.g. at University or other institutions)
- Informal courses or training (e.g. a non-accredited program completed in preparation for volunteer work)
- Private study (e.g. done for enjoyment via the internet)
- Employment (e.g. skills and knowledge gained through employment)
- Volunteer work (e.g. skills and knowledge gained through volunteer work)
Generally, you will not be eligible for RPL unless you have existing qualifications in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and/or evidence to support significant and successful past experience in TESOL.
Full or Partial Recognition? Gap Training?
Our main focus is full RPL for the whole course with the goal of issuing you a Certificate IV in TESOL.
This requires that you submit appropriate evidence for all of the units and that we assess that the evidence shows that you are competent.
If there are units that you know you cannot provide evidence for, you may apply for gap training for those units when applying for RPL of the other units.
If the evidence you supply for RPL is not sufficient to demonstrate competency in a unit we will advise you of any ‘gap’ training and assessment that you require in order to receive the full qualification.
Should you decide not to proceed with the necessary gap training, we would issue a Statement of Attainment which records your competency in those units for which you received RPL. This has the effect of preserving your RPL results so that you can later complete gap training and be reassessed for the missing units.
What sort of evidence do I need?
Some examples of evidence include:
- Past Studies
- copies of qualifications you have received and academic transcripts showing exact subjects or topics and results
- actual work you completed for past studies (e.g. essays or assignments)
- Workplace Documents produced by you (in paid or voluntary capacity)
- training session plans and work programs
- learning materials
- assessment tools
- Audio/Video Recordings
- e.g. of you teaching or assessing students
- Third Party Reports
- references from your employers
- supervisors reports
- student testimonials
- peer/colleague testimonials
- Any Other Evidence
- e.g. Documents from workshops, seminars and conferences
RPL can only be given where the evidence is:
- Valid – the evidence represents and matches the unit’s requirements
- Sufficient – the evidence is enough to show that you are competent in all of the requirements of the unit
- Authentic – it can be verified that the evidence is genuinely your own work, qualifications, experiences, references etc.
- Current – the evidence shows your current ability and how it meets current industry standards.