Accredited Membership Renewal in 2010

On May 15, 2009 all TESL Ontario members were notified that as of January 1, 2010 TESL Ontario will begin an integrated process where accredited members will be able to renew both membership and accreditation at the same time.

Apparently this has caused some confusion regarding the regular TESL Ontario membership held by TESL Ontario members who are not accredited. There are no changes at all to the regular TESL Ontario membership and there is no increase in the regular membership fee.

For our TESL Ontario Accredited members, beginning in January 2010, you will submit only one application form each year. You will receive a reminder letter in the mail in the first week of your membership expiry month in 2010; the letter will include detailed instructions on how to renew your accreditation and membership at the same time.

Almost all accredited members presently have different membership and accreditation renewal dates. In order to harmonize membership and accreditation, we will process applications in three ways in 2010:

1. Members whose membership expiry month falls before their accreditation expiry month in 2010: We will pro-rate the accreditation portion of the accredited membership fee when they apply for accredited membership.
   
   
2. Members whose membership expiry month falls after the accreditation expiry month in 2010: Accreditation will automatically be extended to the membership expiry month in 2010 by TESL Ontario. These members will stay on the Registry and will be able to receive their updated accreditations through the Registry. Then, upon receiving the reminder letter from TESL Ontario in the first week of their membership expiry month in 2010, these members will be required to apply for accredited membership renewal.
   
   
3. Members whose accreditation and membership expiry fall in the same month: these members will be required to apply for accredited membership renewal in the same month upon receiving the reminder letter.This transition will be completed for all accredited members by the end of 2010.

Until your accredited membership is renewed in 2010, the PD requirement will remain the same as before: 5 hours per accreditation year, and proof of PD activity must be submitted to TESL Ontario Office by your accreditation expiry date in 2010.
After your accredited membership renewal date in 2010, you are required to collect proof of your P.D. hours but are not required to send it in any longer unless you are requested to do so for audit purposes.

Within a month of your meeting the requirements for "accredited membership renewal", your new membership card will be printed and mailed out to you. At about the same time, your record on the Registry will be updated, and you will be able to access and print your renewed TESL Ontario accreditation off the Registry. Please be advised that, as of January 2010, TESL Ontario will not mail out paper copies of accreditations.