Page 34 - ELG1805 May Issue 457

INTERVIEW . REVIEWS & RESOURCES

‘Regard

it like an

MOT

test’

School inspections needn’t be scary,
Ann Matsunaga tells Melanie Butler

nn Matsunaga has had nearly necessarily have the right training and thing that counts. We need to see how the
every job in ELT, not to mention lack experience. I think it works well when school evaluates its programmes of study. We
her time in mainstream education. they work with a colleague. Watching an need to see a system to monitor progress set
AShe has been a teacher, teacher experienced teacher in the classroom can up and documented.’
trainer and even opened her own language be quite inspiring for new teachers, they can For students and their parents, the ability
school in Japan when her Japanese husband take some of the ideas they have seen away to read the inspection report online holds
was deployed back home by his company. with them, they can share the knowledge. the key to quality assurance: ‘Transparency is
‘It was only a small school,’ she says, ‘but I Ann emphasises the importance of regular the sign of quality’ says Ann.
built up a good reputation.’ classroom observation, both by management ‘The report clearly sets out the strengths
She is now an inspector for the British and by peers and of the value of CPD of the provider but it also gives Action
Accreditation Council (BAC) and helped (Continuing Professional Development). Points in areas the school needs to address,’
set up their new scheme for overseas, the ‘Teachers need to progress. In the era of she adds.
International English Language Provider IT good online training courses are not hard But she is quick to point out that while
scheme. It is known, in true EFL fashion, as to find and need not be very expensive,’ she the BAC puts marks against individual
Ielp. says. criteria, unlike many other inspection
She remembers her own first experience schemes, it does not file an overall
of inspection as a teacher: ‘I was teaching If you drive an old judgement on the school’s performance.
in education in England so there was the ‘We see our role as to go in as experienced
inspection by Ofsted... I remember feeling car, you expect to have it and independent advisors. We are not
very nervous.’ checked regularly confrontational, we want to say what is
Now she advises her teacher trainees how good in a school and point out where
to cope. improvements need to be made.’
‘I tell them to regard it like an MOT test, ‘Besides, if providers want to improve their Drawing on her own experience running
if you drive an old car, you expect to have quality, they have to invest in their teachers, a school, she says. ‘If you are a small,
it checked regularly. Don’t regard it as a provide support, develop them.’ independent provider you can feel very
threat… see it as a way of improving your For language school managers the isolated trying to run a quality school when,
teaching, of getting good advice.’ message is this: do what you say on the tin. in every market, there are copycat start-ups
Above all, the inspectors are checking That means seeing what they offer in their claiming to offer exactly what you do, but at
what you’re doing and seeing that it meets marketing material, and seeing how well they a lower price.’
their criteria. fulfil these promises. Accreditation not only helps providers
Ann is adamant that the secret of a ‘I want providers to talk to me about what gain market knowledge, and keep up with
successful inspection is for teachers, and they do. But they also need to show me how. the latest teaching techniques, but can
academic management to make sure they They need to demonstrate how they do it.’ provide them with a network of support.
know the criteria they are being inspected And that goes beyond the paperwork they As a former school owner, Ann Matsunaga
against. are asked to submit before the inspection, or knows exactly how important such support
After all, this is what the inspectors will even what the inspectors can see going on in can be.
be marking them on when they look at the the classroom.
lesson plans, talk to the students, and sit ‘We look for how they support students, Ann Matsunaga is an
watching them in the classroom. how they respond to applications, how they inspector for the BAC
For Ann the hallmark of a good school communicate with the parents of companies International English
is the support and training they give their if they are paying for the course.’ Language Provider
teachers. And they want to see student progress. Accreditation Scheme. She
has also been a teacher,
‘Particularly with new teachers overseas, ‘Third party exams are a good way of Celta trainer and language
some of whom, almost inevitably, will not demonstrating that but it is not the only school owner.
34 May 2018