What is IATEFL trying to achieve through WMS?

We aim to:

• bring membership of IATEFL's international ELT community to teachers in parts of the world where it would otherwise be too expensive, and
• engage IATEFL's associate organisations in the task of promoting and supporting the scheme and further widening co-operation between teachers around the world.

How does the WMS work?

The scheme works through IATEFL's Associates; the 80+ national, regional or local professional associations for English teachers that have formal agreements with IATEFL. Members of IATEFL Associates can already take out basic IATEFL membership at much less than the normal full subscription. Under WMS, Associates whose economic circumstances qualify them for the scheme are able to offer this basic membership at even lower rates, matched to their local economic conditions. Each year a letter is sent to all Associates, inviting them to participate in WMS. Those who wish to take up this offer are able to bid for WMS memberships or alternatively donate funds for our scheme. Please take a look at the human development list of countries provided by the Bank of England.

Each qualifying Associate receives a certain number of these memberships to offer their members. Individual members pay their IATEFL subscription through the Associate at this local rate. There is then a range of possible mechanisms to help the Associate transfer the money to IATEFL. These subscription fees are then made up to the full amount for basic membership (currently £19) from a special IATEFL fund. To ensure fairness the administration of the scheme is overseen by an independent WMS Advisory Committee.

How does the Advisory Committee decide which associations to recommend for support?

The Advisory Committee bases its recommendations on economic data taken from United Nations sources, from representatives of impartial organisations working in the relevant countries and from information supplied by Associates themselves. Some aspects of these data are, of course, subject to interpretation; each case is judged on its individual merits by the Advisory Committee and this is why the independence of the committee is so important.

How do individual members pay their subscriptions?

Members pay the agreed subscription in local currency through the IATEFL Associate, usually at the same time as paying their normal subscription to the association. The Associate then transfers the total of these subscriptions to IATEFL, converted into pounds sterling.

How do Associates participate in the scheme and how can they make a donation?

All IATEFL Associates are eligible to participate in the scheme; either to bid to become a recipient of WMS memberships, or to make donations, which, of course, are always welcome. Anyone interested in becoming involved should contact the IATEFL office.

WIDER MEMBERSHIP INDIVIDUAL SCHEME

We have introduced a new scheme to include teachers from countries in Africa where, at present, there are few or no affiliated Teachers' Associations through which they can join IATEFL.  Leading members of the profession have already agreed to be Scheme Founders, by helping to build a starter fund and by lending their reputation to the project and supporting it publicly. Donations from our members are also invited and the two funds make up the amount to give recipients a two year membership.  If you wish to donate to this scheme please visit our donation page