[etni] Re: Website: Licensing Authority for the Teaching of International English

**** ETNI on the web http://www.etni.org.il   http://www.etni.org   ****

Folks,

one of the mysteries has been clarified - see message below. I apologize 
for having suspected Mr. Whatt of promoting the dubious website.

We still need to clarify the issue of this website being legitimate or a 
scam. I have friends in Toronto and Montreal, but no-one in Ottawa to 
check out this "licensing authority" by either placing a call or paying 
a visit in person.

Anyone in Ottawa on this list?

Yours -

Lev M (Marple) Abramov


Rodney Tan Chai Whatt wrote:

>I'm amazed at the speed and research that you've done about this
>'institution' (with the help of Google).
>
>Firstly, I must clarify that I've no connections at all with this
>'institution'. I've gotten this information from another mailing list as
>mentioned and I would like to more more.
>I'm not promoting this 'institution'.
>
>Secondly, I'm a real person and that's my real name & I'm from Malaysia. You
>have done well by even researching the background of the sender of this
>email.
>
>Thank you for exposing this website because I too had this "tingling
>intuition" that there's something fishy about this organization.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Rodney Tan Chai Whatt
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Lev Abramov" <lev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: <rodt@xxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2005 5:47 PM
>Subject: Re: [etni] Website: Licensing Authority for the Teaching of
>International English
>
>
>  
>
>>***********************
>>This e-mail was scanned by TM Net E-Mail Virus Shield.
>>***********************
>>
>>
>>Looks like another scam to me.
>>
>>1. If you google their address - "99 Fifth Avenue, Suite" - stripping
>>the suite number, you'll get a whole list of businesses and charities of
>>varied legitimacy that are allegedly located there. Some could be real
>>and honorable businesses; some just renting an office large enough for a
>>secretary to man the operation of dubious nature; some just mail drops.
>>Browse the URLs you get - and you will come across quite a few that look
>>quite fishy.
>>
>>2. Another reason for raised eybrows is the fact that nowhere in their
>>website can you find who exactly established this "Licensing Authority
>>for Teaching of International English" - in other words, what higher
>>professional or governmental body has accredited LATIE to license
>>schools and teachers. You cannot find a list of institutions which have
>>been licensed by them, either, so you cannot write and inquire about the
>>licensing procedure these institutions have passed.
>>
>>Try to access some "LATIE-licensed" institutions by googling
>>"LATIE-licensed". You get ONE hit:
>>
>>http://www.internationaltesol.com
>>
>>a link which, unfortunately, leads to another fishy-smelling website
>>offering TESOL training and degrees like "Associate Bachelor of
>>Education" - ever heard of a degree like that?
>>
>>This world [-wide-web] is full of surprises folks. Unfortunately, many
>>of them cost us a lot of money before we realize it's just another scam.
>>And - ever heard of "agents of influence"? An innocent-looking posting
>>that may awaken someone's curiosity, that will eventually trigger an
>>enquiry, that will possibly lead to an attempt to "get licensed" (which
>>ensues payment, of course...)
>>
>>Talking of credibility: I have never heard Rodney Tan Chai Whatt's name
>>until yesterday. The name does not appear on the ETNI's Who's Who list;
>>a search of the list's archive has landed no mention of the name either.
>>
>>Googling the name nets the following:
>>
>>http://www.onestopenglish.com/tefl_esl_warmers/wordtaboo.htm
>>
>>"*Tan **Chai **Whatt* is the Head of the English Department at the Seri
>>Mahkota Secondary School in the historic state of Melaka, Malaysia. He
>>has been teaching for 18 years, both at the primary and secondary level."
>>
>>and
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>http://www.britishcouncil.org/malaysia-newsletter-february-2005-arts-palette
>2-5.htm
>  
>
>>"Congratulations to Rodney Tan Chai Whatt, winner of the New Writing 12
>><http://newwriting.britishcouncil.org/> competition"
>>
>>I have been unable to locate "another mailing list" mentioned in Mr.
>>Whatt's posting - mailing lists' postings search yielded 0 results.
>>
>>I will try to ask a colleague in Malaysia to lend a hand: a search in
>>the local language (Bahasa Malayu) may unearth more results...
>>
>>The above is purely speculative, as you no doubt realize. If someone on
>>this list possesses any information contrary to the assumption made
>>here, please share it with the list. I will be ready to promptly and
>>profoundly apologize if it turns out I'm wrong.
>>
>>Looking forward to seeing a continuation of this "Web forensic
>>research." Any takers?
>>
>>Best -
>>
>>Dr Lev 'Watson' Abramov
>>
>>Rodney Tan Chai Whatt wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>**** ETNI on the web http://www.etni.org.il   http://www.etni.org   ****
>>>
>>>Dear All,
>>>
>>>Here's a news tidbit from another mailing list about a body that is in
>>>charge of International English.
>>>
>>>Does anyone know more about this body? It claims to have been the result
>>>      
>>>
>of
>  
>
>>>a United Nations Conference held in Canada.
>>>
>>>Best regards,
>>>
>>>Rodney Tan Chai Whatt
>>>
>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>"An independent body to serve as a global English
>>>language directorate and Standards authority serving
>>>the needs of English Education worldwide."
>>>http://latie.org/whatis.php
>>>
>>>Good luck.
>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>#####  To send a message to the ETNI list email: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>      
>>>
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>
>>>#####  Send queries and questions to: ask@xxxxxxxx    #####
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>    
>>
>
>
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>  
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