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The purpose of this paper is to develop an inventory of behaviours and attitudes expected of English language teaching (ELT) professionals in a services context.

A two‐stage Delphi method using ELT expert panellists, comprising managers and owners from the ELT sector. Delphi is indicated for complex problems, where interpersonal interaction is impractical and domination of participants is undesirable. It is recommended for the exploration of interdisciplinary themes and the evaluation of professional practice. The theoretical scope comprised professionalism, ELT, and the role of teachers as service providers in a commercial context.

A framework of 50 standards in ten dimensions was developed. Honesty and integrity was considered the most important dimension for ELT professionals.

The usual Delphi limitations apply, e.g. potential validity issues, unrepresentativeness, and participant attrition. The findings are not claimed as generalisible or prescriptive. Suggestions for future research include: the work, status and relevance of ELT professional associations; imperatives of private versus tertiary ELT providers; professional development, its frequency, availability and relevance, particularly in the ELT private sector; and commercial versus educational priorities in the ELT sector. The research could also be replicated with Delphic panels of English language teachers.

The standards framework is of practical use to ELT institutions and ELT professional associations, either to adopt whole, or employ as the basis for developing their own code of conduct.

The standards framework will contribute to enhancing the quality of the service provision in ELT institutions operating in a cross‐cultural context, and will benefit teachers, students, managers, institutions, and the sector as a whole.

No such research has been reported to date in the literature.

This study investigated undergraduate preparation of English as a Second Language (ESL) students through English for Academic Purposes courses, in relation to recipient subject lecturers’ expectations. Qualitative data were gathered from 36 faculty teaching ESL undergraduates in nine countries. A two-phase approach included seeking discursive responses to questionnaires from faculty and information about curricula. Outcomes highlighted difficulties with material selection for EAP tutors. Tutors chose between ‘general interest’ or ‘discipline-specific’ material, but reported that the former could lead to oversimplification or discipline irrelevance, while the latter usually requires some specialized subject knowledge which may be beyond tutors’ remit. Addressing this, it is suggested that articles about EAP-related topics can form the subject matter of EAP courses with significant benefits. In particular, they can simultaneously provide students with models of academic writing, while the content reinforces skills needed for successful study.