What is CELTA?

(Scroll down for details of Our CELTA courses.)

The Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is the most popular and widely recognised initial qualification in teaching English as a foreign language. CELTA has enabled many teachers to obtain their first position and has long been considered a basic requirement for teaching English to adults worldwide. It is regulated by the UK Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation at level 5 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework. The course is highly regarded by employers around the world as providing sound initial training. This is the qualification you need if you plan to seek employment as an English language teacher in a quality language school.

Who’s the course for?

The CELTA is an introductory course with a focus on understanding the principles of effective teaching and learning practical skills for teaching adults. It is suitable for:

• people with little or no previous teaching experience

• teachers with experience but little or no formal training

• practising teachers in need of a qualification with international recognition

• practising teachers who want to develop their use of communicative methodology.

Applications from both native and non–native speakers are welcome. All applicants are required to have a very high standard of both spoken and written English (CEFR level C1-C2).

What are the benefits of the course?

Above all, a CELTA course will give you invaluable hands-on experience of teaching real adult learners with guidance and feedback from experienced tutors. It will help you:

• Understand the underlying principles of effective teaching

• Learn about how the English language works

• Acquire a range of practical skills and techniques for teaching English

• Choose appropriate resources for teaching and testing

• Build your confidence in the classroom.

What are the entry requirements?

Candidates must:

• be at least 18 years old

• have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education

• be proficient in spoken and written English (at or close to CEFR level C2).

Candidates without formal educational qualifications at the level indicated above may still be accepted if they can demonstrate that they would be likely to complete the course successfully.

Is this the right course for me?

If you want to be an English language teacher and you fulfil the basic entry requirements above, you should also consider the following points:

• CELTA is practical rather than academic.

• If you want to teach others, you must understand the workings of English language yourself – or be prepared to learn about them.

• Teaching requires good interpersonal skills.

• You will need to be able to give clear instructions, and explain effectively and patiently when learners don’t understand.

• You will be asked to reflect on your lessons, spot your strengths and weaknesses, and think of ways to improve.

• You should be open to hearing feedback on your teaching, from both tutors and peers. This will always be supportive but at times it will also be critical.

• It is possible to fail a CELTA course if you don’t meet the standard required.

• The course is extremely rewarding but it is also very hard work. Most candidates enjoy the course but also find it stressful at times.

If none (or almost none!) of the above worries you, then why not give it a try?

Our CELTA courses

How is the course run?

It can be run face-to-face or delivered on-line, either as an intensive or a part-time course.

How long is the course?

The in-school programme is an intensive, 4-week course. The on-line course takes 5 weeks. There is also a PART-TIME on-line course which is 15 weeks long. The classes on the part-time course take place on Fridays in the evening (18.00 – 21.00) and on Saturdays (10.30 – 16.30).

What does the course include?

The scheduled 120 hours of the course comprise:

• daily input sessions involving demonstration and discussion of teaching techniques and principles, and practical language analysis. Extensive use is made of group activities and co-operative learning.

• daily teaching practice sessions with adult learners at two distinct levels of ability. Candidates will typically teach eight lessons over the course.

• feedback on teaching practice with tutors and peers. This usually takes place the day after teaching practice to allow time for reflection.

• assisted lesson planning. Candidates have the opportunity to discuss and refine their lesson plans with the assistance of course tutors the day before they teach.

• guided observation of experienced teachers. This includes both video and ‘live’ observations, totalling six hours.

• four written assignments on practical areas of teaching.

How much work is involved?

The CELTA is extremely intensive. We give a lot of emphasis to this fact during interviews for the course but still, many candidates are taken aback by the pace and volume of work which the intensive CELTA requires. In addition to the scheduled elements of the course mentioned above, candidates also need to:

• prepare thorough lesson plans and professionally-presented materials

• reflect on and write evaluations of your own and others’ teaching

• do reading and research for your written assignments

• write your assignments and submit them on time.

In other words, successful participation in the course means four weeks of long days and busy weekends! Candidates must be certain that they’ll be able to dedicate all their attention to the course for the entire period without distractions of a professional or personal nature.

How is the course assessed?

There is no final examination. Assessment is based on performance in teaching practice and written assignments. Candidates need to pass both these elements in order to be awarded the CELTA certificate. They are also required to maintain a portfolio of all your coursework. An external assessor appointed by Cambridge moderates each course.

What will I get at the end of the course?

Successful candidates will receive one of three grades: Pass, Pass B, or Pass A. A straight Pass is the most common grade. In addition to an official Cambridge CELTA certificate, candidate will also receive a personalised report on their progress and attainment from the course tutors.

When can I do a course? How much does it cost?

Each year we run between seven and nine courses. See Dates and fees for exact details. The standard course fee is 5,000 PLN, with a 250 PLN discount for early payment.

Why CELTA?

1. What’s the difference between a CELTA and a TEFL course?

It depends which TEFL course! TEFL simply stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, so CELTA is one of many TEFL courses offered by various institutions. CELTA is the most popular and probably the best regarded. It’s governed by Cambridge English Language Assessment, part of the University of Cambridge.

2. Why choose the CELTA over other TEFL courses?

Because the CELTA is what employers want. If you apply for a teaching job in a private language school, you’ll almost certainly be asked whether you hold a CELTA certificate. In your search for a suitable TEFL course, you will encounter courses advertised as ‘CELTA equivalent’ – which clearly shows that the CELTA is considered a model course in TEFL and how well the name is known. If you can have the original, why opt for an equivalent?

3. So why is the CELTA so respected?

The CELTA is very much a hands-on, practical course rather than a theoretical, academic one. It gives you exactly what you need in the classroom: basic knowledge and tools for effective teaching. The programme gives you experience of teaching real learners, and your performance is largely assessed on the basis of the lessons you teach.

Additionally, all CELTA courses are inspected by an external assessor to ensure that the course requirements and grading standards as laid down by Cambridge English are being properly observed by the centre and the tutors.

4. Do I really need a qualification to teach English?

Most schools, and for sure all reputable ones, expect their teachers to be qualified for the job. Just being able to speak English is not enough. Also, starting to teach is much easier if you have some idea of how to do it! The CELTA will give you this know-how and help build your confidence in the classroom.

5. Will I be able to get a job after the course?

There are plenty of English language teaching jobs around the world so, armed with a CELTA and positive references, you’ll almost certainly be able to find a suitable post. You may at first need to be flexible in terms of where you want to work, i.e. you may not immediately find a job in your dream country or city, as these tend to attract large numbers of teachers with experience as well as qualifications. You should also take into account when most recruitment takes place. For Europe it’s mostly in the autumn, when the academic year starts, but also in January, when the second semester starts.

6. Do you provide help with job placement?

Yes. The course includes a session about finding work, and we have noticeboards with advertisements from prospective employers around the world, including other IH schools. Other schools in the region know we run training courses and often advertise for teachers with us.

You can also take advantage of the recruitment services offered by the International House World Organization:
http://ihworld.com/job