CELTA Teachers

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Rosita

Does anyone know anything about this?

I notice that International House has a four-week course (or twelve-week part-time) which seems terribly intensive (and expensive) compared to the standard TEFL courses which run over a weekend.

It makes more sense that a teaching course should take a bit longer to complete but I am wondering what the difference is in terms of recognition/quality.

livinginkorea

Where do you guys want to teach? In Ireland or Europe? I guess the CELTA is pretty much the basic requirement these days for teaching adults in a langauge institute in most of Europe.

I did a TEFL cert. and diploma with i-to-i many years ago when everybody was doing them. I wouldn't recommend them now to be honest compared to a CELTA, especially if you are going to teach adults.

Sorry that I can't offer any more help. Look into the job market and see what most schools require their teachers to have. That will help in making your mind up.

Medina

I'm about to start the CELTA part time
Yes it is expensive but just log on to www.tefl.com and you'll see that the employment opportunities require a CELTA rather than a TEFL.
I did a TEFL but without teaching practice and I taught for a month afterwards and it was a little help but with the CELTA they start you teaching on week 2 of the course. I think it's great (although nerve-wracking) that you get thrown in at the deep end and then learn from there.

maineot

Hi Medina,
I'd just like to know where you are doing the CELTA course part time?
Anybody ever hear of a distance learning CELTA course?

Thanks

Medina

Hi there
I'm doing the CELTA part time in International House Dublin.
International House have branches all over the world and you can study CELTA in a different country as far as I know.

I would imagine it's not possible to do CELTA online as you do 6 hours of practical teaching practice, and 6 hours of observation of teaching practice which obviously you cannot achieve online.
In saying that, perhaps there's a course where you can do the practical stuff on weekends or so but I've never heard of one.

http://www.ihworld.com/

http://www.ihdublin.com/ihdublin/Main/Home.htm

is_that_so

Because CELTA has a teaching component you can't do it as a distance course. IMO it is the best of the basic EFL qualifications, if a little more expensive. It travels well as they say with the Cambridge logo. However a cheaper alternative might be an ACELS course which attempts to cover much of the same materials and includes teaching practice. Whatever course you do, one with teaching practice is infinitely more beneficial. A degree is not necessarily required but you will find that a lot of countries insist on it for teachers.

maineot

IMO it is the best of the basic EFL qualifications

What exactly is IMO? How does it compare to CELTA?

is_that_so

maineot wrote: »

What exactly is IMO? How does it compare to CELTA?

Oops it's a TLA(Three letter acronym)

IMO = In my opnion
IMHO = in my honest/humble opinion
AFAIk=As far as I know
tbh = to be honest
lol=laugh out loud

etc.

ACELS is comparable but imo CELTA is a better option, especially if you want to go abroad.

maineot

Just for someone who might find it useful again.... While searching on web, I found a DELTA (Distance ELT Adult) course. The programme prepares experienced teachers for the Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults, on-line.


http://www.thedistancedelta.com

Enjoy...

maineot

DAH!
(BTW - that's not a TLA)

is_that_so

maineot wrote: »

Just for someone who might find it useful again.... While searching on web, I found a DELTA (Distance ELT Adult) course. The programme prepares experienced teachers for the Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults, on-line.


http://www.thedistancedelta.com

Enjoy...

Just to add a caveat. DELTA has a very strong theory component, lots of observed lessons as well as a practical and written exam. A lot people fall down in the written exam. Ideally you need 4 years + experience to do it and it is extremely challenging. Well worth it if you plan to make a long-term career out of EFL but not something you can take on just for fun.

KevinDublin

You will probably be accepted onto the CELTA or CELT courses without a degree, but you will only be awarded a certificate from the language school and not from the Dept. of Ed. This means you won't be able to teach in Ireland (or the UK).

JaneHudson

In my experience once you have the CELTA it's very easy to get teaching work. The course was no joke but it's a well respected qualification both in Ireland and abroad.

Neecod

Hey,

I did this last year in IH Dublin. It's intensive but enjoyable at the same time. It is also quite expensive but you can do a CELT for about 500e cheaper and that's pretty much the same thing but just not accredited by Cambridge. Both are ACELS recognised but with the CELTA you probably get more international recognition. The cost is down to the fact that it gets a cambridge stamp. In saying that I'm teaching in Spain and found that it doesn't matter as long as you have a TEFL cert. Other teachers at my academy have different TEFl qualifications but all the 4 week course ones with tp . Also you need a degree behind you to teach in Ireland and England and some Asian countries. I know of one lad last year who presumed otherwise and was not a happy camper when he realised he couldn't teach here. My opinion is that their is little difference between the CELTA and CELT in terms of content and tp only that you pay extra for a stamp with the CELTA and it's more recognised. Hope this helps.

extra-ordinary_

maineot wrote: »

Just for someone who might find it useful again.... While searching on web, I found a DELTA (Distance ELT Adult) course. The programme prepares experienced teachers for the Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults, on-line.


http://www.thedistancedelta.com

Enjoy...

isn't the DELTA a diploma in teaching englih as a foreign language to adults??? to do this i am nearly sure that you need to hve completed the CELTA course, or some such qualification.

KevinDublin

Hi,

Yes, you would normally need an official TEFL qualification to do a DELTA.

Although, if yo have alot of experience you may well get accepted on the course by passing the interview stage.

edik

Hi Medina
I am just about to apply to do CELTA course in IH in Dublin. I am going to do a full-time course. Have you completed yours? are you happy? I have a lot of concerns and a lot of questions. I have been teaching for 5 years so far. The course seems to be expensive, is it then worth this money, energy and time. what are the teachers like?, I have heard some bad things about tutors in some IH schools, however no feedback about Dublin. would be grateful if you answered. take care

Tristram

I did the CELTA in IH Dublin. I doubt anybodies experiences were the same. Some loved it, some hated it, some cracked and quit. At the end of the day I think that if you are clear in what you want out of it you'll be fine. I enjoyed the teaching side of it but then again I had previous teaching experience. Others found the teaching a nightmare as they were very anxious at first. The morning sessions bored me after a few days but I realised the value of the format. My own learning preference is to be given material to read and go through at my own pace as opposed to group learning situations but at the end of the day it works for most even if it is slow going. I don't know who the tutors are now but mine were good. Different personalities and different approaches. Not sure what else I can say really. All seems so long ago now even though it was only 2008. Enjoy it for what it is and have a blast with your fellow CELTA learners and student guinea pigs!

edik

thank you very much for info. I do know what I want out of this course, I do know it is intensive, which means hard work and that is what I am prepared for. I have some teaching experience so I hope I will manage. Thanks again.

edik

one more question? are you a native speaker or English is your second language?

Cole

Does anyone have any opinions on the full time Celta course in IH as opposed to the part time option?

I can do part time (March - May) or a full time course in May/June, so I will get the qualification around the same time with both options.

I am just curious as to whether there are any advantages/disadvantages?

MissLe

Hi,

I'm hoping to do the ACELS for Qualified Teachers through IH, Dublin.

Has anybody done this?

Any information much appreciated!

Sarah

Denerick

KevinDublin wrote: »

You will probably be accepted onto the CELTA or CELT courses without a degree, but you will only be awarded a certificate from the language school and not from the Dept. of Ed. This means you won't be able to teach in Ireland (or the UK).

As someone who is preparing to do this course, can somebody please confirm or deny whether this is the case. It doesn't seem right.

cookies221

@ Denerick: Yes, the quoted statement is true. But to be honest, you shouldn't expect to get a job teaching English in Ireland straight after finishing the course anyway. If you look on jobs websites, you'll find that all adverts for TEFL teachers in Irish based schools require at least 2 year's experience. 95% of CELTA graduates go abroad to gain a few year's experience before coming home.

The funny thing is, you can often get a job teaching English abroad without a CELTA qualification! So to summarise: It's really only worthwhile doing the CELTA if you plan on teaching in Ireland after a few years abroad.

Denerick

To be honest I'm very skeptical about that. I know a girl who did the weekend TEFL course, never travelled abroad, and is now teaching english to asylum seeker children at 40 euro per hour for the VEC! I intend to go abroad, but I'd also like to think I might get a few hours here and there to get some experience BEFORE I teach abroad!

cookies221

Denerick wrote: »

To be honest I'm very skeptical about that. I know a girl who did the weekend TEFL course, never travelled abroad, and is now teaching english to asylum seeker children at 40 euro per hour for the VEC! I intend to go abroad, but I'd also like to think I might get a few hours here and there to get some experience BEFORE I teach abroad!

Your friends is definitely the exception to the rule. I find it incredible that the VEC hired her with just a weekend TEFL cert. The general consensus is that they aren't worth the paper they're printed on as the weeeknd course doesn't contain any actual teaching practice and isn't recognised by the Irish Dept of Education (unlike the CELTA). Read some of the past threads on this forum for yourself.

I assume your friend got the job during the Celtic Tiger years? There is no way somebody so inadequately trained would be hired in the current economic climate. And if they are, I worry about the teaching standards the VEC upholds.

Denerick

Its not what you know, its who you know.