CELTA teacher training courses

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA)  

FAQs

1. Course Description:

The CELTA is an introductory teacher training course designed for candidates with little or no previous English language TEFL teaching experience.

It is also suitable for teachers who have teaching experience but who have had little or no formal teacher training. It is considered to be a solid foundation for teaching English as a foreign language. The CELTA teacher training course is recognised by EFL organisations worldwide and the certificate is the most highly respected of its kind in the world.
 
2. Applicant Profile:

Applicants for the CELTA course should have an awareness of language and a competence in English, both written and spoken, that enables them to follow the course and complete the assignments and teach English at a range of levels. They should normally have a standard of education that would allow them entry to Higher Education in their country. Candidates must usually be 20 years old at the start of the CELTA course (although candidates from the age of 18 may be accepted at the centre's discretion where it is confirmed that they have the potential to develop the necessary skills to become effective EFL teachers and that the course is suitable for them in terms of their background and their career plans.)  

3. Course Requirements:
The CELTA Cambridge Certificate requires an attendance of a minimum of 120 hours over 4 weeks. These hours include:

• input
• tutorial support and consultation
• supervised lesson planning
• six hours assessed TEFL teaching practice
• peer observation of TEFL teaching practice
• six hours' directed observation of live lessons taught by experienced ELT teacher training professionals
• A minimum of 80 hours of unsupervised work outside of timetabled course hours is required in addition.
• Candidates must be present for at least 80% of each component of the course in order to pass, although 100% attendance is expected, and time off is granted in exceptional circumstances only. 

4. Assessment Overview:
CELTA is awarded to candidates who have completed the course and met the assessment criteria for all written and practical assignments.
By the end of the course, candidates should show that they are able to:

1. assess learners' needs and plan and teach English lessons which take account of learners' backgrounds, learning preferences and current needs

2. demonstrate language knowledge and awareness and appropriate teaching strategies

3. demonstrate knowledge about language skills and how they may be acquired

4. plan and prepare lessons designed to develop their learners' overall language competence

5. demonstrate an appropriate range of English language teaching skills at this level and show professional awareness and responsibility
 
5. Teaching Practice and Observation
Teaching practice is an integral part of the course and takes place every day. It is related to the areas covered in the input sessions. Trainees work in groups of six to plan, observe and give feedback to each other on the teaching they have done. Candidates teach at least two different levels of students on the course to get experience of teaching at different levels. In feedback on teaching, all lessons are discussed by TP groups and tutors. Tutors give both verbal and written feedback on each assessed lesson. Trainees also observe at least 6 hours of lessons given by qualified teachers.
 
Additional time is required for lesson preparation and written assignments. As the course is full-time and very intensive, it is impossible to have any other commitments during the period of the course. Candidates will find they have to work most evenings and at weekends on course-related work.
At International House Newcastle, we offer an optional course extension of 2 extra weeks at no further cost, when you can refine your newly acquired skills by teaching our voluntary students with the help of the school's resources and further less intensive guidance from experienced teachers. This extension is designed to help you build your confidence and get further practice before you take up a full-time professional teaching post. Where courses run back to back, this opportunity may be offered at a later date.

6. Grading
Assessment is carried out on a continuous basis. There are two components for assessment:

• Component One: planning and teaching
• Component two: Classroom-related written assignments.
  There is at least one individual tutorial (mid-course), where trainees have a chance to discuss their progress to date with a tutor.

The Certificate is awarded to candidates who have met the course requirements and whose performance meets, or exceeds, the criteria in both assessment components. 
 
A "Pass" is awarded to candidates whose performance overall in the teaching practice and on the written assignments meets the specified criteria. These criteria are available for inspection at International House throughout the course, and can be viewed on-line at www.CambridgeESOL.org/teaching 
A Pass Grade B is awarded to candidates whose performance on the written assignments meets the specified criteria and who have demonstrated in their teaching practice a level of achievement significantly higher than that required to meet pass-level criteria in relation to classroom teaching skills and professionalism.
A Pass Grade A is awarded to candidates whose performance on the written assignments meets the specified criteria and who have demonstrated in their teaching practice a level of achievement significantly higher than that required to meet pass level criteria in relation to planning for effective teaching, classroom teaching skills and professionalism.
 
An external assessor evaluates each CELTA course to ensure that standards are met by all centres.
On completion of the course, International House Newcastle will also supply a written report for each candidate to indicate specific strengths and areas needing development. IH will send out provisional grades a few days after the course. These will be confirmed on receipt of the official certificates from Cambridge approximately four to eight weeks after the course end. The course tutor's decision is final and there is no appeals procedure, although there is a complaints procedure. It is important to note that the offer of a place does not in itself guarantee success in obtaining the certificate.
 
 
7. Application for the Course
The application form and pre-interview task must be completed and returned to the school for consideration by tutors at the Teacher Training Department before any arrangements can be made for an interview. If you are based outside the UK and cannot attend an interview in person, a telephone interview can be arranged. If you would prefer to be interviewed at an alternative International House school, please indicate this choice on your application form. Please note that this may entail a fee. Due to the popularity of the course we recommend early application, as there are limited places on each course.
 
8. Fees
As soon as you are accepted on the course you should pay your full fees. We cannot reserve a place on the course until this has been received.
Once your fees have been received we will send out a pre-course learning task to help you prepare for the course. We recommend that you spend a minimum of ten to fifteen hours on this.
In the case of cancellation made later than four weeks before the start of the course, requests for refund of fees can only be considered if we have been able to fill the place at short notice.

Course fees 2010: £895.00 pounds (inc. Cambridge ESOL entry fee). 

Course Fees 2011: £995.00 (inc: Cambridge ESOL entry fee)
 
9. Accommodation
This can be arranged on request. Self-catering accommodation is available at Charlotte House, a two-minute walk from the school. The cost of self-catering apartments is £105 per week. Homestay self-catering accommodation is £90 per week and homestay half-board accommodation is £120 per week. (Homestay accommodation is subject to availability.)
 
10. Recommended Books
A Course in English Language Teaching - Penny Ur (CUP)
Teaching Practice Handbook - Gower and Walters (Heinemann)
*Learning Teaching - Scrivener (Heinemann)
A Practical English Grammar - Thompson and Martinet (OUP)
*Practical English Usage - Michael Swan (OUP)
*English Grammar in Use - Raymond Murphy (CUP)
*Highly recommended
It is advisable to buy your own copy of Scrivener, Swan and Murphy prior to the course. Additional books required for this course will be available for reference at International House.
 
11. After your Course

Finding a job
It has been estimated that more than one billion people in the world today speak, or are learning to speak English. The range of locations and situations in which English language teachers are in demand is enormous.

Working with IH
IH World recruits hundreds of teachers each year to work in IH affiliated schools. Most contracts with IH schools are for one year. Salaries are locally appropriate and are usually payable in the local currency. Return air-fare, paid holidays and assistance with accommodation are offered on most contracts outside the UK. IH is perhaps unique in the world of TEFL in offering an international career structure to its staff. Now interviews can be held in Newcastle for jobs throughout the world, just contact us at:  
International House
7-15 Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4SG 
 
Tel: 0191 232 9551
Fax: 0191 232 1126
email: tt@ihnewcastle.com