TEFL CELTA course at IH Barcelona Spain: Documentary, Part 1

TEFL (CELTA) course at IH Barcelona: documentary on what the course is actually like in Barcelona (Spain), leading to top qualification for English teachers. More info at www.ihes.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• TEFL
• CELTA
• English teaching
• Barcelona
• Spain

[MooseheadDrinker]

I've heard CELTA instructors are rude, conceited, and condescending.

Any truth to this?

If so, why?

[ihbarcelona]

@MooseheadDrinker Not according to the feedback we take at the end of every course, and we're talking about several hundred a year...

Perhaps you are referring to another centre, not IH Barcelona?

[MooseheadDrinker]

@ihbarcelona Not sure what centre. I just read some "horror" stories about the instructors on the internet.

[ihbarcelona]

@MooseheadDrinker Would you want a teacher to be "rude, conceited and condescending"?

No. Tutors ought to be models of what you should be as a teacher and the feedback we get is overwhelmingly good to excellent.

That's not to say that how you personally get on with a tutor isn't also vital (same applies to any teacher).

Sure, I've met a few dodgy characters in ELT in my time but a lot of people telling internet horror stories in fact have an axe to grind. Failed the course? I want revenge!!!

[maym86]

We've started a TEFL social network where we are trying to build a community of TEFL teachers around the world to meet and share experiences and tips. If anyone is interested take a look at tefl-me.com. It covers lots of areas and has a blog, forum groups individual profiles and a map to indicate your location in the world to help you meet other TEFL teacher when you are on the other side of the world.

[simon44]

Into week 3 in my CELTA course now its the hardest thing i've ever done in my life no doubt. Its the sheer pace of it that makes it hard. I had a very long lesson plan and 2 assignments to do over the weekend. - 21 hours work - no weekend and no life during the course. It is rewarding when your class works. The biggest kick in the nuts though is how hard they grade. One of the lads today just go up and walked out because of the stress. Doing a TEFL course before this can help set you up for it.

[sixnames]

@MooseheadDrinker I did mine at IH Bangkok and they were sound. The MD Danny is an absolute legend. No problems. A few people had personality clashes with trainers but most were fine. You just need to know that the criticism is to help you.

[ihbarcelona]

@JihadOfTheSoul Yes, it's 1,550 euros, which is in fact a bit over 1,200 GBP

[JihadOfTheSoul]

@garfieldintoke

How muchw as the course? I also live in London but from the prices I've seen on the web its £1,200, is that right?

[ihbarcelona]

@MooseheadDrinker Yes, there is a dress code, smart but casual.

You don't have to wear a tie, at least not in Spain, or a jacket but if you are wearing jeans they should be clean and not full of holes.

At IH Barcelona we won't let you teach if you are, er, revealing too much flesh. No plunging necklines, no shorts or sleeveless t-shirts for men, no visible underpants, that sort of thing.