CELTA

A video about my experience of the Cambridge CELTA course.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cambridge
• celta
• CELTA
• esl
• efl
• tefl
• manchester
• academy
• of
• english
• teacher
• training

[casadejoey]

Did you suffer any stage fright for the first classes? I'm worried my stage fright might hold me back, but I'd really like to learn how to teach.

Any advice.

Also, what advice would you give to yourself prior to the course if you could go back in time?

Did you read all those books?! How much pre-study should a person complete prior to the course?

Lots of fun questions. Teach me the ways Sensai.

[Bintazmin]

@casadejoey Hey there.

I didn't suffer too much stage fright before my CELTA because I had taught for a year in Korea beforehand. There were a few people on my course who were complete beginners and they did suffer a little.

I think all teachers put on an act during classes, you become a different person for a while. Remember that it's not like being on a stage, it's a communicative process. Talk to your students and just be social, they will appreciate it.

[Bintazmin]

@Bintazmin And no, I didn't read all those books :) I still come back to them from time to time for ideas and inspiration though.

If you want to do any studying before your CELTA, I would suggest familiarising yourself with tenses, present simple, continuous, perfect, etc. That will give you a good base and save you from spending too much precious course time on finding out what they are before you have to teach them :)

[thenerdwhodances]

Just finished up my CELTA course last week. Loved it! Barely passed the course (I got pneumonia halfway through), but the challenge was fair and the experience invaluable. Your video is a good summary of the course, and the music is fantastic! Wish I knew what it was called.

[Bintazmin]

@thenerdwhodances Hey :) glad you had fun on your CELTA. The song is 'prisencolinensinainciusol' by Adrian Celentano. Enjoy

[ladyjuliet83]

Hi! First of all, thanks for the video!!!! I'm not a native speaker, but my English is very good. I even have a Bachelor's degree in TEFL. My dream is to go to England and teach English to overseas students there. I've checked many job ads and almost all of their requirements include a bachelor's degree AND CELTA. Have you had any foreign classmate during the course? I'll probably join a CELTA course next year. Cheers!

[Bintazmin]

@ladyjuliet83 Thanks for the comment :)

I know plenty of non-native teachers working in the UK so I'm sure you'll be able to accomplish what you want. As for my CELTA, There was one student from Indonesia, I think? Anyway, her English was far from perfect but she was a great teacher. Hope this helped and good luck if you choose to do a CELTA.

N

[Anygodwilldo]

@Anygodwilldo thats why I feel like I sold out my principles. On balance, it probably wasn't worth it. I mean, it can get you an average job and all, but.... honestly, I've been through two universities and NEVER been spoken to like that. I would contact them now, just to ask "what sort of man talks to people like that?" but I might need them for references :-) Seriously, to anybody with an ounce of integrity - BE CAREFUL

[Anygodwilldo]

@sbowesuk Yeah, I've seen other peoples evaluation of the course and theres a lot of agreement. On my course, I wasnt the only one who thought the "instructors" used bullying / humiliation. Be very careful, dont pay too much attention to all the fawning, mindless, knee-jerk "Celta is great" comments on here. Its very "clique" oriented and those who liked the course were probably the tutors "favourites". I really had to bite my tounge on many occasions. I felt awful, but i had to conform to pass.

[sbowesuk]

@Anygodwilldo Apparently you're not the only one with this view of the course. Seems to be one horror story after another. I was seriously considering doing this course, but the more I've read about it, the more horrific it sounds. Just doesn't sound worth it. Furthermore, I have a very low tolerance for rude people so if I got a rude tutor, that wouldn't end well for them or me. Sod that.

[Anygodwilldo]

The conformity expected on CELTA borders on fascism. They are trying to produce teaching robots. and if you dont go along with it they use rudeness to try to bring you into line.At which point did it become a social norm to be rude to people?Surely rudeness is counter-productive (not to mention morally wrong) when instructing people.It belies low intellect,lack of imagination,and - because they are rude to students in front of others - cowardice. How could anybody enjoy this kind of thing?

[Anygodwilldo]

I did celta earlier this year, hated it. I passed the course, but a part of me died forever.