CELTA Course

Question

I would like to enrol on the CELTA course but before doing so, can someone advise on what level of English grammar you should have. I know the basics in grammar such as nouns, adjectives etc but I can honestly say that I am not a wizz kid in the topic.

Could you also advise on any reading, courses that I could do before doing the CELTA course as I really want to do well in it.

Thank you

KateJS · Accepted Answer

If you create a proper profile and provide an email address (via the friend function if you prefer), I have some stuff I can email you.

Pete West · Answer

Given your current knowledge I would sugegst that you shouldn't do the course.

Many people who take the CELTA course talk of it as being the hardest 4 weeks of their academic life! In my opinion, the course is the top level teacher training course and is quite simply not for beginners.

I always recommend that before anyone can consider taking the course they should have at least 2 solid years experience behind them teaching English and a thorough grounding in English grammar and teaching methods.

KateJS · Answer

ICAL_PeteGiven your current knowledge I would sugegst that you shouldn't do the course.

Many people who take the CELTA course talk of it as being the hardest 4 weeks of their academic life! In my opinion, the course is the top level teacher training course and is quite simply not for beginners.

I always recommend that before anyone can consider taking the course they should have at least 2 solid years experience behind them teaching English and a thorough grounding in English grammar and teaching methods.

Nonsense. I have no teaching experience whatsoever and I got a B pass (that's good). I would put my grammatical knowledge as average - it was probably better than the other 5 on the course, but they all passed (and another student got a B).

Yes, it's very hard work. I did it on 2 days a week over 13 weeks, and I would not have wanted to do the 4-week full-time option, even if my circumstances had allowed (I work 3 days a week so couldn't anyway). However I thoroughly enjoyed it.

If you are prepared to do some work before the course to brush up on your grammar, there's no reason you shouldn't do the course. The course gives you the grounding in the teaching methods that ICAL Pete refers to - how else are you supposed to get them?! Just make sure you choose a good training provider that has small classes for the CELTA course, so you get good tutor support.

It's worth noting that ICAL is a purveyor of online TEFL courses that may be accepted as qualifications in some countries (primarily Asia I think) - they may even be the best of such courses for all I know - but such courses are not comparable with a CELTA course (most don't even include any actual teaching practice!), and you will be exluded from much of the job market if that's all you have.

Anonymous · Answer

You are right that peole often find CELTA challenging, but it is designed as an introduction to teaching and doesn't have as a pre-requisite any prior teaching experience.  I think that you may be thinking about the DELTA, which fits all of the criteria you mention (and most training providers wouldn't accept you with less than 2 years' experience for this).  I also think that it's worth being clear that  CELTA is a very good qualification, (I have been teaching the course for 12 years and I think it often gives excellent results) but it is only the beginning, and not really 'the top level teacher training course'.  You should expect to do further study, reflection and maybe further qualifications if you want to make English teaching a career.

Carlos Andry · Answer

You should have at least a level C1.

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