ABOUT THE CELTA COURSE

What is the difference between doing a CELTA in New York and doing a CELTA at another center?
Every CELTA center around the globe has gone through the same process to become authorized to run Cambridge CELTA courses. Every trainer has gone through an approval process and training with the University of Cambridge. The course syllabus and assessment criteria are the same at every CELTA center, and the amount of work you will have to do is the same. Centers are given some freedom in how the course is organized and how the syllabus is taught – input sessions and the style of training may differ depending on the preferences of the tutors or the center. Some centers are more traditional in their approach, and others are more eclectic, drawing from a wide range of ESL methodology in order to give you a more rounded introduction to teaching. Teaching House adopts the latter approach.

What is the ‘CELTA method’?
There isn’t actually a ‘CELTA method’. CELTA draws from decades of English language teaching methodology and provides you with a toolbox of valuable ideas and techniques on how to teach. It is not a prescriptive course, and you are encouraged to use the tools presented to develop your own style. The only thing really called for is the lessons be taught in a student-centered way and with an awareness of student understanding.

The ‘A’ in CELTA stands for adults. Does that prevent me from getting jobs teaching children?
Many people who earn their CELTA certification go off and teach kids. Yes, the "A" stands for adults, but the reality is that there is such a market abroad for children's classes that schools will often get you doing young learner classes (and, in fact, with the CELTA, consider you qualified to do so). Many of the skills and techniques you will learn can be adapted for use with children. We also do a session at the end of the course where we look at how to teach children to reflect the fact that many people will be going off around the world to do so. There is such demand for young learner teaching that you may not be able to avoid it!

For further information
If you still have unanswered questions, then feel free to contact us directly - we are happy to answer any questions that you have.

Alternatively, you can check out the FAQs section at the University of Cambridge site: http://www.cambridgeesol.org/teaching/celta.htm