Thiserictheking wrote:There are External Cambridge ESOL Assessors around the world who fly over towards the end of each course. They go through the submitted work, speak to the trainers, the trainees, and observe a couple of lessons to check that things are in order. Obviously, this info would be fed back to Cambridge HQ and, while there are centres which will occasionally slip through the net, the aim is that standards remain the same, regardless of their location.
The CELTA course
Anyone who spends $1k+ on a course/qualification without thorough research is either incredibly stupid or has too much money!DetroitMuscle wrote:There is dodgy shit going on all over the world is how you have to look it everything these days, I s'pose.
Well, I ended up doing the CELTA in England, despite my instincts saying it was a bad move. First of all, I missed he 3 weeks between the offer and the course start date, with it's pre-CELTA taining(?) tasks and the book list because I was waiting for a phone call, not an email message. I only found out on the weekend that I was expected on the course on Monday.
Then I realised that I lived too far from the centre, with over 2 hours travel each way by train and 3.5 hrs by bus. I also had a bad attack of arthritis on my foot, which made it painful to walk. I had to decide should I study or get enough sleep not to function like a zombie. I also had to take a couple of days off, which considering the intensity of the course, set me to play catch up for the rest of the time. It didn't help that I also had to respond to quite a few phone calls and text messages about a legal case I was involved.
I also had a real trouble getting a hold of a working PC to type my assignments and lesson plans of finding pictures from Internet to use in the lessons and when I finally did go to the school mac to print my work, the text and graphics was thrown all over the place. I spent more time faffing with technology than getting on with the tasks!
Like I said, a bad timing. Doing a course later in Thailand would have meant having my own laptop and renting a guest house much nearer the school, so not being so tired. I would have also been more prepared, which would have made a big difference.
About the course itself...
When it came to typing the IPA on the lesson plan, I used an online editor but I still had to edit certain symbols: it seems that because the American sounds are slightly different, so are the IPA. So something to watch out for if I need to use it in the future. I habitually pronounce some words like the Americans and some like the Brits (my son does the same although he has lived in England all his life), especially if I think a particular accent actually makes it more clear, but that wasn't allowed. Fair enough, I guess, as the students came to learn the British accent.
Not having read the main books beforehand was a major drawback as a lot what the tutors went through was really a review and additional material. I found the school's lesson plan format tedious to say the least: it's an intellectual and theoretical exercise to show that you have thought about what, why and how you do it but, which you'll never do afterwards simply because there's no time if you teach full-time. The format in my course was lessons in the morning and teaching practice in the afternoon, which worked pretty well as you could always skip lunch and create your materials for the forthcoming lesson. The tutors were happy to go over the lesson plan all the way through the course and give some advice about the assignments before submit... The students were a bit varied in their ability but basically they were not new to the material we were supposed to teach, rather they were attending the lessons to get extra practice, which meant that everyone was really motivated and a delight to teach. The external moderator flew from New Zealand and his presence was as described here.
Over half of the trainees were ESL teachers and three also had a teaching qualification. One student was still in university but her background was working with mentally challenged adults, which needs communication skills very much like teaching a foreign language. Only one trainee didn't have any teaching experience. No wonder the schools promises 100% success rate. It was good to get some fresh insight and ideas from other excellent trainees, quite a big proportion of them getting A's and B's, and qualified teachers in the school. For me that was really the best thing about the course.
I did ask about the young learner extension and why it costs as much as CELTA even though it is only for 2 weeks. Apparently it is as intensive if not even more than CELTA course, with same amount of assignments and teaching time crammed in.. Considering that language schools do not require YL extension for teaching kids, is it any wonder that the extension isn't very popular?
Then I realised that I lived too far from the centre, with over 2 hours travel each way by train and 3.5 hrs by bus. I also had a bad attack of arthritis on my foot, which made it painful to walk. I had to decide should I study or get enough sleep not to function like a zombie. I also had to take a couple of days off, which considering the intensity of the course, set me to play catch up for the rest of the time. It didn't help that I also had to respond to quite a few phone calls and text messages about a legal case I was involved.
I also had a real trouble getting a hold of a working PC to type my assignments and lesson plans of finding pictures from Internet to use in the lessons and when I finally did go to the school mac to print my work, the text and graphics was thrown all over the place. I spent more time faffing with technology than getting on with the tasks!
Like I said, a bad timing. Doing a course later in Thailand would have meant having my own laptop and renting a guest house much nearer the school, so not being so tired. I would have also been more prepared, which would have made a big difference.
About the course itself...
When it came to typing the IPA on the lesson plan, I used an online editor but I still had to edit certain symbols: it seems that because the American sounds are slightly different, so are the IPA. So something to watch out for if I need to use it in the future. I habitually pronounce some words like the Americans and some like the Brits (my son does the same although he has lived in England all his life), especially if I think a particular accent actually makes it more clear, but that wasn't allowed. Fair enough, I guess, as the students came to learn the British accent.
Not having read the main books beforehand was a major drawback as a lot what the tutors went through was really a review and additional material. I found the school's lesson plan format tedious to say the least: it's an intellectual and theoretical exercise to show that you have thought about what, why and how you do it but, which you'll never do afterwards simply because there's no time if you teach full-time. The format in my course was lessons in the morning and teaching practice in the afternoon, which worked pretty well as you could always skip lunch and create your materials for the forthcoming lesson. The tutors were happy to go over the lesson plan all the way through the course and give some advice about the assignments before submit... The students were a bit varied in their ability but basically they were not new to the material we were supposed to teach, rather they were attending the lessons to get extra practice, which meant that everyone was really motivated and a delight to teach. The external moderator flew from New Zealand and his presence was as described here.
Over half of the trainees were ESL teachers and three also had a teaching qualification. One student was still in university but her background was working with mentally challenged adults, which needs communication skills very much like teaching a foreign language. Only one trainee didn't have any teaching experience. No wonder the schools promises 100% success rate. It was good to get some fresh insight and ideas from other excellent trainees, quite a big proportion of them getting A's and B's, and qualified teachers in the school. For me that was really the best thing about the course.
I did ask about the young learner extension and why it costs as much as CELTA even though it is only for 2 weeks. Apparently it is as intensive if not even more than CELTA course, with same amount of assignments and teaching time crammed in.. Considering that language schools do not require YL extension for teaching kids, is it any wonder that the extension isn't very popular?
-
- 20,000 Posts; I need professional help !
- Reactions: 2
- Posts: 22651
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:31 pm
- Location: Space, maaaan
New Cambridge English qualifications are on the way - CELT-P and CELT-S (P = primary; S = secondary). They are designed for local non-NES, but the CELT-P might be useful to you. They may be a lot cheaper than the full CELTA course and possibly be provided locally. They're still in the planning stage, but you might like to keep your eyes open.
I came, I argued, I'm out
Do you mean that the YL is going to be split into teaching primary and secondary school kids? It would make sense, the teaching is, or at least should be a little different. Or do you mean that the course is going to be in two parts to make it more affordable / attractive? I did the CELTA course even though I am not interested in teaching adults, which what CELTA is all about, but as it is a requirement before doing the YL... I think they should be separate courses for the candidates to choose from and both should be the same length. I mean, it is pedagogically more demanding to teach 6 or 7 year olds than adults so if anything, the kids CELTa should be the longer course... Generally, I think that people have a pretty good idea if they want to teach adults or kids when they start training and if anyone is unsure, they could agree with the training centre to observe a class.andyinasia wrote:New Cambridge English qualifications are on the way - CELT-P and CELT-S (P = primary; S = secondary). They are designed for local non-NES, but the CELT-P might be useful to you. They may be a lot cheaper than the full CELTA course and possibly be provided locally. They're still in the planning stage, but you might like to keep your eyes open.
Will you post if there are going to be any CELTA training in Cambodia?
-
- My Only Friend is my Computer
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 733
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:48 am
- Contact:
If anyone in Phnom Penh is seriously considering taking the CELTA, or if you have already signed up, I can help prepare you for it. When I took the class last year, I knew very little about how the course works. I thought the scoring was solely based on the assignments. Later on, I learned the teaching practice is just as important, and that a couple failed teaching practices could be enough to fail. I can teach you what to expect on a daily basis. I'll make sure all your questions are answered so that you know exactly what to focus on. It was an excellent experience, but I went into the course not knowing the workings on how they grade you, what they are looking for, and what kind of attitude they favor. I'm not doing this to spoon-feed answers. I'm not going to give any material out. But, I can assure you you'll be a lot more confident before walking into a very stressful 4 weeks.
Goodbye America, if anyone asks, say we were shipwrecked. Goodbye to your junk and your old hideola. Have a nice day.
-Paul Theroux
-Paul Theroux
-
- 20,000 Posts; I need professional help !
- Reactions: 2
- Posts: 22651
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:31 pm
- Location: Space, maaaan
These courses are in addition to/alternatives to the CELTA course/ YL add-on, which AFAIK won't change. I believe the CELT-P and CELT-S courses are primarily aimed at non-native speakers of English so I don't know if they'll be equivalents of a CELTA qualification. It's all too early to know any more yet, but I will keep the board posted if and when anything concrete emerges in Cambodia.claptrap1 wrote:Do you mean that the YL is going to be split into teaching primary and secondary school kids? It would make sense, the teaching is, or at least should be a little different. Or do you mean that the course is going to be in two parts to make it more affordable / attractive? I did the CELTA course even though I am not interested in teaching adults, which what CELTA is all about, but as it is a requirement before doing the YL... I think they should be separate courses for the candidates to choose from and both should be the same length. I mean, it is pedagogically more demanding to teach 6 or 7 year olds than adults so if anything, the kids CELTa should be the longer course... Generally, I think that people have a pretty good idea if they want to teach adults or kids when they start training and if anyone is unsure, they could agree with the training centre to observe a class.andyinasia wrote:New Cambridge English qualifications are on the way - CELT-P and CELT-S (P = primary; S = secondary). They are designed for local non-NES, but the CELT-P might be useful to you. They may be a lot cheaper than the full CELTA course and possibly be provided locally. They're still in the planning stage, but you might like to keep your eyes open.
Will you post if there are going to be any CELTA training in Cambodia?
I came, I argued, I'm out
Confused!claptrap1 wrote:Well, I ended up doing the CELTA in England The external moderator flew from New Zealand
-
- I live above an internet cafe
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:51 pm
I am mediocre and even so I found it manageable....go for it....you may meet some nice ppl...but there again you could have met me......cue Valdmynameisphil wrote:I'm thinking of completing the CELTA course in Thailand and was wondering whether anyone has experience of it there?
I did the basic online TEFL thing as a taster and enjoyed it (20hrs on site, 100 online), although obviously it's pretty worthless on its own so I figure the CELTA is the next step rather than just looking for work with just an online cert and blagging it.
I read it's pretty intense and you have to really put the effort in but is it doable without any prior experience?
Any advice?
your mum made me do it
-
- I live above an internet cafe
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:51 pm
you have to be fairly poor to failDeanWeen wrote:If anyone in Phnom Penh is seriously considering taking the CELTA, or if you have already signed up, I can help prepare you for it. When I took the class last year, I knew very little about how the course works. I thought the scoring was solely based on the assignments. Later on, I learned the teaching practice is just as important, and that a couple failed teaching practices could be enough to fail. I can teach you what to expect on a daily basis. I'll make sure all your questions are answered so that you know exactly what to focus on. It was an excellent experience, but I went into the course not knowing the workings on how they grade you, what they are looking for, and what kind of attitude they favor. I'm not doing this to spoon-feed answers. I'm not going to give any material out. But, I can assure you you'll be a lot more confident before walking into a very stressful 4 weeks.
your mum made me do it
-
- 440 newbie - handle with care
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:13 pm
There were a few drop outs on mine as well. Its a lot of pressure and 2-3 people cracked. I'd never taught before and everyone else had. Always felt behind. Personally had a tear during feedback- there was a quite a few experienced teachers in tears as well. When you think about it, they are trying to make a teacher in a month so it's bound to be intense. A Master of Teaching takes 2 years.
I found the biggest challenge when I did mine was having an extrinsic knowledge of grammar.
They really look after you in so far as the pedagogy goes, but if I had my time over again, I'd spend a few weeks studying grammar first. You'll get a lot more out of it that way as well.
http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org There's a very good free grammar course on this website. It's also by Cambridge (like the CELTA).
Enjoy!
I found the biggest challenge when I did mine was having an extrinsic knowledge of grammar.
They really look after you in so far as the pedagogy goes, but if I had my time over again, I'd spend a few weeks studying grammar first. You'll get a lot more out of it that way as well.
http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org There's a very good free grammar course on this website. It's also by Cambridge (like the CELTA).
Enjoy!
We had a couple of people drop out of the CELTA course I was on as well; I came pretty close to throwing the towel in too but so glad I kept on going.
-
- I Have Not Been Outside Today
- Reactions: 7
- Posts: 892
- Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:53 am
A very minor thing from your post, but nobody really expects that to be the case. Even the best CELTA graduates will need 2/3 years CPD among more experienced peers before they can start to think about being truly proficient in the classroom. The CELTA is a month long course that provides you with a strong foundation for a career in TEFL, nothing more.chic chet sabay wrote: When you think about it, they are trying to make a teacher in a month so it's bound to be intense.
2/3 years aming more DPD among more experienced teachers. Hey mate, you'll be lucky if you find any. First of all you are alone as far as the teaching goes and most of your colleagues are equally inexperienced backpackers or have only marginally more know-how, although they cannot admit it because they have an image to keep.