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CELTA: A format that fits

Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash

The only thing better than a highly-regarded language training certificate with industry-wide recognition is the flexibility to get it your way. That’s why ILSC’s CELTA program is offered in a variety of formats, allowing you to get certified quickly, flexible, or even (mostly) in the comfort of your home.

One CELTA certificate, Three Formats

People seeking CELTA certification do so for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s a career change and other times it’s a passport to the world, but with a variety of reasons there comes a variety of circumstances. Whatever the circumstances, there’s likely a CELTA program to get you up and running in the TESOL world.

ILSC offers the CELTA teaching certificate in three formats:

Full-time intensive on-campus (in Montreal)
Part-time on-campus (in Toronto)
Online (flexible schedule) (from home, with an onsite practicum in Montreal, San Francisco, or New Delhi)

Each is a little different and tailored to your needs. Here are the details:

CELTA full-time

The full-time intensive format of the CELTA course available in Montreal provides everything you need to start teaching English in only four weeks. The 140-hour course is practical and complete – time is split between input sessions with trainers, classroom observations, and teaching practicum.

Because of the intensive nature of the full-time format, the Full-time program is a good fit if you’re able to take time off work and give dedicated focus to the program. In addition to in-class work, you will also have assignments to complete over weekends and will want to devote time to planning lessons during evenings.

While the full-time intensive CELTA course may be daunting, the short time commitment means you can get into the job market quickly once you graduate. You will also receive information about the best practices for finding work locally and abroad in your final week.

Part-Time CELTA

If you want to study in Toronto, and have other obligations, and it’s not urgent to complete the course right away, you’ll appreciate the more relaxed pace of the 11-week part-time CELTA course. The part-time course offers you the same one to six trainer-trainee ratios, teaching practicum, and employment assistance as the intensive program but with added flexibility.

The part-time CELTA course holds classes in the evening twice a week and Saturdays during the day, allowing you the freedom to work while you earn your certification.

CELTA Online

If you want maximum freedom and flexibility getting your English teaching certification, the online CELTA course is the one for you! The online CELTA course runs over 22-weeks, with ongoing deadlines for assignments and collaborative activities that allow you to connect with other trainees. The course format allows trainees to work when it’s most convenient for you and provides a guiding structure to track progress.

One of the CELTA program’s strengths is how it gets you in front of real, multi-lingual students for teaching practice, and the online course includes this component. All assignments and units are completed online but you will are also be required to attend on-campus teaching practice in Montreal or San Francisco to complete your certification.

Does teaching English to adult learners sound like an adventure you can see yourself taking? ILSC offers the Cambridge CELTA as an intensive 4-week program and a flexible online format.

Top Tips from CELTA Trainers

For many, the CELTA program is a new and exciting experience. There’s a lot to learn though, so it’s normal to feel nervous too. Before getting up in front of your first students it’s good to benefit from the advice of those who have been there before. We’ve asked our best CELTA trainers to offer new trainees the tips and tricks needed to have a successful CELTA experience.

Input Sessions

During the CELTA, trainees are both students and teachers. Here’s how to stay on top of the input sessions.

• Review your notes from inputs regularly (evenings/weekends)
• Invest in stationery to help you organize notes (post-its/dividers/etc.)
• Ask lots of questions: whether that’s during group discussions or directly to the course tutor.

Teaching Practice

Standing in front of students can be exhilarating (or terrifying); here’s how to stay focused.

• Keep the weekly criteria in mind – don’t aim for perfection.
• Spend time on the self-evaluation – it can make or break a lesson.
• Come prepared! Look over your guidelines the night before so as to hit the ground running during lesson planning time.

Assignments / Homework

The work doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom; here’s what you need to know to succeed.

• Read and follow the rubric exactly – it’s all there!
• Confirm and clarify with peers and tutors well in advance.
• Proofread!

Time Management

Learning, teaching, homework—CELTA is a lot of work! Here’s how to stay organized.

• Plan for the intensity of the course, i.e. let friends/family know that you’re not available for a few weeks.
• Don’t put things off – plan a lesson over two nights rather than leaving it all until the last minute.
• Have a copy of the course timetable in an easily accessible place.

That’s it!

All that’s left is to take this advice to heart, get started, and to start teaching with CELTA.

Does teaching English to adult learners sound like an adventure you can see yourself taking? ILSC offers the Cambridge CELTA as an intensive 4-week program, a part-time 11-week program, and a flexible online format.

Teaching with CELTA as a Non-Native Speaker

So you want to teach English as a Second Language, in your second language? That’s admirable, brave even, but is it foolish? Not at all! In fact, teaching English as a non-native speaker with the CELTA is more common than you might expect.

Language Requirements

Every CELTA applicant must complete a comprehensive language assessment as part of the CELTA application process. Candidates’ performance on the assessment is the main criteria for acceptance into the program; no one is refused for simply being a non-native speaker!

Non-native ESL teachers aren’t all that rare and can actually make up a good portion of the faculty at language schools in English-speaking countries. A likely, although anecdotal, reason for this could be that native English speakers are attracted to TESL for the opportunities to teach abroad whereas non-native English speakers usually achieve their fluency by moving to an English-speaking country.

Advantages

Finally, there is some good news. Non-native speakers possess a few advantages over native speakers.

1. Technical Grammar Knowledge

Bilingual and multi-lingual candidates consistently have a fuller knowledge of English grammar than most native speakers. This, of course, is because non-native speakers have had a more technical formal education in English, whereas native speakers focus more on language arts and literature throughout their education. Often, non-native speakers have an advantage in communication skills, too.

2. Empathy

Non-native speakers don’t have a monopoly on empathy but they can quickly identify with the struggles and frustrations of their students because they’ve been there. Although this isn’t a formal classroom management technique, knowing when to give students a break or an extra dose of encouragement can really improve a student’s experience.

3. ESL Experience – in Reverse!

This one may be obvious, but if you’ve learned English as a second language then you already have experience in an ESL environment. Non-native speakers who learned English in a classroom setting are likely to have fond memories of activities or approaches they enjoyed. Even negative experiences are helpful in knowing what to avoid or thinking about how to improve approaches to difficult language concepts.

Challenges

Just because it isn’t impossible to complete the CELTA as a non-native speaker doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges. These will vary from person to person but are common among advanced non-native speakers of English.

1. Accent

Non-native speakers will have some kind of an accent when speaking English, and that’s perfectly acceptable since many native-speakers also speak with a pronounced accent. In fact, most students are learning English in order to communicate with other non-native speakers, so being exposed to a variety of non-native accents is useful for them.

2. Confidence

It’s very important that students trust your ability to instruct them in the language. Native speakers are able to quickly and confidently respond to many questions because their intuitive grasp of English has been honed over a lifetime. Non-native speakers may not feel as confident, but they can prepare for lessons to build that confidence (completing the CELTA will also help). It’s also encouraging to remember that native speakers make mistakes too—especially with technical grammar!

What are you waiting for?

Teaching English as a second language (TESL) isn’t reserved for those who happen to be born in an English-speaking country. If you have an advanced command of English the CELTA program can open up the world of TESL for you, whether you’re a recent graduate, looking for a career change, or want to liven up your retirement.

The Path to CELTA: Part-time

When it comes to education, we know that no two students learn in the exact same way. For this very reason ILSC and Greystone College offer CELTA certification in a variety of formats. A popular option for those with busy lives is the part-time course. CELTA, or the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, is a training course that gives you both the knowledge and hands-on experience for teaching English to others. If you are looking for a happy medium between an intensive and casual training, CELTA offers a part-time course that provides the same certification and allows you to pursue a career teaching English.

Two Cities

Greystone College offers the part-time course both in Toronto and Vancouver. As multicultural cities with many language schools they are prime locations to learn and become an English teacher. The part-time CELTA course runs for 11 weeks and, like all of ILSC and Greystone College’s CELTA programs offers a one to six trainer to trainee ratio, teaching practicum and employment assistance. The part-time program covers language skills, reading, listening, speaking, writing, developing teaching skills, and professionalism, just to name a few. What`s even better is that the program is open to everyone – there is no experience required!

The Course

Every week, for 11 weeks, students will attend classes during the evening, two times a week, and a half-day on Saturday. This less-intensive structure allows you to work, relax or explore Toronto or Vancouver at the same time as you are getting certified. Throughout the course you will become familiar with the roles of teacher and learner; you will understand principles of effective teaching and will develop a wide range of practical skills for teaching English to adult learners.

In addition to this, the online course is still an option if the part-time program work load seems too heavy or doesn’t work with your schedule.

What are you waiting for?

If you`re looking to expand your teaching skills, all while having the freedom to work and live in a world-class city, then the part-time CELTA course is ideal for you. Upon completion of the course you will be able to enter into the work force, obtain meaningful employment and begin your teaching career.

The Path to CELTA: Full-time

Helping another person learn a language can be one of the most rewarding things you can experience. Essentially, you are opening up a whole new world for people and giving them experiences and opportunities they may otherwise not of had. This is why ILSC and Greystone College’s CELTA teaching certification is appealing to so many people around the world.

CELTA stands for Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and is an initial teacher training qualification for teaching English as a second or foreign language. Once you earn this certification you can teach people English all around the world. If this is something that you’ve thought about, but you`re not sure how to get started, there are several different options for you so that you can find what works best for your lifestyle.

The Montreal Experience

If you’re someone who likes to go full speed ahead then the ILSC-Montreal CELTA Full-Time program is for you. This particular CELTA program allows you to buckle down and power through your certification. It is more intensive than both our part-time course and our online format. ILSC-Montreal’s CELTA program offers a four week, 140-hour course. During this time you will take part in both theory and practical learning in this beautiful, historic international city. Learning is split between sessions with trainers, classroom observations, and teaching practicum. The CELTA program connects you with skilled and experienced professionals who will give you teaching feedback, and share their instruction techniques and ideas with you.

Each aspect of the course is different but offers its own value:

In-class lessons:

The in-class lessons will lay the foundation for your teaching, and will give you the knowledge you need to develop your professional teaching skills. This is where you will learn the theory of teaching before you put it into practice.

Hands-on practical teaching:

The hands-on practical teaching experience will give you confidence in your teaching abilities. You will gain experience teaching yourself, learning from your peers, and practicing with your teachers – all with the goal of helping you become the best CELTA certified instructor you can be.

Because the program is full-time, this educational route is ideal for someone who has no other demanding responsibilities, or someone who is able to take some time off their employment to focus fully on the program.

At first glance the full-time demands of the CELTA program may seem daunting, but the short duration of this accelerated program means you can fast-forward your education and jump into the job market even sooner. In addition, in your final week of study, the program will provide tips to find English teaching jobs both locally and around the globe.