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Ready, Set, Teach: Lesson Planning Tips

With a completed CELTA program behind you, you’re ready to teach—you did it! Whether the path to a CELTA certificate was intensive or pursued part-time, there are lessons to be planned and language to be taught.

Take advantage of these classroom-tested tips from ILSC’s team of CELTA trainers and go teach some English!

MFP Prep & Target Language

First things first. If a lesson is going to teach students something new, you’ll need a good grasp of the lesson’s target language.

Get a good grammar book.
Being a native-level speaker isn’t magic; go over the finer points of the target language.
Anticipate potential problems.
Try to think from the students’ point of view and plan appropriate concept-checking questions.
Research more than you think is necessary.
The students will inevitably come up with surprising questions.

Organization

Teaching ESL can be a whirlwind, especially overseas. So it’s important to see planning as an investment; a clear, well-planned lesson is a lesson you won’t have to plan again in the future. Stay organized and make your hard work for you.

Make your plan accessible.
Lay out handouts in order, keep board plans next to the board, etc.
Check your tech before the lesson.
If the lesson depends on audio or video content, make sure it’s ready to deliver.
Save all your materials and plans.
Label them clearly and store them in binders or digitally (Evernote, Google Keep, etc.) for recycling and reuse.

Staying Student-centred

Students’ needs are at the centre of the CELTA teaching philosophy for a reason. Students learn better when they can engage with lesson content that connects to their lives while challenging their abilities. Your particular students should be top of mind in your lesson planning.

Limit teacher talk-time.
Get the students talking instead, and avoid as much reference to open class as possible.
Solicit ideas/topics from students during the first class.
This provides a bank of engaging themes the students are sure to appreciate throughout the course.
Support pair and group work.
This allows students to practice the target language more and careful monitoring will help you identify problems to address during error-correction.

What’s next?

These lessons won’t plan themselves, but with skills from the CELTA program and these practical tips they’re sure to be a hit with students. Get planning and have a great class!

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.

Teaching locally with CELTA

The CELTA program attracts candidates with diverse career backgrounds and even more diverse life goals. There isn’t just one good reason to take CELTA, there are many! One common motivation is the attractive prospect of having the freedom to work and see the world at the same time, but what about those hoping to stay close to family, friends, and a familiar bed? Are they out of luck? Not even close.

Teaching abroad is great, but the opportunities sometimes start a little closer to home.

No shortage of choice

The ESL industry is known for booming markets in places like East Asia and Latin America where jobs are plentiful and the barrier to entry is low. Less talked about, but no less accessible to CELTA graduates, are the variety of ESL opportunities at home in English-speaking countries. What’s more, CELTA programs are offered in a variety of flexible formats that allow you to get certified while working, studying, or at your own pace.

Private language schools cater to mixed-language learners from all over the world and can be dynamic and exciting places to work. Apart from private schools or institutions, there are also government programs for new arrivals that require teachers capable of providing lessons to adult learners of diverse backgrounds.

Staying home has its advantages

Teaching abroad is a worthy endeavor but it can also be a challenge. Not all employers are created equal, so the task of obtaining a valid visa, arranging transport and accommodations, and learning local customs may ultimately fall on you. It’s a challenge that’s worth every bit of effort, but for those happy to stay close to home, the international headaches can be avoided without giving up on teaching ESL. Whatever English-speaking country you find yourself in, the local organization of private language schools – such as TESL Canada – will be a great starting point to find a reputable employer.

If teaching locally sounds tempting, consider the story of one CELTA graduate who happily changed his travel plans.

Matthew’s story

Matthew took the intensive CELTA program at ILSC-Montreal in 2013 after returning from a year abroad. He wanted to get a certification that would allow him to travel again and also work at the same time, but he didn’t have any definite plans about where to teach.

After successfully completing the program Matthew was happy to enjoy his hometown for a time, while at the same time ILSC-Montreal was looking for a part-time teacher for evening courses. Matthew says “the whole reason I took the CELTA was so I could travel and work, but I took the job at ILSC to get some more experience and ended up teaching in Montreal for years.”

Matthew eventually moved to the full-time day program and has worked at ILSC-Montreal in various capacities for four years. Is he disappointed with the way things turned out? “I’m happy I stayed. I’ve had the chance to work with great people and to meet such awesome students without the trouble of visas and culture shock.”

But Matthew hasn’t given up on seeing the world yet. “The great thing about this job is, with all the experience at home, when I finally feel like I need a change I can hop on a plane feeling confident there’s a teaching job out there for me.”

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.