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Montreal

Life after CELTA: Academic

Stay in School!

What’s a newly CELTA-certified teacher to do after completing the course? Stay in school of course. Language school networks, like ILSC and others, are a great option for recent graduates who want to teach ESL full or part-time.

Academic ESL Opportunities ILSC — *Ana Torres is the Academic Director for English at ILSC-Montréal*

These schools offer new teachers access to students, resources, and further opportunities. Ana Torres is the Academic Director for English at ILSC-Montréal and believes dedicated language schools are a good fit for students and teachers alike.

What Students Want

Teaching at an established school means the hard work of surfacing potential students is already handled. “The majority of ESL students join ILSC courses at the Beginner 4 and Intermediate 1 levels*,” says Torres, which means new teachers will know what to expect.

Knowing what to expect doesn’t mean teaching has to be stale, though. Full-service education networks like ILSC offer classes ranging from absolute beginner-level to advanced academic and exam preparation — not to mention student favourites like English through Songs & Lyrics or even Yoga!

Torres describes ILSC students as “focused and motivated to learn and improve their ESL skills,” which makes for an enjoyable classroom experience.

* (equivalent to A2 and B1 levels from the Common European Framework)

Tools of the Trade

In addition to highly motivated students, good language schools equip teachers to teach the best lessons possible. Torres says teachers at ILSC “love the number of resources available for them to use,” which range from printing and paper supplies to course books and online planning subscriptions. Classrooms are also equipped with audio-visual

Most schools also keep a library of resources teachers can consult. In ILSC’s case, the resource library also includes engaging games and authentic materials. Regular workshops are also held to train teachers in new techniques and how to use new resources.

Making Moves

Established institutions also offer new ESL teachers space to learn and options for advancement. “ESL instructors at ILSC can look forward to growing and moving horizontally in our organization,” says Torres. Academic settings allow teachers to gain administrative experience and have supporting departments teachers can seek opportunities in.

Those who don’t want to give up the classroom entirely may look to the growing exam track instead. Larger language schools often administer official tests (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) and teachers who teach preparation courses can easily pursue positions as exam staff or even work as official examiners.

Teachers, these are some good reasons to stay in school!

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.

CELTA at ILSC: Meet the Trainers (Part 3)

Quality training begins with quality trainers, and the CELTA program at ILSC offers a crack team to guide trainees through the rigours — and surprising delights — of CELTA.

Breana Sproul is an assistant CELTA tutor at ILSC and teaches and evaluates trainees during the intensive 4-week course as well as the online and part-time CELTA programs.

Get to know… Breana Sproul

This is Breana

Q: How/Why did you get into ESL teaching?

A friend of mine wanted to take a TESL course so I joined her; best decision I ever made!

I started teaching young learners in Taiwan, where I stayed for two years. I then moved to Prague, gaining experience in teaching adults at mostly intermediate levels. I did some private tutoring in London for a few years before moving to Amman, where I had the opportunity to teach both young learners and adults at levels ranging from elementary to intermediate. After Jordan, I went on to teach in Istanbul, where I got a vast amount of experience teaching all ages and levels. It was also there that I began to branch out into teacher training, first as the Senior Teacher at my school and then for OUP.

That CELTA Life

Q: How did you break into the rockstar world of CELTA?

I was very fortunate to work for a school in Istanbul that had a CELTA department so after completing my DELTA, I trained up to be a tutor. They paid for me to do the DELTA and then trained me up to be a CELTA tutor.

Q: What does an average day in the CELTA department look like for you?

I am an assistant course tutor, which means I give input sessions, observe teaching practice and provide feedback to CELTA trainees.

Q: What’s the skill most CELTA trainees need to work on?

I would have to say that trainees tend to struggle most with language analysis.

Personal Colour

Q: What is the one grammar mistake that makes your blood boil?

Grammar mistakes are just teaching/learning moments!

Q: What is your favourite English word? (Bonus points if it’s rutabaga)

While I do love a good Rutabaga, I would have to say ‘shenanigans’

Q: What is one grammar mistake you can’t stop making?

There’s many mistakes I make in grammar…

Q: What is your favourite thing about teaching CELTA?

Guiding my trainees to reach their highest potential!

Next Up

Get to know the rest of the CELTA team at ILSC-Montreal in interviews with Christopher Cooke and James Meanwell.

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.

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.

CELTA at ILSC: Meet the Trainers (Part 2)

Quality training begins with quality trainers, and the CELTA program at ILSC offers a crack team to guide trainees through the rigours — and surprising delights — of CELTA.

James Meanwell is a CELTA tutor at ILSC and teaches and evaluates trainees during the intensive 4-week course as well as the online and part-time CELTA programs.

Get to know… James Meanwell

James Meanwell of ILSC-Montréal’s CELTA team.

Q: How/Why did you get into ESL teaching?

Accidentally, kind of. I had a friend teaching in Korea who recommended it and I’ve been doing it since!

I started off teaching in South Korea for two and a half years teaching young learners. Since coming back to Canada I’ve been teaching adults in general English, exam preparation, and doing a lot of CELTA training.

That CELTA Life

Q: How did you break into the rockstar world of CELTA?

LOL at rockstar! Right place, right time for me. There was an opening at my previous workplace in Toronto and they paid for me to do the DELTA and then trained me up to be a CELTA tutor.

Q: What does an average day in the CELTA department look like for you?

On course, the days are quite similar: input sessions, lesson planning, marking assignments, and observing teaching practice. Working with such great people makes it easy to come in.

Q: What’s the skill most CELTA trainees need to work on?

Language analysis and clarification FOR SURE. When I first started teaching my technical knowledge of the language was verb = action word, noun = person, place, or thing. Ironically, most of the progress for many will come AFTER the course when grads get hired and have to teach a range of grammatical points at different levels.

Personal Colour

Q: What is the one grammar mistake that makes your blood boil?

I’m learning to let go! Language evolves and I enjoy the idiosyncrasies of individual language use. Intelligibility is the ultimate goal.

Q: What is your favourite English word? (Bonus points if it’s rutabaga)

How could you choose just one? Conceptually, probably ‘neuroplasticity’.

Q: What is one grammar mistake you can’t stop making?

Does mumbling count?

Q: What is your favourite thing about teaching CELTA?

Selfishly, probably the small moments of levity on each course. I love stories of triumph and seeing people take risks in order to push their boundaries. The laughs—I can still remember moments with groups from years ago having too much fun.

Next Up

Get to know the rest of the CELTA team at ILSC-Montreal in interviews with Christopher Cooke and Breana Sproul.

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.

CELTA at ILSC: Meet the Trainers (Part 1)

Quality training begins with quality trainers, and the CELTA program at ILSC offers a crack team to guide trainees through the rigours — and surprising delights — of CELTA.

Christopher Cooke is the lead coordinator for CELTA at ILSC, manages the intensive 4-week course and oversees the online and part-time CELTA programs.

Get to know… Christopher Cooke

The fearless leader of ILSC’s CELTA program

Q: How/Why did you get into ESL teaching?

For very practical reasons; I thought it would enable me to work and live in Italy – which is exactly what happened.

I had never taught before taking the CELTA. After completing the program, I taught general English to adults and younger learners in Italy. I also taught one-to-one and worked part-time teaching legal English at a university in Rome.

That CELTA Life

Q: How did you break into the rockstar world of CELTA?

A few years post-CELTA I decided that I wanted to further develop as a teacher, so I took the DELTA program. I worked in a school that offered the CELTA and I aspired to become a CELTA trainer and to add variety to my working schedule. Initially, I taught both general English and the CELTA which was a great balance. As a trainer, it’s good to be reminded of the reality and the challenges of the classroom.

Q: What does an average day in the CELTA department look like for you?

I am the Director of CELTA training for North America, so my role involves marketing our four-week and part-time CELTA programs in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, as well as our online program.

Q: What’s the skill most CELTA trainees need to work on?

Every trainee is unique, but I think most CELTA grads find that language awareness, i.e. researching grammar and vocabulary, is a skill that continues to evolve as they start teaching their own students. Having a good grammar reference book and putting in the time certainly pays off.

Personal Colour

Q: What is the one grammar mistake that makes your blood boil?

“If I would of known, I wouldn’t of said anything,” closely followed by, “There are less people than last time.”

Q: What is your favourite English word? (Bonus points if it’s rutabaga)

‘Munted’ as in, “My car’s totally munted. I had to take the bus.” New Zealand-speak for ‘broken.’

Q: What is one grammar mistake you can’t stop making?

I don’t make none.

Q: What is your favourite thing about teaching CELTA?

Introducing others to a profession that I have found so rewarding and that has allowed me to travel and meet people of such varied backgrounds.

Next Up

Get to know the rest of the CELTA team at ILSC-Montreal in interviews with James Meanwell and Breana Sproul.

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.

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.

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.

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.