Face-to-face & online CELTA
- Information for Trainees
What is CELTA?
The Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) is an initial training course in English
Language teaching. It is one of the range of Cambridge English certificates and diplomas provided for
teachers. It is recognized both in the UK and worldwide.
Who is it for?
The course is suitable for people with little or no experience though would also benefit more
experienced teachers needing a formal qualification. Trainees who successfully complete the course
would be able to seek posts teaching English to non-native speakers within the UK, and abroad.
What are the entry requirements?
Ideally applicants should be aged 20+ though we may take applicants aged between 18 and 20.
Previous teaching experience is not required but may be helpful. Trainees must have a standard of
education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education. Competence in both spoken
and written English is essential, as is good language awareness. A proficient level of fluency and
accuracy is required for non-native speakers.
How is the course delivered?
At CRC we offer a full-time face-to-face course and two styles of part-time course, either face-to-face
or online. The full-time is an extremely intensive 4-week course. The part-time courses run over 15
weeks (though there may be breaks for College holidays) and can take different formats:
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the face-to-face course is either two evenings and a Saturday or three mornings a week,
the online course is partly completed online but you also need to attend College for 2
evenings or 2 mornings per week for 9 of the 15 weeks for teaching practice (TP).
Will I need to study outside the course times?
Yes! Trainees on the face-to-face and online course will need to spend further time during the week
and at weekends on tasks, lesson preparation and completion of assignments, as well as background
reading and research.
How does the online course work?
The online CELTA is based on the part-time model. Some components are done online, working
thorough multimedia materials, doing interactive tasks, discussing topics with other course
participants and your tutor in forums and collaborating with other course participants in a virtual
classroom. The other components (teaching practice, supervised lesson planning and live
observations) will require coming into the College.
What does the syllabus cover?
Overview
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Face-to-face & online CELTA
- Information for Trainees
The face-to-face course involves a minimum of 120 contact hours which includes input of teaching
methodology, language awareness, 6 assessed hours of teaching practice (TP) and feedback, tutorial
time, supervised lessons planning, 6 hours of classroom observation of experienced teachers, and
four written assignments.
There are five units of learning:
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Learners and teachers and the teaching and learning context
Language analysis and awareness
Language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing.
Planning and resources for different teaching contexts
Developing teaching skills and professionalism
On the online course, including TP and online tasks, you will need to dedicate at least 200 hours over
the whole course. Every week you will need to complete 2 or 3 online units. Each unit takes 2 to 3
hours to complete. The orientation unit takes about 6 hours. Some weeks there will also be a
“liveroom” session, an online observation or an assignment to do. During the weeks when we have
TP, you will need to be present at the College for about 4 hours a day, plus time for lesson
preparation. Candidates normally spend at least 5 hours preparing each lesson they teach during TP.
Please note that the online work continues during the TP weeks.
How is the course assessed?
Assessment takes place throughout the course and considers the trainee’s overall performance.
There are two assessed components: being able to demonstrate successful planning and teaching
and completion of four classroom-related written assignments. All trainees have to log TP,
observations and comments from tutors regarding their progress in a booklet called the “CELTA 5”
and they must also compile a portfolio as a record of work. Both the “CELTA 5” and the portfolio are
handed in at the end of the course. In the case of the online course, all documents are completed
over the internet.
All results are approved by Cambridge English with standards monitored by an external assessor. Full
attendance on the course is required.
How many people will there be on the course?
The maximum number of people for a face-to-face course is 18 with one tutor for every six trainees.
For the online course it is 20, but you will be divided into groups of a maximum of 6 for TP.
Teaching practice (TP)
You are required to teach at two levels for a total of 6 hours. The students attending these classes
are volunteer adult learners of English. Trainees are divided into two teaching practice groups of a
maximum of 6 trainees per tutor and will follow a teaching rota. Fellow trainees observe and
contribute to the feedback given at the end of the day’s teaching. Each TP session is observed by a
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Face-to-face & online CELTA
- Information for Trainees
CELTA tutor who gives written and verbal feedback to the trainees. You are given guidance about
what to teach and there is tutor support while you plan and prepare your lessons. Greater
independence is encouraged as the course progresses. A lesson plan must be provided for each
session and the trainee provides the tutor with written comments once the lesson is finished. In
addition to the lesson taught, the plan and the trainee’s own feedback are taken into consideration
when the tutor assesses the lesson.
How is TP organized on an online course?
This is the main part of the course that is not online. All trainees must attend 9 of the 15 weeks on
two evenings or two mornings at the College. In each session, two or three trainees teach one of
their eight lessons, (totaling 6 hours). The trainees who are not teaching have to observe. TP is
followed by a feedback discussion of the lessons observed.
Written Assignments
There are four classroom-related written assignments; one focuses on the learner, one is a language
related task, one concentrates on language skills and lesson planning, and the final one is a reflective
task to identify your strengths and weaknesses, to show what has been learnt from your own
teaching and from the observation of others. Trainees are expected to use written language that is
clear, accurate and appropriate to the task.
Your tutors will give you clear guidance about how to present the tasks and what needs to be
included to pass. You may be asked to resubmit your work if it is not up to standard or does not
cover all the necessary points. You are given deadlines to meet for completion and resubmission.
What support is there?
For the online elements of the course, the online tutor (OCT) will be there to guide you through the
online material and to make sure you are completing the units according to the timetable and
contributing properly to the forums. The OCT will also moderate and contribute to discussions on
the forums.
For all courses, your TP tutor will give you guidance on lesson preparation, observe you teach and
give you feedback on the lessons you teach. The OCT (online only) and TP tutors will work in close
cooperation to ensure a strong link between theory and practice.
How will I communicate with my tutors on the online course?
You will have contact with your OCT through the forum and the Liveroom tasks. However, the Virtual
Learning Environment we will be using offers several means of communicating with your tutor
directly. You will have at least one tutorial with the OCT to discuss your progress. Depending on how
the course is set up this may be face-to-face, by phone or virtually in the Liveroom. You will meet
your TP tutor when you come into the centre for TP.
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Face-to-face & online CELTA
- Information for Trainees
How you can prepare for the course?
You will be given ideas regarding preparation at your interview and when you accept your place. It is
important that you spend time completing the pre-course task and consulting books on the CELTA
reading list prior to the start of the course.
Where does the course take place?
The face-to-face and part of the online course take place at Cambridge Regional College, Kings
Hedges Road, Cambridge, CB4 2QT. Look on the college website (http//www.camre.ac.uk) for maps
and information about our facilities. The rest of the online course takes place in a virtual learning
environment.
What about books and materials?
We will lend you copies of the course books you will be using with your students. We will also give
you a book list recommending core reading and suggesting other titles you will find useful. You will
have access to our CELTA library and other material in our Learning Resource Centre.
How much does the course cost?
The tuition fee for 2014/15 for all our CELTA courses is £1350 and includes Cambridge English
registration fees and materials. Information regarding payment of your deposit to secure a place on
the course, and how and when to pay the balance, will be given when you are offered a place
following your interview.
How do I apply for a place on the course?
Please access the application form online at http://www.camre.ac.uk/international/celtacourses/celta-application-process/ or contact our office using the details below and we will send you
an application form and pre-interview task. All prospective candidates will be offered an interview so
that we can assess your suitability for the course before offering you a place. This will also give you
the opportunity to find out more about the commitment you are taking on.
Where can I get more information about the course?
For further details about our CELTA course at Cambridge Regional College go to
http://www.camre.ac.uk/international/celta-courses/ and/or contact our International Office:
Phone:
+44 (0) 1223 418 231
Email:
cfisher@camre.ac.uk
Further details about CELTA can be found on the Cambridge English website:
http://www.cambridgeEnglish.org/exams/teaching-awards/celts.html
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Face-to-face & online CELTA
- Information for Trainees
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