I’ve really enjoyed this first week, the course really meets my expectations and I think it will only be better! Not only the experience about the language and teaching but also the learning of dealing with this new way of teaching online, that will be used more and more in the future, I guess. It’s like attending a two-course-in-one course!
CELTA has been an incredibly rewarding experience on so many levels and I was personally astonished by the quality of the training and all the service you provided as an institute. The incredible tutors (you were right, they are great), the material and your assistance have made the experience very worthy. I will take the liberty to sound prosaic but I would say this training is worth every penny 🙂
The IH Milan CELTA course is offered in various formats to cater to as many individual requirements as possible. All courses consist of both tutor-led seminars and teaching practice. In the seminars you will learn about different teaching techniques and aspects of the English language. During teaching practice you will have the opportunity to put theory into practice as you teach real students followed by feedback from your tutors and peers. On all courses you will be expected to spend time outside the course hours on preparation, assignment writing and revision.
The fully online course is exactly the same set up as the face-to-face one, but in a virtual environment. The course is fully online in real time. Interaction between trainees and with tutors contributes greatly to the course and for this reason the sessions are not recorded and attendance is mandatory. This is different than Blended versions of the CELTA in which much of the input is done alone through distance learning.
Our 4 day a week (over 6 weeks) full time 100% online CELTA course gives you more time to manage the workload: you will have one extra day each week for lesson planning and writing assignments!
Semi-Intensive
How long were you an EFL teacher, and how long have you been a teacher trainer?
I have been an EFL teacher for 28 years and still teach. I have been a teacher trainer since 2006.
Did you have a different career before EFL?
Before my career in EFL, I was a French and PE teacher in secondary schools.
What are your hopes/aspirations for your trainees?
My aspiration is to bring out the very best in each and every one of my trainees.
When you were an EFL teacher what did you like most, and how do you bring that into the classroom for your trainees?
I love seeing my learners make progress and enjoy learning English. I am passionate about my job and try to transmit this on CELTA courses.
What advice would you give your trainees for successfully completing the course?
I would advise trainees to come prepared to work hard, to be as organised as possible, to be open to constructive criticism and to always ask if something is not clear.
What advice would you give your trainees for an interesting and rewarding career?
Teaching is learning. It’s important to be willing to keep on developing as a teacher to meet learners’ needs and feel rewarded.
How long were you an EFL teacher, and how long have you been a teacher trainer?
I was an EFL teacher for about 8 years before I moved into teacher training and academic management. I first started teacher training in London more than 20 years ago! For the last 10 years I have been based in IH Milan.
Did you have a different career before EFL?
I was a primary school teacher in the UK for some years. I tried EFL teaching one summer and that was it – I stayed! I really wouldn’t do anything else with my day!
What are your hopes/aspirations for your trainees?
Training to be a teacher is a journey. It’s a challenging journey but I hope that along the way my trainees discover the joys of teaching. I hope they will see that good teachers make a real difference to students’ lives. And finally, I hope that my trainees learn more about themselves – that they discover new skills and talents they had no idea they had.
When you were an EFL teacher what did you like most, and how do you bring that into the classroom for your trainees?
As an EFL teacher I enjoyed seeing my students develop their ability to communicate more effectively in English. For many students this was exciting and empowering. When I am working with trainees I encourage them to teach in a student-centred way. This encourages students to use their English communicatively in the classroom. It-s motivating for the students. It’s motivating and rewarding for the trainees.
What advice would you give your trainees for successfully completing the course?
Be very well-organised right from the start. Do as much reading as you can before the course and during. Listen very carefully to your tutors. If you don’t understand something ask! Be open. Share. Support your colleagues. Stay positive and have fun!
What advice would you give your trainees for an interesting and rewarding career?
My advice is simple – be open to new ideas, learn from others, be inquisitive, be creative, be collaborative. Follow your interests and develop these. Above all enjoy your teaching and BE YOU!
How long were you an EFL teacher, and how long have you been a teacher trainer?
I started my ELT career in 2007. I worked briefly in Turkey before moving to Italy. I then worked for IH Milan as teacher before moving on to teacher training and academic management. I started tutoring on the IHCYLT in 2012 and then became a tutor on the IHVYL. Most recently I have also become a CELTA trainer.
Did you have a different career before EFL?
I always thought I wanted to be a teacher. I got a place to do a PGCE for upper primary after graduating from university but then I decided against it. I ended up working in the sales department for a publishing company for 6 years. I loved working with clients and relationship building but I didn’t love sales!
What are your hopes/aspirations for your trainees?
Watching trainees confidence grow as they progress in a course is hugely rewarding for a trainer.There’s a lot of great input in all our training courses but I think one of the most valuable lessons to learn is that if you can develop your own self reflection and self evaluation skills you will continue to progress and learn outside of the course and be the best teacher you can be.
When you were an EFL teacher what did you like most, and how do you bring that into the classroom for your trainees?
I think it’s important as a language learner to be made aware of your own progress, to have plenty of opportunity to practise in a safe environment, to be appropriately guided and supported by your teacher and to have fun whilst learning! With those things in place, you can see real progress and that is so rewarding. These factors are equally important for trainees.
What advice would you give your trainees for successfully completing the course (answer for YL courses)?
Firstly, be prepared and organised and make sure you have sufficient time to study and plan outside of the sessions. Secondly, remember that you can learn from everyone, not just your tutors. Listen to to your colleagues and their feedback. Listen to feedback for others. Think about how you can put those ideas in action in subsequent lessons. Observe each other and think about what works, what doesn’t and why – and ask questions!
What advice would you give your trainees for an interesting and rewarding career?
Never stop learning! If you’re continually inspired and rewarded by the work that you do this will filter down to your students. Happy students, happy teacher!
Did you know that in 1962 International House created the course that became the CELTA?
The CELTA as it is known today was born from an initial teacher training course called the IH Certificate. The founders of the IH World Organisation, John and Brita Haycraft, believed that quality language teaching came from quality teacher training and launched the IH Certificate in 1962. This course was the first to utilize the now hallmark methods of tutor and peer observed teaching followed by feedback. It rapidly set the standard for teacher qualifications in TEFL, with thousands of teachers worldwide becoming IH-trainees and teachers. In 1978 the IH Certificate was gifted to RSA, the British exam board, and later became the CELTA when it was acquired by Cambridge ESOL. Now over 4,000 teachers take a CELTA with IH every year.
Blended CELTA course (TERZA TAB NASCOSTA)
Course format
This course consists of online activities and face to face sessions at our school in Milan. The face to face sessions might take place one day a week or in a two week slot, when candidates attend sessions every day for a period of 10 days.
Candidates are required to teach a total of 6 hours during the course. This supervised teaching practice requires the candidates’ attendance at the school. It is followed by face-to-face feedback and reflection.
In their own time, candidates can complete the online component of the course, which is accessible at any time.
Assessment
The online part of the course is assessed and externally moderated according to the same criteria as face-to-face courses and leads to exactly the same qualification.
The blended CELTA course is identical to all the other CELTA courses: full time, part time or extensive courses (this includes the price). The only differences are the timetable, course format and delivery.
The online component
The online component consists of online and interactive material based on the course syllabus. Forum and ‘live room’ (virtual real-time classroom) tasks are integrated throughout the course. You work independently or collaboratively with the other trainees on these tasks, with tutor support, evaluation and comment (www.cambridgeenglish.org). There will also be online tutorials with the main course tutor.
Note that, to take the online CELTA course, you do not need advanced computer skills: the ability to use email and the internet and have basic typing skills is all that is required.
For more information about the Cambridge CELTA Course Online, see Cambridge’s FAQs page.
