CELTA or ?

[bkk_tefl]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and I would really appreciate your help. I have been living and teaching English in Thailand for the past three years. I took a TEFL course when I arrived in Bangkok, and since then, I've been teaching at kinder to grade 8 levels.
I'm interested in teaching students at higher levels (TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC), and I realize I need to upgrade my knowledge of the rules of English, as well as how to effectively teach it.
I don't wish to become a qualified teacher, I just want to tutor/teach foreigners English, in preparation for the aforementioned exams.
I have a technical diploma (5 year diploma), but I don't have an academic degree.
In your opinion, based on my experience and education, will a CELTA help me to get to that next level I'd like to teach?
Thanks for your help.

 

[kikiva]

Hi!
I've done a CELTA course last year and actually I think it doesn't help with learning more about the rules of English or grammar (some aspects are mentioned, but the whole course is not a comprehensive review of teaching grammar...) That you have to do on your own, I'm afraid. Teaching wise: it gives you a framework in structuring lessons, where speaking is central. It's only a month if you do it full time with 4 assignments and I think 8 lessons (sorry, can't remember exactly). The whole course is well structured but it's really intensive! You can't really do anything else in that 1 month... Although I'm not sure it would help you how to teach higher level English (IELTS, etc.) I don't know whether the CELTA courses are exactly the same world-wdse, but I only had the chance to teach a Pre-Int and an Upper-Int class, 4-4- lessons each, which is not a lot + it's not exam prep you teach, just grammar, vocab, writing, listening, reading lessons with loads of speaking in each type.
I'm doing an applied linguistics course, which actually gives more insight into grammar/morphology, etc., nevertheless it's a year part-time and master level, so it's part of a degree, not a stand-alone qualification. If you're really into higher level En. teaching, maybe think about DELTA. With that you could teach non-native college/uni students, but that's super though, as I heard...

I'd be interested to see what others suggest. Good luck!

 

[Tdol]

Which course did you take?

 

[5jj]

The answer really depends on the requirements of the establishments for which you work, so my answer is a little vague.

If your initial course involved 100+ hours of instruction and 6+ hours of observed teaching, and if you have been working for reputable establishments that provide observation of lessons and feedback and in-service training, then a CELTA is probably a waste of money. You would do better to try to persuade the school you work for to allow you to become involved in teaching the classes you wish to teach.

If you seriously wish to progress in the profession, then it is well worth considering working towards a CELTA or Trinity DipTESOL, or, especially if you want to work in higher education one day, an MA in TEFL/Applied Linguistics.

On a personal, possibly sour note. I note that you do not wish to become a qualified teacher. Don't you think that it behoves somebody who wishes to teach to go through some form of training that leads to some recognised form of qualification?

 

[Psiconaut]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and I would really appreciate your help. I have been living and teaching English in Thailand for the past three years. I took a TEFL course when I arrived in Bangkok, and since then, I've been teaching at kinder to grade 8 levels.
I'm interested in teaching students at higher levels (TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC), and I realize I need to upgrade my knowledge of the rules of English, as well as how to effectively teach it.
I don't wish to become a qualified teacher, I just want to tutor/teach foreigners English, in preparation for the aforementioned exams.
I have a technical diploma (5 year diploma), but I don't have an academic degree.
In your opinion, based on my experience and education, will a CELTA help me to get to that next level I'd like to teach?
Thanks for your help.

I'm exactly in the same case as you. I'm an English foreign language teacher in Spain and I would like to go to UK and teach. And I'm not really sure if taking this would be helpful or not.

 

[Tdol]

Teach ESL or teach in schools?