Our references
Our references : Language teacher training abroad
I found the CELTA course tough but definitely worth it. For a month you get immersed in the English language and develop great and useful skills to teach it. You are teaching from day one, which proves how practical this course is. There is also a very good balance between the input sessions in the morning and the practical ones in the afternoon. Observing other teachers and your peers is a very helpful way to get lots of good ideas that you can try to put into practice straight away. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the course gave me a totally different prospective about teaching English as a foreign language. It is a very student-centred approach to teach and you become very aware of student's needs and classroom dynamics getting away from a more traditional teaching role. Tutors were great and very supportive. They provided a whole range of useful ideas, tools and materials to teach effectively. They gently push you with positive observations and feedback so you achieve your best and improve your teaching skills throughout the course. Due to the intense nature of the course you develop a growing and special relationship with your class mates. You constantly help and support each other creating a great and safe atmosphere, making the stressful moments much more bearable. I am really glad I have done it!
The teachers are great - really motivating and encouraging. They pass on so many tricks and skills and then give us the opportunity to put them into practice. Simple things like how to 'chest' handouts before distributing them, how to move the students around effectively in the classroom and how to give clear instructions – they're all things you remember when you're up in front of a class. I particularly like the way we're encouraged to bring humour into the classroom and to strike up good a good rapport with the students.
I completed my CELTA at IH Newcastle in December 2010 and had a fabulous time at the school. The tutors are extremely helpful and approachable and despite the course being really intense you never feel that you're on your own. The students at the school are great and teaching them provides you with brilliant hands on experience, although it can be rather daunting at first. You teach a class every other day which certainly keeps you out of mischief but after each lesson you are provided with in-depth feedback and ways to improve and hone your skills. During the CELTA I stayed in Charlotte House which I would thoroughly recommend. Staying there enabled me to socialise and meet more of the students when I wasn't too busy writing my assignments and lesson plans. I'm now teaching English in Italy and am amazed at how much I learned by completing the CELTA. If you're interested in teaching English abroad, working hard but having a good time, then this is the course for you.
I have learned so many things. I am sharing my knowledge and experience – all the things I’ve learnt throughout my studies and my career - with others. You can interchange ideas and knowledge with... it’s constant. It’s a very useful experience. I encourage people to apply for these kinds of courses because they are really, really useful... not only to grow as a teacher but to grow as a person. As an individual, you experience a lot of different things. When I come back to my city I will try to share the knowledge acquired because I believe in sharing knowledge. The extra activities that BEET plans are nice: going out, sightseeing during the weekend. They provide a timetable with movies, trips to see live music at the pub and lectures. I would tell potential applicants about the experience of living here, meeting new people... going out! My advice to teachers coming to ITTC would be to be open-minded because you will meet a lot of people from all over the world. Also be ready to give everything a try and be open to anything. This is not just a course to improve your English... you learn a lot about life.
The teachers are very competent and friendly. The most interesting thing I have learnt here is... everything! I want to share the knowledge that I have gained here when I get back home to my city in Brazil. My advice to teachers coming to ITTC is to be open to different cultures and be ready to meet different people and listen to different accents.
I had a very good time doing the CELTA course, though it was very hard work I enjoyed learning the latest methods of teaching English with English people.
I am very grateful to my tutors Dave and Lucy for enlightening me with the latest methods of teaching English to adults. I gained immense knowledge by their teaching. I am highly indebted to them. I also learnt a lot by observing other experienced teachers of BEET like Julie, Annabelle, Martin and Ali.
I will always cherish these sweet memories of BEET people throughout my life!