Course content and assessment

The course consists of 4 main elements:

• Input sessions - These are led by a trainer but are usually collaborative workshops rather than lectures. There are six main units of learning:
  • Language awareness
  • The learner, the teacher and the teaching/learning context
  • Planning for effective teaching of adult learners of English
  • Classroom management and teaching skills for teaching English to adults
  • Resources and materials for teaching English to adults
  • Professional development for teachers of English to adults
  
  
• Teaching Practice - You will teach for a total of six hours, working with classes at two levels of ability. You start off teaching for short periods of, for example, thirty minutes and gradually build up to longer lessons of sixty minutes.


• Written Assignments. You will be expected to complete four written assignments of between 750 and 1000 words on the following topics:
  • adult learners and their learning context
  • language systems (eg grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation)
  • language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
  • reflections on teaching


• Observation of experienced teachers - This is a requirement of the course and a very useful part of the training process. Fortunately, at Cambridge School, we have an impressive team of very experienced teachers who are happy to let you watch their classes.

A typical day on the CELTA course

Time
09.30 - 10.30	Input
10.30 - 11.00	Break
11.00 - 12.00	Input
12.00 - 13.00	Assisted lesson preparation
13.00 - 14.00	Lunch
14.00 - 16.15	Teaching Practice
16.15 - 16.30	Break
16.30 - 17.15	Teaching practice feedback

Note that some days trainees need to stay a bit later in order to observe experienced teachers.

The course takes place from Monday to Friday but depending on certain factors such as the number of trainees in each tutor group, whether or not a public holiday falls during the course etc, we are sometimes able to have Friday afternoons free.

Assessment and grading

There are no written examinations. CELTA course grades are based on continual assessment. You will receive marks for various components of the course throughout its duration. There are two official tutorials during the course in which your tutors will let you know how you are doing and will advise you which areas you need to work on. They will also give you regular feedback on a daily basis and will try to help you as much as they can. We want you to pass the course and to pass with a good grade.

An external assessor, appointed by Cambridge ESOL moderates each course to check that the grades awarded are in line with the standards laid down by the University of Cambridge (ESOL Examinations). There are two components of assessment:

• Teaching Practice - Assessment is based on your overall performance at the end of the six hours.
• Written Assignments

To be awarded the Certificate, you must pass both components. There are three grades - Pass, Pass 'B' and Pass 'A'. Usually, about 75% of trainees get a 'pass', while about 22% can expect to get a 'pass B' and about 3% a 'pass A'.

Certificate and progress reports

Trainees who pass the course will be awarded the Cambridge University (ESOL Examinations) 'Certificate in English Language Teaching'. They will also receive a report on their progress on the course, which they can show to prospective employers. This report details your strengths as a trainee and also mentions one or two areas that you need to focus on in the future.