Celta Course

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I'm planning on doing a CELTA course in Bangers at the end of the year - I'm thinking of doing it with Elite, does anyone know anything about this school?

Or is there anywhere better to do it - I'm not really interested in TEFL or TESOL

[mbkudu]

I'm planning on doing a CELTA course in Bangers at the end of the year - I'm thinking of doing it with Elite, does anyone know anything about this school?

Or is there anywhere better to do it - I'm not really interested in TEFL or TESOL

I'm starting a CELTA course at ECC this July. I am under the impression that the only school that has the lock on the CELTA is ECC. Maybe somebody else is doing it now. ECC has been doing it for a long time so you might consider it. I have chosen the CELTA because I will most likely teach somewhere other than Thailand, but I'm doing it in Thailand because it's affordable and I know the city well.

I just googled Elite, Celta, Bangkok and it is indeed offered. I had no idea. I guess it's as good as any.

Edited May 30, 2005 by mbkudu

[PeaceBlondie]

Isn't CELTA a course in TEFL, only for teaching EFL to adults only, anywhere in the world? You need to be more specific when you say you're 'not interested in TEFL..." because that includes CELTA, does it not?

Will you then take ECC's extra course that covers children and adolescents, for an extra week and many more baht?

Do you already have at least a BA and plan to teach for many years in countries outside of Thailand? Then the CELTA may be worth the extra money. Otherwise, no. IMNSHO.

[kenkannif]

Elite and ECC both run the CELTA. ECC have been doing it for longer. Elite used to (maybe still do) have problems filling their classes and courses often did not run.

Personally, if you wish to attend a CELTA course (although PB's post is informative), I'd go for ECC (and the DoS there is a safe chap!).

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Isn't CELTA a course in TEFL, only for teaching EFL to adults only, anywhere in the world?  You need to be more specific when you say you're 'not interested in TEFL..." because that includes CELTA, does it not?

Will you then take ECC's extra course that covers children and adolescents, for an extra week and many more baht?

Do you already have at least a BA and plan to teach for many years in countries outside of Thailand?  Then the CELTA may be worth the extra money.  Otherwise, no.  IMNSHO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was under the imprssion that TEFL is a different body, that also issues a certificate that is similar to CELTA.

I used to work for AUA and know many people who felt that the CELTA gave them a firm foundation for teaching - BA or not.

Surely getting practical knowledge puts you in better stead than just showing up in a classroom, having got a job purely on having a BA in an unrelated field and having the ability to speak english.

[kenkannif]

A CELTA is a TEFL course mate, just a brand name is all, albeit a 'famous' one.

I think what PB was saying is the general consensus (sp?) seems to be while CELTA is good if you wish to teach worldwide, there are other courses that might stand you in better stead (sp?) for teaching in Thailand and they cover children.

The BA comment was more if you don't have one your chances of finding work in other parts of Asia are slim.

FYI AUA run 'their' own course nowadays

[Ijustwannateach]

Elite has a less than stellar reputation among their employees, but I don't know if that has any direct relationship to the quality of their CELTA. All things being equal I would choose ECC over it.

"Steven"

[PeaceBlondie]

I'm not disagreeing with how my friends have interpreted my remarks.

This sentence confuses me: "Surely getting practical knowledge puts you in better stead than just showing up in a classroom, having got a job purely on having a BA in an unrelated field and having the ability to speak english. "

That's the reason people take TEFL courses such as CELTA, Text'n'Talk, TEFL International, etc.. That's precisely why I took a course. In my not so humble opinion, I think all the top TEFL courses in Thailand, including CELTA, are like Yale-Harvard-Cornell-Brown, or like most of the branches of a university of some state of the USA - some are probably better or worse than another, but they're in the same general category.

But there are purists, especially Brits, who swear by the CELTA and say it's head and shoulders above all the rest.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Thanks for your help - looks like I'll be trying ECC then

[mbkudu]

At the end of July I'll let you know how it went for me.

Edited June 1, 2005 by mbkudu

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I'd really appreciate that - I know one guy who did it - and had the potential to get a good pass, but he was so obnoxious he managed to talk himself down to the basic pass. He's a &lt;deleted&gt; anyway!

[mbkudu]

Hi, everyone. I just finished the CELTA yesterday. I did the one offered at ECC.

I cannot begin to tell you how relieved I am that it's finally over. Not because I didn't like it , but because it is so much work, and so demanding.

By the third day I even stopped reading the newspaper and watching TV due to the work load . Even the diet suffers a bit due to rushing around and preparing for lessons and assignments during the course. When they say that you need to dedicate the the whole month to it, they mean it. The instructors are as sharp as tacks and really stressed giving good feedback where I needed to improve or change. I am an experienced teacher, but have been out of it for the past six years. They really opened my eyes to things that I had been doing that were wrong.

I don't have time to go on here now, but will say that it is well worth the time, effort and money to do the CELTA. It is recognised woldwide as one of the best certificates around. 90% of the practice students are Thai so you will get teaching experience with Thais and also people from other countries like Vietnam, Japan

and Korea.

Anybody here who is interested in anything else, feel free to PM me or post here and I'll help as much as I can.

[camble]

FYI: ECC has recently opened a branch school in Phuket, and are also offering a CELTA class there.

[Judge]

Hi, everyone. I just finished the CELTA yesterday. I did the one offered at ECC.

I cannot begin to tell you how relieved I am that it's finally over. Not because I didn't like it , but because it is so much work, and so demanding.

  

Hardest thing that I've done since Marine Corps boot camp! 

Edited July 30, 2005 by Judge

[Neeranam]

I did the ECC introduction to TESOL course many years ago before they did the CELTA.

It was a waste of time, IMHO.

I did a proper TESOL a few years later abroad. I didn't learn much, but I only did it for the bit of paper. Pissed every night and had a great time.

It is generally accepted around the workd as being equivalent to the CELTA.

I remeber the first course that ECC did, there was one guy who had a heart attack, and another who freaked out on the final day, failing the course.

Don't take it too seriously. This is Thailand afterall

I don't think much of Elite, except the receptionist who has been there for donkeys, man she is something else

Are Steve and Percy still at ECC? They were goood instructors.

[mbkudu]

Are Steve and Percy still at ECC? They were goood instructors.

Steve Lawrence was one of our three tutors. He is the only full time tutor there. The others rotate in and out from other countries. Steve is a great instructor. I learned teaching techniques from him and the others that are so different and inspiring compared to ways I was doing it before.

The TESOL trainees that were using the same copy machine we were looked like they were having a vacation compared to what we were put through. Some of them kept asking us if it was really as hard as they'd heard. It really is like a boot camp as someone above said. The way they regiment the time, assigments and detail to accuracy and completion can be extremely stressful to say the least.

[andyst]

Has anybody heard of TEFL College? I saw their advert on ajarn.com and it's at a really reasonable price compared to some of the others. The other thing they offer is a 60 hour course that they say is good for people who already have some experience. I'll be going to Thailand in November after already spending a year in Korea - I'm pretty certain I'll be able to get a job without a TEFL, but I want it to get a WP (a little extra money for a piece of paper wouldn't go amiss either). I was also looking into the possibility of getting a job as a Math or Science teacher as this is more closely related to my degree - do I need a TEFL to get a WP as a teacheer of one of these subjects?

[mbkudu]

Has anybody heard of TEFL College? I saw their advert on ajarn.com and it's at a really reasonable price compared to some of the others. The other thing they offer is a 60 hour course that they say is good for people who already have some experience. I'll be going to Thailand in November after already spending a year in Korea - I'm pretty certain I'll be able to get a job without a TEFL, but I want it to get a WP (a little extra money for a piece of paper wouldn't go amiss either). I was also looking into the possibility of getting a job as a Math or Science teacher as this is more closely related to my degree - do I need a TEFL to get a WP as a teacheer of one of these subjects?

You don't need a TEFL certificate to get a WP, but you need a degree (more or less) to get a WP. From what I have heard the cheap courses or online courses are a total waste of time.

[kenkannif]

Well in some cases you'll need a TEFL and in most cases you'll need a degree. But it is possible to get a TL and WP with neither or only one of each, but it depends on who, what and where you're teaching. Joyous huh?

A 60 hour course is only a prepatory or introductory course. PM me as I have some quite disturbing info about the TEFL College (I can't link here).