Cambridge/Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate - CELTA (formerly the CTEFLA), is run in over 120 centres world-wide and is widely regarded as one of the most important forms of training in TEFL. It is recognised internationally.
The course is intended for those without experience who wish to enter the profession and for teachers with experience, but no formal qualification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Entry requirements and applications
Candidates must be:
•over 20 years old.
•have a standard of education which would allow entry to higher education.
•have a very high standard of written and spoken English, that enables you to follow the course. This means native English speaker level or IELTS band 8.5 and above.
In addition, all applicants must complete a pre-interview task and must attend an interview. The admission procedure is designed to safeguard applicants' interests. The application challenges you and shows you the areas you'll be involved in, during the course, and also helps the centre to accept only those that we think can successfully complete the course. If you wish to apply for a course, complete the application form and send it with your pre-interview task to the Teaching Centre. If shortlisted, you will be invited for an interview when the final selection decision will be made.
Places are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Those who submit their applications early and reserve a place will beoffered places first. Applications are accepted at any time and will be processed when you apply, regardless of when the course dates are. However, applications cannot be ccepted any later than 1 month before the course starts.
The course is very intensive and concentrates on the practical rather than the theoretical with a significant amount of teaching practice. The course is divided into 4 main areas:
•Methodology Input i.e. techniques and strategies for teaching
•Language Awareness i.e. grammar and phonology
•Supervised and observed Teaching Practice teaching English to groups of elementary and intermediate learners.
•Guidelines for further professional development after the course.
Trainees can expect to spend up to 3 hours per evening on lesson preparation, homework and longer written assignments. Observation of experienced teachers is also included in the programme.
This is an intensive programme over 5 weeks. Class size is kept to a maximum of 6 trainees per tutor (12 trainees per course). Currently there are 2 accredited tutors at this centre. Each course is assessed by a representative of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.
The course fee is 160k TK per participant, which includes the Cambridge registration fee. Once you have been offered a place, a TK25,000 deposit is required immediately to secure your place on the course. The balance of the course fee needs to be paid 3 weeks before the start of the course. The fee is payable in taka cash or cheque. Course fees are non-refundable.
What will the course programme cover?
Certificate course programmes are designed by individual centres using the CILTS CELTA specifications for syllabus and assessment.
To meet the course requirements candidates are required to attend the whole course and to:
•practise teaching in a class at two different levels for a total of six hours;
•observe experienced teachers teaching classes for a total of eight hours;
•maintain and submit a portfolio of all course work including all written assignments and materials related to teaching practice.
Specifically, the Certificate course programme is designed to enable candidates to:
•develop an awareness of language and a knowledge of the description of English and apply these in their professional practice;
•develop an initial understanding of the contexts within which adults learn English, their motivations and the roles of the teacher and the learner;
•develop familiarity with the principles and practice of effective teaching to adult learners of English;
•develop basic skills for teaching adults in the language classroom;
•develop familiarity with appropriate resources and materials for use with adult learners of English for teaching, testing and for reference;
•identify opportunities for their own future development as professionals in the field.
1. Language awareness
•Basic concepts and terminology used in ELT for describing form and meaning in language and language use.
•Basic concepts and terminology used for describing language skills and sub-skills.
•Language description and syllabus design for the teaching of general English to adults.
•The practical significance of similarities and differences between languages.
•Reference materials for language awareness.
2. The learner, the teacher and the teaching / learning context
•The adult learner’s educational background and traditions.
•The context for learning and teaching English at adult level.
•Different motivations for learning English as an adult.
•Different learning and teaching styles at adult level.
3. Planning for effective teaching of adult learners of English
•The principles of planning for effective teaching of adult learners of English.
•The practical realities of planning for effective teaching of adult learners of English.
•The selection and evaluation of appropriate materials and resources for specific lessons.
•The selection and evaluation of appropriate exercise types, activity types, and tasks, for specific lessons.
•The evaluation of lesson preparation.
4. Classroom management and teaching skills for teaching English to adults
•The effective organisation of the classroom.
•Classroom presence and control.
•Teacher and learner language.
•The use of teaching materials and resources.
•Practical skills for teaching at a range of levels.
•The monitoring and evaluation of adult learners.
•The evaluation of classroom management and teaching skills.
5. Resources and materials for teaching English to adults
•Commercially produced resources and materials for teaching English to adults.
•Non-published resources and materials for teaching English to adults.
•The selection and evaluation of resources and materials for use in teaching, and testing adult learners of English, and for reference.
•The adaptation of resources and materials for specific groups of adult learners of English.
6. Professional development for teachers of English to adults
•Self assessment: understanding weaknesses and developing strengths.
•Working in context: preparing to become a teacher, colleague and employee.
•Professional development: support systems, publications, and courses for teaching English to adults.
•Each course is assessed by an external assessor, approved and appointed by Cambridge ESOL. The certificate for successful candidates is awarded by Cambridge ESOL .
•There are three components of assessment: candidate’s professional development, assessment of teaching practice and written assignments.
•Assessment is on a continuous and integrated basis. There is no final examination. Continuous here means that assessment takes place throughout each course. Integrated here means that:each assessed component contributes to the overall grade;any one assessed component can cover a number of topics and objectives in the syllabus.
Specific tasks or assignments will not normally be set to focus on this area, but in designing and assessing each of the written assignments and the supervised teaching practice sessions, the related syllabus focus and assessment criteria are included as appropriate.
Assessment of Teaching Practice
In this component candidates are required to practice teach for a total of six hours, working with adult learners at a minimum of two levels in classes of the required size.
By the end of the six hours of assessed teaching practice, successful candidates should also demonstrate successful achievement of all the teaching practice assessment criteria.
This component consists of four written assignments:
One assignment involves work on the language system of English;
One assignment involves reflection on classroom teaching and the identification of action points;
Two assignments explore aspects of the teaching and learning of English at adult level through a focus on:
adult learners and learning contexts;
an analysis of some learning/teaching materials.
The centre is responsible for designing the written assignments, which are not to be less than a total of 3000 words. The assignments are internally assessed and externally moderated.
•The Certificate will be awarded to candidates who meet the course requirements and whose performance meets, or exceeds, the criteria in all three assessment components.
•A Pass is awarded to candidates whose performance overall in the teaching practice and in the written assignments meets the specified criteria.
•A Pass (Grade B) is awarded to candidates whose performance on the written assignments meets the specified criteria and who have demonstrated in their teaching practice a level of achievement significantly higher than that required to meet pass-level criteria in relation to:
classroom teaching skills.
•A Pass (Grade A) is awarded to candidates whose performance on the written assignments meets the specified criteria and who have demonstrated in their teaching practice a level of achievement significantly higher than that required to meet pass-level criteria in relation to:
planning for effective teaching;
classroom teaching skills;
awareness of teaching and learning processes.
An individual report, which includes details of the candidate’s performance and achievement, is produced for each candidate by the centre.
Great importance is attached to quality control and this is assured in a number of ways:
All centres are approved by Cambridge ESOL .
Every course is moderated by an external assessor.
Every centre is allocated a Joint Chief Assessor who monitors standards at the centre.
Standardisation meetings for centres, assessors and Joint Chief Assessors are held annually.
The CILTS Candidate Charter enables candidates to raise any issue of concern with the centre or with Cambridge ESOL via the centre.
A CILTS Equal Opportunities policy is in place.
For more information about the CELTA and other teaching awards, please visit the Cambridge University website at www.cambridgeesol.org/teaching/celta.htm
The course is held at the British Council Teaching Centre in Dhaka.
Simply download the application forms from this website and return them to the British Council Teaching Centre in Dhanmondi.
For more information, email: learnenglish@bd.britishcouncil.org
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