The awesome thing about teaching is that it’s also a form of learning. For Priya A., a CELTA-certified English instructor, this can’t be any more true. She shares her story on how CELTA changed her life as she continuously seeks for personal and professional development.
You may be asking yourself: Is CELTA right for me? Been there, done that. I am a US citizen and a retiree who had worked in the public sector in the United States for 28 years. During my career as a government officer, I had always enjoyed interacting with people and helping them. When I moved to Dubai to join my husband who is currently employed in the UAE, I realized how much people struggled to speak English here, and how important spoken and written English is to further one’s career, a language that was taken for granted in the United States.
Hence, I decided to retire from my job in the United States and thought of becoming an English instructor in Dubai. However, since I had no prior teaching experience, I decided to get formal training. While researching for a course, I found CELTA being offered at Eton Institute and was very impressed by its contents. Being authorized by Cambridge University is one of the conspicuously attractive reasons that encouraged me to take the CELTA course. Practically speaking, whenever I read the requirements of teaching job vacancies in prestigious institutes and universities in the Middle East or schools in the Far East, the CELTA certificate pops up as the unquestionable requirement regardless of the teacher’s professional experience or creative faculties.
CELTA was my entry pathway into the profession of teaching English to speakers of other languages. Knowing that it is now a renowned initial English language teaching qualification accredited in over 50 countries, I haven’t thought twice about it. The certification is great for recent graduates, people who are changing career, or teachers who want to gain a formal qualification and may want to progress to qualifications such as Delta (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
Why CELTA?
I chose CELTA because it is the most prestigious and well-known qualification for people starting out in the language teaching profession. It is aimed at people like me who have little or no experience teaching English as a Foreign Language. The course is moderated by the University of Cambridge (English Language Assessment) and therefore, the quality of the course is excellent and it provides every student in the class an opportunity to practice teaching students.
CELTA, unlike other courses, is affordable. Its short duration is perfect for working individuals who must take time off from their regular jobs to take the course. The most important thing about the course is that it provides the teacher with the practical experience and knowledge needed to develop his/her own skills, new techniques to improve the general knowledge of English grammar and plan creative and engaging lesson plans.
Is CELTA for certified teachers?
Absolutely! Experience is invaluable, as it is in any profession, but you need to be equipped with knowledge of teaching practice. No matter how experienced you are, if you haven’t taken training courses in your profession, there will always be some holes in your practice. I had a colleague who just recently took her CELTA course, and even after 10 years of teaching, she found that the CELTA course opened her eyes to how language classes are ought to be taught. Despite her experience, she still had much to gain from doing a formal training course like CELTA.
What’s next after CELTA?
Taking CELTA at Eton Institute where students are from various countries and backgrounds has prepared me for the cultural differences that may surprise you in the classroom. CELTA has equipped me with all kinds of classroom skills that I continue to use to this day. I have used basic CELTA techniques like asking concept-checking questions, reducing TTT (teacher-talking time), using effective body language, speaking slowly and more. The teaching component of the course where real students were brought into the classroom for lessons had taught me how to deliver lessons confidently and effectively.
Life after CELTA for me has been amazingly rewarding and extremely satisfying. As soon as I received my certification after four weeks of intense training, I couldn’t wait to start. CELTA has allowed me to pursue my dream of teaching English, the language that I know will help students to communicate effectively or to better their career.
If you haven’t taught before but you are dreaming of becoming a teacher or you want to refresh your teaching methods, or you’re looking for a job where you can travel, see places, meet new people, learn various cultures… take CELTA! It will change your life – I can prove it because it has changed mine.
Embark on a life-changing journey; professionally and personally with our CELTA course. Enquire now.
About the Author: Priya A. is a freelance teacher whose passion is teaching. She enjoys interacting with her students and helping them gain the confidence to learn a second language. She is an ardent traveller and, in her spare time, she teaches Zumba as a licensed Instructor to promote fitness.