Cambridge CELTA Certificate Course: Dublin, Ireland

Teacher Training in Dublin, Ireland

CELTA Course Introduction and Candidate Profile

The University of Cambridge CELTA Certificate course that we offer in Dublin is the most recognised initial TEFL / TESOL teacher training qualification of its kind in the world.

The Teacher Training Center in Dublin is the only CELTA provider in Ireland that is offering a CELTA Certificate that is also accredited by ACELS (the Irish Department of Education Advisory Council for English Language Schools). This means that successful candidates who hold a degree or HETAC Level 7 equivalent can also receive a National Qualifications Authority of Ireland/Advisory Council for English Language Schools (NQAI/ACELS) certificate. Applicants who hold a degree or HETAC Level 7 award should bring a copy of this with them to the interview.

Each CELTA course offered in Dublin is externally moderated by a University of Cambridge ESOL assessor. This guarantees a constant high standard and consistency of course content, trainers and facilities.

The CELTA course is aimed at a range of candidates including:

• candidates who are entirely new to teaching
• candidates who have taught languages but with little or no previous training
• candidates who have taught other subjects and wish to take up language teaching
• candidates who have received previous training in language teaching but feel the need for a refresher course, for a more practical qualification or for a more internationally recognised qualification

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CELTA Entry Criteria - Dublin

To be accepted for the CELTA course in Dublin, Ireland applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

• No previous teaching experience or training is required, but candidates must: Be 20 years old by the commencement date of the course. (Candidates can be accepted over 18 at the centre's discretion.)
• Candidates should normally have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education, meaning having completed High School at least. However, applicants who do not have formal qualifications may be accepted if the screening tasks suggest that they are likely to complete the course successfully).
• Older candidates who finished studies and schooling some years ago are encouraged to apply as the screening tasks will show their competence and ability to complete the course successfully or not.
• Have an awareness of language and a competence in both written and spoken English which will enable them to undertake the course and prepare for teaching a range of levels
• Please note : Fulfilling entry requirements does not automatically guarantee a place on the CELTA course. Selection of candidates is based on an application task and a pre-course interview. If applicants have been successful, they will receive an offer of a place in the mail.

Notification of acceptance/non-acceptance onto a CELTA course in Dublin

Candidates will either be notified in person at the end of their interview or by email, no later than five working days following their interview, regarding their acceptance onto a CELTA course at the Teacher Training Center in Dublin.

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CELTA Course Core Elements

The CELTA course in Dublin is focused primarily around learning from the practical experience of preparing lessons and teaching them, followed by reflective consideration and evaluation that will inform future lessons. For this reason, the core element of the CELTA is Teaching Practice. The other main elements are:

• seminar input
• observation of experienced teachers and of peers
• assessed assignments

Teaching Practice with language students

Candidates complete six hours of assessed teaching. Depending on course participant numbers, candidates may also have the opportunity to do some unassessed teaching practice.

Lesson observation

Trainees observe a total of six hours of lessons taught by experienced English teachers. One of these lessons is on DVD and the others are live lessons. They will also have the opportunity to observe more lessons on DVD, should they wish to. These lessons will allow trainees to see examples of real classroom practice. For each observation, trainees will complete a specific observation task. Peer observation of fellow trainees is also a key element of the course. When not teaching, trainees observe their colleagues, making detailed notes on the lessons observed and completing specific observation tasks. Candidates on the CELTA course complete up to 30 hours of peer observation.

Assignments

Participants will complete four assignments, which focus on the following:

• Language systems
• Adult learners and learning contexts
• Language skills
• Reflection on classroom teaching

Assignments are internally assessed and externally moderated.

Other tasks (e.g. language tasks, lesson plans, seminar preparation tasks etc) will also be set. These will primarily be for use in seminars or feedback discussions and will not be graded, but all set tasks must be completed by all participants.

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CELTA Assessment and Grading

In order to meet the course requirements and obtain a Cambridge University ESOL CELTA Certificate, candidates must:

• attend a full course
• teach groups of adult learners for a total of six hours – candidates will teach two different levels of learners during the course
• observe experienced teachers teaching groups of adult learners for a total of six hours
• submit four assignments
• maintain and submit a portfolio containing all written assignments and materials related to teaching practice

Assessment is continuous and integrated – there is no examination.

• assessment takes place throughout the course
• both assessed components (lessons and assignments) contribute to the overall grade

University of Cambridge ESOL External Assessor

Towards the end of the course, a University of Cambridge ESOL appointed assessor comes to moderate the administration and assessment of the current CELTA course in Dublin. For both candidates and future employers, this moderation ensures that each CELTA course at the Teacher Training Center in Dublin and around the world is assessed and moderated equally and that there is consistency and transparency in this assessment.

Final Results

Candidates are given a final report at the end of the course, with detailed assessment of teaching skills, language awareness and professionalism, along with a comment by the tutor. Successful candidates receive their CELTA Certificate no later than eight weeks following the end of the course.

Certificates for pass candidates and results letters for fail candidates will be sent from Cambridge ESOL to the Training Center in Dublin within about eight weeks of receipt of the Main Course Tutor and the assessor’s recommended results.

Awarding of the CELTA to a candidate at Pass grade or above asserts that the candidate has undertaken the required course work and that the course assessors consider him or her to have an initial professional foundation with appropriate knowledge and abilities to be able to start working in a language teaching environment and to learn more about teaching while working.

The CELTA is awarded in one of three categories: Pass A, Pass B, Pass

Fail: This is awarded to course participants who fail to demonstrate that they can consistently plan and teach effective lessons, according to the criteria above.

The majority of course participants achieve a pass result, with fewer candidates achieving a Pass B. Pass A. Fail results tend to be rare.

These sessions:

• develop an ability to analyse language in terms of meaning, form, sound and usage
• mainly focus on grammar and pronunciation.

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CELTA Course Dates and Fees 2013, Dublin

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