Cambridge CELTA Certificate Course: Melbourne, Australia

Teacher Training in Melbourne, Australia

Natalie (Australia), who completed her CELTA training in Melbourne, Australia, writes:

"Completing a CELTA program was essential in terms of being able to secure employment in the highly competitive Beijing ESL market and provided excellent preparation for teaching. The opportunity to deliver real-life classes is a unique and extremely valuable component of the CELTA course and was key to building confidence in the classroom. While the CELTA program is an intense experience it was thoroughly enjoyable and one I'd recommend to anyone considering teaching English as a second language."

Read more testimonials about CELTA in Melbourne, Australia

CELTA Course History and Aims

In its current form as a 4-week intensive course, the Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults dates back to the 1970’s when it was known as the Royal Society of Arts CTEFLA. In 1988, the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) assumed joint responsibility with the RSA for these training courses.

The Cambridge CELTA Certificate is the most widely recognised pre-service ELT qualification throughout the world.

The CELTA provides training to people with little or no previous experience in teaching English to adults and is therefore very practical in content. The course aims to increase candidates’ language awareness and develop competence in communicative language teaching as well as an understanding of current teaching methodologies.

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CELTA Entry Criteria

Candidates must:

• be at least 20 years of age (applicants over 18 may be interviewed in exceptional cases).
• have a good educational background (preferably of university entrance standard).
• have an excellent command of written and spoken English

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CELTA course content

The course is divided into:

1. Language Analysis

These sessions:

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

2. Methodology

These sessions cover:

• different approaches to language teaching
• techniques for presentation and practice of new language
• classroom management
• lesson-planning
• use of commercially produced and authentic materials
• developing listening, reading and writing skills

3. Teaching Practice

• Each trainee is required to complete a minimum of 6 hours observed teaching practice with classes of adult learners.

4. Observation of experienced Teachers

• This involves observing Language Centre teachers for a total of 8 hours during the course.

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CELTA Course Assessment

Assessment is continuous and is based on:

• performance in Teaching Practice
• an ability to evaluate one’s own lessons
• the quality/punctuality of written assignments
• lesson plans
• participation in all aspects of the course
• attendance, which is expected to be 100%

It is possible to pass the course at three levels: PassA - PassB - Pass
The final grades are awarded by the tutors and ratified by the visiting Cambridge assessor after the course.

Certification

Certificates are awarded by UCLES. In addition, each candidate receives a final report from the Teacher Training Center.

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CELTA Course Length

The full-time CELTA course is 4 weeks long and consists of approximately 120 hours.

Courses run Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5.30pm, plus homework and assignments that you will have to work on after class and over the weekends.

Due to its intensive nature, the course requires a high level of commitment. To help ensure success, candidates should be free of any other work or study commitments for its duration

The part time CELTA course is a 13 / 14 week course. Classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays every week from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, also, you will have classes some Saturdays, not all of them, during the course, from 10am to 2pm. The part time course includes an online component that you will be able to complete from home.

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CELTA Course Dates and Fees

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Pre-CELTA course

If you need to boost your confidence with grammar because you are about to participate in a CELTA course, or even if you are already a teacher and would like to review and expand your knowledge of grammar, these workshops will help clarify and give you a solid language base.

The Pre-CELTA or Grammar courses are offered as 3 Saturdays (mornings 10am – 1pm) block courses three times a year.

Dates 2012

• 29/1/, 4/2, 11/2
• 2/6, 9/6, 16/6
• 1/9, 8/9,15/9

Fees 2012: $330

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CELTA Enrolment Procedure

1. If you believe you cover the minimum requirements to be considered as a candidate for the CELTA course that we offer in Melbourne, email our Programmes Coordinator and ask for the CELTA application package that includes the enrolment form and the pre-interview task.
2. Prospective trainees must complete the pre-interview task, fill in the enrolment form and return them including also an updated copy of their CV to the CELTA Programmes Coordinator. These documents should be emailed to the Programmes Coordinator as attachments. It is recommended to this well in advance, at least 8 weeks prior the course starting date is advisable; however, last minute applications may be accepted when the availability on the course allows this.
3. Within 5 to 10 days after receiving your application, pre-interview task and CV, someone from the CELTA Department will contact you, at their own discretion, in order to arrange a day and a time to have an interview. For those living outside the Melbourne area, this will be conducted on the telephone and applicants are to meet the cost of this, alternatively, there is also the possibility of using Skype.
4. During the interview, which can take up to 1 hour, the interviewer will assess your awareness of language structure and function as well as general sensitivity to adult language learning issues. Enrolment on the course is subject to successful completion of the interview. All applicants are required to have an interview.
5. After your interview they will decide if they offer you a vacancy on the course or not; if they do it, you will have one week from the moment they offer you the vacancy to pay a deposit in order to secure your vacancy on the course
6. 4 weeks approx. prior the course commencement you will have to pay the balance.

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CELTA Terms and Conditions

1. The Training Center reserves the right to increase course fees or cancel a course at any time.
2. Candidates who have not paid their fees in full by the due date will not be allowed to commence the course.
3. Deposits may be partly refundable if a) a candidate withdraws due to unavoidable circumstances, (b) sufficient notice is given (at least a month before the commencement date of the course) and (c) it is impossible for the candidate to transfer to another course.
4. Final recommended grades are decided by the tutors, validated by the Course Assessor and approved by Cambridge ESOL. Any query should follow the procedure set out in the Candidates Enquiries on Results and Complaints Procedure (given at the start of the course) and must be made within 9 weeks of the issue of final results by Cambridge ESOL.
5. Candidates must inform the tutors in writing before the beginning of the course for which they have enrolled of any pre-existing medical problems (including stress-related conditions) which may have an adverse effect on their performance during the course.
6. The course is demanding and sometimes stressful. Candidates who withdraw after the beginning of the course, giving stress-related conditions as a reason, will not be offered a refund of their course fees.
7. Candidates who withdraw from the course due to sudden illness or unforeseen personal problems may be given the opportunity to re-enrol in a later course, provided there is a vacancy.
8. Candidates are financially responsible for all material borrowed from the centre (e.g. books, CDs, cassette recorders, etc).
9. Candidates are responsible for providing their own stationery and teaching materials (e.g. folders, blu-tak, scissors, etc.)
10. Application forms, course records and portfolios remain the property of Cambridge ESOL. Portfolios will be held for 6 months only, but may be requested during the three month period after this time.

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How to Pay

Payments (deposit & balance) can be made directly to the Melbourne Teacher Training Center via Bank Transfer.

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