Is the CELTA worth it? My difficult experience!

[@lale868]

The trainees on the course don't assess each other; they simply comment on the lessons taught. Only your tutor can assess you officially. And what do you mean about treading on eggshells as the only white guy? Very strange comment.

[@bikebasket9594]

Just my experience Laura. Take it or leave it.

[@lale868]

Prove it. Did the other trainees sign your feedback reports or your end of course report?

[@bikebasket9594]

@@lale868 What's your point? As far as I can recollect commenting or criticizing or whatever is one of the criteria. You seem to know A LOT about it Laura. Are you a part of the English universities side business of running tefl courses?

[@stephengeraghty8009]

Well done, dude. I just passed my one two days ago. But how did you imagine you should have gotten a Pass B or Pass A even, when they told you they were worrying about you passing the course at all?

[@bikebasket9594]

Congratulations Stephen. That’s great. Well I’d studied very hard before the course Stephen. Anyway, it’s just a piece of paper.

[@uzivatelskejmenoneni]

Hi there. It's a shame you don't mention what you actually learnt on the course. The way you describe it, the CELTA sounds like a necessary evil - a course you need to do to get a 'paper' to be able to teach. When you say that you 'actually didn't need one', what makes you say so? Did you not learn anything on the course? There's a reason why people need to apply and be interviewed and not everyone is admitted on a course after applying. It sounds like your tutors did not make you aware of the assessment - given the fact that you say you were hoping to get an A or a B and you mention that you almost failed (and had to reapply six months after your first application). If you were to do the course again, is there any information you'd like to get (from the centre, the tutors) before/while the course to help you have a better learning experience?

[@bikebasket9594]

Yeah, well, I might do a follow up video following your suggestion. I actually did learn a lot. :)

[@pmh3147]

Those are some probing reflective questions you're asking Prem :) ... [this ellipsis speaks to those who have different views of the CELTA than what this video suggests or alludes to]

[@bikebasket9594]

Well you don't 'need' a Celta to get an ESL job. Sorry. Didn't read your full statement. I guess I'd like everyone to be more supportive instead of looking for people who 'don't belong.' They seem to be looking for people who shouldn't be a part of 'their ESL world.'

[@spolvau]

Hello, Prem. You see, no one says that CELTA is a necessary evil. However, as for me, it was not worth doing at all. CELTA course gives essential skills for teaching. First of all, before doing CELTA it is preferable to do TKT modules - all of them. Only afterwards it will make sense - more or less - to do CELTA. What I disliked about the course was the hasty manner that the tutors used to teach us and among them - me, but what they were teaching us, was unclear. The methodology to be used strictly? the phrasal vocabulary of teaching methodology? it is not needed in a large class of 20-25 students on a higher education level. I do remember how one of the tutors declared such an amazing grammar lapse that I was startled and tried to ask her a counter-question in an extremely polite manner. She got embarrassed and with rounded eyes and annoyed expression on her face uttered the wisdom of century "not everything that is written in grammar books is correct". She simply did not have a thorough knowledge of that topic. I reckon that majority of CELTA tutors are qualified enough to teach amateur people who jump into the world of teaching from the middle of nowhere. But these tutors just turn out helpless while they are challenged by the teachers having some or even little experience of teaching. Besides, the process of teaching is the whole world of art, performance, blended with improvisation and imagination. So, in my opinion, this course has just expired itself and needs either to be altered considerably or replaced with another more practical, productive and applicable one. At present, it is just useless. A 3week CELTA course, which is called "a quick course" is just complete nonsense. Imagine, an amateur comes, gets a 3-week practice and, what? this person has become a teacher? It will never be the case:) That is called self-deception on the behalf of making money:) - a 3-week course costs 900 pounds as a minimum. P.S. In 2007 when I did my CELTA- which was obviously a wrong step- I had already had an 11-year experience of teaching. I was just interested in what it was like and how qualified tutors, leading the course, were. So, the impression turned out to be disastrous - it was just funny to listen to their speech, which in their opinion was soo qualified, not to talk about the level of their general education:)

[@uzivatelskejmenoneni]

@@bikebasket9594 No, you don't need a Celta as there are other ways to get qualified. And very sadly, you can still get a job in many places even without any qualifications (the right passport is enough). It's sad to read that your Celta experience was not a very pleasant one. Even though the syllabus is given, the course content, delivery and the trainees' experience vary centre to centre (like with any other course). Your last comment about "them looking for people who shouldn't be a part of their ESL world' really makes me think about the tutors/centre where you did the course.

[@ELTExperiences]

The reason why they cannot fail you outright is it has to be assessed and doubled marked - hence the reason why they sent your work to somewhere else. They can urge you to drop off the course and that’s what they were recommending. Perhaps teaching EFL is not for you and just to find a job for overseas is perhaps not the reason to work in EFL. Having a CELTA or an online TEFL course does matter and employers can see the difference between them. I would always recommend the CELTA or the Trinity CertTESOL.

[@bikebasket9594]

Your comment has simply proven a lot of my points. lol. Perhaps teaching English isn't for you mate?

[@bikebasket9594]

Always happy to discuss my views on a livestream ELT Experiences.

[@bikebasket9594]

Please feel free to share your experience with your own Celta or TEFL certificate. :)

[@cissenke8911]

I've shared my experience. Please open my page

[@user-oi9to7ux7k]

The average, new ESL teacher does not need this qualification to work in a kindergarten or training school in Asia. These places have their own materials and class structure that you'll need to follow. A CELTA would be like buying a Ferrari to do your local shopping at Walmart when a Toyota would suffice. I'm sure it's a great qualification, but for anyone looking to work abroad for the first time it's overkill. If you find ESL teaching isn't for you, you've wasted a lot of time and money on an unnecessary qualification. I think this is the point he was making in the video and l agree with him.

[@bikebasket9594]

Hi Matthew, thanks a lot for your comment. What you've said is absolutely correct. I really like your analogy too and I couldn't agree more! :)

[@bikebasket9594]

I think it's really pathetic that all these cry babies have chosen to downvote this video. It's a pretty inspirational story. Homeless to long term employment from ESL. People have the right to downvote of course but it's really pompous of people to claim that the CELTA is the most wonderful useful course for everyone.

[@user-oi9to7ux7k]

It's a horses for courses type thing (pardon the pun -- haha). If you've already got strong ESL experience you probably wouldn't benefit from CELTA. If you have zero experience, you don't need it. If you have some experience and want to teach Academic English, sure, it could be useful and looks good on the resume. In my experience, the average ESL teacher is male and works in Asia. He is looking to travel and see a new country, earn a few bucks, make some new friends, enjoy some beers and meet a few local birds. He doesn't give a stuff about receiving classical training in the advantages of using various grammar tenses or his long-term career ladder aspirations. There's nothing wrong with that. Why don't you make a video about how one's attitude and personality are more important than formal qualifications when talking about the best ESL teachers? And about how you can make some serious coin with a bit of hard work and not acting like a dickhead (that puts you ahead of quite a few people in China). You only need a good attitude and a basic TESOL to get your foot in the door. After that, there is no shortage of jobs available -- in China at least. Gee, it's only English teaching.... Not exactly rocket science. Just as well, since I failed maths at school.

[@OscarHernandez-oz1yo]

A lot of money just to get a pass jjj, after do not to sleep for a month or 2 months!!

[@bikebasket9594]

Yeah, you're exactly right mate. :)