CELTA Course with Teaching House: Locations Throughout the Globe!

I am a lawyer, so teaching English as a second language is a new career path for me. I've been out of school for a long time, too. I was probably the eldest in my class.

I took the CELTA course in 4 weeks, because my personal situation required me to take the condensed course. I wish I had taken it over a longer period to let the sheer volume of the material sink in more. It is VERY condensed, and quite demanding, and valuable.

There are two reasons I think CELTA is the premier ESL training program. First, you teach real students immediately, and second, you get thorough feedback after each & every teaching session. That's extremely important and I think it's unique to CELTA.

The trainers are grammar gurus, too. They KNOW their stuff and can articulate it well, and usually can help you figure things out for yourself (which is what we need to do for our own students, so they "walk the talk").

The only problem I faced (other than the sheer volume of information), is that there was a lot of education "jargon" which was totally new to me. Their methodology seems sound, so I trusted it even though the underlying theories were not always intuitively obvious. Also, there are a ton of different reference materials used in the course. But there's no central index, so you have to spend time looking for things that could be found more quickly with an index.

I graduated in late July, 2018. Within days of posting my ESL resume online, I had employers inquiring. I had to narrow my search down b/c I was actually getting too many inquiries. (This job search was more immediately productive than looking for a job as a lawyer, believe me). The CELTA course is more expensive than other ESL courses but I have a hard time believing the other courses are as thorough.

I signed a contract to work overseas within a month of graduation and am moving to Eastern Europe next week. I chose this particular job because they are modeled after CELTA's program so their content & approach were familiar. Also, the interview on Skype was with staff who were very warm, open and supportive. They were not recruiting so much as looking for a good fit. I didn't want to jump into a classroom without any support for my first teaching job. So that sealed the deal for me.

This career change is doing exactly what I hoped it would do. I have always wanted to live overseas, immerse myself in a new culture, and I've always wanted to teach. I leave for Poland next week, 6 weeks after graduating from CELTA.

Excellent training for anyone that is looking to teach abroad or pursue teaching as a career. When I was looking for a certification course to teach abroad I found a lot of online programs, however, I wanted the most experience for what I was going to pay and finally came across the CELTA program. They give you actual experience teaching in front of a class, lesson planning, and observation feedback from a trainer that helps you every step of the way. If you're someone like me that has little to no experience teaching from your own lesson plans then I would highly recommend this course. Coming away from the course I feel so much more prepared to go out and teach, even beyond ESL. However, some words of warning when they say it is intensive it is definitely intensive. I recommend not working because it will take all of your time and concentration. This is one of the most stressful things I have done and feels similar to being in finals week of college, except for 4 weeks. Be prepared for being pushed and devoting 4 weeks of your life to this course, I really do promise it's worth it.

Having recently graduated from Teaching House's CELTA course in San Francisco, I can say with complete honesty that it was a very rewarding experience. I will always remember the friends I made on the course and the students I had the honor of teaching over the 4 weeks.

The schedule was packed on a day to day basis, filled with lesson planning, teaching, observing peers, receiving/giving feedback on teaching performance and sitting through valuable input sessions from the tutors in the evening on a variety of teaching strategies and topics (including how to find a job after the CELTA).

The course is very challenging. I had to say "no" to friends' requests to go hiking/have lunch on a weekly basis because of lesson planning and projects that we had due every week. Having a part-time job on the course is not feasible and is a recipe for burnout (although, a couple of trainees did work a job about 8-10 hrs a week - but it was much more stressful for them, and it showed.).

The tutors (instructors) gave consistent, constructive feedback on the content, framework and delivery of the classes taught by the trainees and made every effort to support the trainees by answering questions, offering advice and engaging the trainees in conversations about their own experiences teaching abroad.

The classes we taught were multi-cultural and the students were (for the most part) eager to learn and have their English critiqued.

I've come away feeling confident in my abilities to take on a classroom, either in the U.S. or abroad, and put the new skills I acquired on the CELTA course to work. I definitely recommend this course to anyone serious about becoming a teacher, whether as a career or just for a year!

I signed up with Teaching House full of bravado and confidence rooted in a 32 year career in policy analysis that, among other things, demanded precise and fluent oral and written expression in English nearly every day. I was a master of my native language, I told myself, and the Teaching House CELTA course would be like plowing a field of sweet whipped cream. Well, the reality turned out to be quite different. Mastering the use of English, on one hand, and understanding its rules, and being able to convey content and theory in a manner helpful to an English learner are two very different things.

The Teaching House experience was constructively humbling. Weekdays were full of learning the new craft though guided "input" sessions, and afternoons were spent teaching or watching others teach, and then reflecting on strengths and weaknesses of the lessons. Then, planning the nine lessons and preparing the four written assignments pretty much took over my entire life outside of the full day at school. There were moments of defeat, despair, and near-exhaustion, but the competence and encouragement of the teachers and of my fellow student helped me endure and succeed.

I can see now why CELTA is considered the gold standard in ESL training. Teaching House Chicago is a great place to be certified. You will have extremely competent instruction, constructive and incisive feedback on all your efforts, and moral support to sustain you through low moments. You will also develop new friendships that you'' want to sustain. And you will emerge with well honed tools and an eagerness to use them on the road to mastery of a new craft. Take up the challenge!

Besides the cocktail of energy drinks I heavily binged during the last two weeks of this 4-week course, the culture of the class, the amazing students and tutors, and the beautiful classmate teachers I made made it extremely worth the work.

Teaching House, particularly, Oxford House College, is a great place to do your CELTA. I was pretty lucky having only a total of six students (including myself) in my CELTA wave. We got immense attention from the tutors due to the small class size.

If you're from the United States and are considering in doing the CELTA, I highly recommend doing it in the UK. The cost of the course, flight ticket, and housing will add up to the same cost it would take to do only the course in the U.S.

Lizzy and Makkie were my tutors. They are the epitome of Teaching House. The cream of the crop. Count yourself lucky if you get to be beside their wing. With all the expertise they have, they never make students feel like their less than them and fully believe in each student's ability to excel as an educator.

Check them out! You won't regret a single pence.

I recently completed my CELTA training in Chicago with Teaching House, and wow..... I think I'm still recovering! I wanted to find an ESL certification class that was widely recognized and respected and one that would actually prepare me to walk into a classroom and know what to do, instead of a dime-a-dozen certification program that offered none of that. In fact, I recall checking out the reviews on this site when I was researching my options.

The CELTA course is no joke. My fellow trainees and I worked very hard for four weeks, and it was most definitely initiation by fire. In the mornings, we learned theory, strategies, and frameworks from our tutors (who presented the information by using the very frameworks they were teaching us). And in the afternoons, we put these sessions to use by teaching our own lessons to the local ESL students. "Free time" (or time not in class) would be more accurately described as time used to prepare lesson plans and complete written assignments.

I was one of six trainees, and with two tutors between us, this made for a lot of personal attention and guidance. Jennifer and Eric were knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and very dedicated tutors - always available and willing to help when we had questions. It is an incredibly intense course, and you spend a lot of time with the people at your CELTA center. I feel very lucky to have had exceptional tutors, fellow trainees, office staff, and ESL students.

An easy, blow-off class it is not, but while it is very challenging, it is also rewarding (isn't that often the case?). I learned a ton, improved my skills, and although I never shook my nerves before I had to teach a lesson, eventually, I found I was actually enjoying it - which is one of the main points, after all.

I'm so very glad I found this course and decided to take it, a little surprised I somehow managed to get through it, and super excited to go forth and tackle the world - now armed with my CELTA certification! : )

Go for it!

Chris Meoli and Suzanne Schumacher are two of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege of working with. If you're looking for people that are dependable and dedicated than Miami teaching house is where you want to be for your CELTA certification. Chris and Suzanne both give very clear and concise instructions on what it is they'll expect from you. Both teachers enjoy what they do and it shows. I have no complaints and would recommend this course some of my closest friends.

I'm so glad that I enrolled in this program. I've learnt so much, and hope that others can enroll as well so they can experience it too! The support there is phenomenal and you can really tell that they care, and that only helps push you to try harder. The course can be a bit intensive at times, but thanks to the tutors and support you receive from friendly staff and classmates, it's very manageable.

Before joining this program, I had little to no idea about how to teach, but now I can say that I am thoroughly confident in my abilities. Without this CELTA course I would have had little to no idea on what to do in the classroom, but now I believe that I am well equipped for my first teaching job abroad!

I would highly recommend doing your CELTA course at Teaching House London. It was an amazing experience for me and I learned/grew a lot in just 4 weeks. The staff are all very friendly and helpful while also providing you with feedback that really pushes you. The course itself is a lot of work but you teach every other day and it is awesome to have that much physical practice before you set off into the world.

There were 16 people in my class and we all became like family by the end. It was very cool to meet so many people from all over the world and explore London together during the course. We were also a source of support for each other and another wealth of knowledge as some of us were experienced teachers and others were not but had other useful skills to contribute.

If you are considering CELTA as a possible career choice then Teaching House London is exactly where you want to be!

Doing the Celta at Oxford House College in Central London was an incredible experience for me. The convenient location added to the incredible experience. I felt excited to go there everyday. The staff were amazing and supportive, in every way. My teachers were Lizzy and Bobby who were incredible, the other teachers were also fantastic. Sharing advice and offering support. Everyone was supportive in every way.

The course was was a game changer for me, CELTA has improved my teaching in so many ways, the practical hands on experience as well as the direct feedback was like going to the gym everyday. Developing and training muscles I thought I never had. It was an intensive month but i came out feeling like I had achieved something really worthwhile and felt totally empowered by the knowledge and formula I have acquired.

I cannot recommend CELTA @ Oxford House College enough. Life changing experience.

I recently completed the CELTA course. Prior to enrolling in the course I had already taught ESL to adults for several years, as a volunteer co-teaching a three hour class once a week. When I started CELTA training I compared myself to being a self-taught skier. I can ski black-diamond trails, but it isn't pretty. Similarly, while I was an experienced teacher, it became apparent to me as I began the training that I had much to learn that would improve my effectiveness as a teacher. CELTA taught me how to actually be a student-centered teacher and how to plan lessons effectively.

The CELTA trainers were first-rate and the materials were spot on.

PS. Note re Program Length. I took the extensive (part-time) version of the course, which was 9 weeks long. I think it is equivalent to a one-month full time course.

This course is an excellent CELTA course with good teachers. It's a good value if you want to teach abroad and don't have a lot of experience teaching. The trainers will get you ready to teach quality classes and teach you how to properly prepare your lessons. They are tough, but fair, and help you make great strides in your teaching ability. I highly recommend this course!

You should know that the course is challenging and that will you spend most of your time preparing lessons and working on things you did wrong in your previous lessons. However, if you listen to your teachers and try to apply what you learned, you will gain so much from this course. They really know what they are talking about.

I did my CELTA in 2006 and I've been teaching ever since. The course was very intense but the hard work is fine when you can see the improvement and you feel you are getting a lot out of it. The tutors were amazing - very experienced and great examples to us. I particularly enjoyed the learner case study assignment and the unknown language immersion - very thought provoking. I have since done my DELTA at the same place and I would really recommend both courses to anyone thinking about going abroad to teach.

I had a great time during this course, although it was very challenging! To be honest, the teachers were fantastic and the course was very thorough, but my only concern was the constant printer malfunctions in the lobby. Many of us would rely on this printer for lesson plans, language analysis sheets, and other important papers. Many times I barely managed to print in time for a lesson due to the printer randomly going offline or other malfunctions and it was very stressful. Otherwise, everything else in the course was great.

I wish I would have had a strategy to grab this bull by his horn. It would have probably felt less overwhelming if I would've created a study itinerary to balance the amount of time and should spend on TPs and Assignments. And also, to not try to embellish and develop each stage until I had the structure and aims complete clear and written out, and only if I had extra time, try to make in more interesting and fun then.

I really learned many lessons in this class. I went through hell and heaven; moments of enlightenment and moments of darkness. I self-doubted my capabilities to teach, my motivations, my intentions, everything, but at the end I pulled through thanks to the support and the faith my trainers deposited in me. I feel I would've liked to have more TPs to get better and better at this. The awesome thing is that I have a TESOL job now where I'm starting to put all these methods in practice, and I continue to see and enjoy how effective they are.

So, thank you CELTA for being like a "boot camp" to me. I really feel I've grown a lot, and I'm ready to continue growing on this path you've set, and up the standards I've been expected to reach. The bar has been set hight, and I'm ready to keep jumping to grab it by the horns, and maybe just raise it some more for myself. I don't want to ever stop growing as a TESOL ;).