10
Nov
What is it like to take a CELTA course, and how does it change the way you teach? Alexandra Popescu looks back on her CELTA experience at Shakespeare School and shares what she learned from stepping into the learner’s shoes, receiving feedback and putting new teaching techniques into practice.
Have you ever been curious about what doing a CELTA course would be like? I know I have, and let me tell you that every bit of information I was able to gather before actually enrolling helped me graduate it. So please allow me to share some insights about the worthwhile experience which I was part of: CELTA course at Shakespeare School.
What attracted me most was its reputation as the gold standard of English Language Teaching. I knew that this certificate would allow me to rightfully say that I had been equipped with the appropriate tools to deliver high-quality courses to learners of English. As far as I’m concerned, grammar and vocabulary are not simply elements to be splattered on a board and drilled endlessly. Students should be offered the space and opportunity to discover and practice with them in a manner which permits a natural acquisition of language.
This is just one of the tools that the course equips you with. In addition, the activities dedicated to the instruction of teachers are designed in such a way so that they mirror the very techniques you are encouraged to use. This way, you get a first-hand experience of how the thinking process unfolds within a student’s mind, and as such, gain the understanding of why these techniques matter and how impactful they are.
By far the most useful aspect of the course is the ongoing and comprehensive feedback. On the one hand, offered by the trainers, who are experienced teachers guiding you throughout the course. On the other hand, there is the feedback coming from the other trainees. Moreover, by being immersed yourself in the experience, you are able to self-assess and grow.
This cycle of feedback also allows you to become more empathetic towards how taxing the learning process might be for some students, and feel even more inclined to create a classroom environment in which learners may thrive, regardless of their learning style or pace.
On the whole, CELTA is an impactful and well-rounded experience for a teacher both on professional level, as well as on a personal one. It has given me a comprehensive perspective, which helps me enhance the classroom experience by adjusting and tailoring the activities so that the group I am teaching makes the most of the course. Thus, it is my hope that the words above have motivated you enough to take the leap and enrol in the Shakespeare School CELTA course, so you can become the teacher you’ve always wanted to be.