CELTA Advice

[ABBB]

Hi everyone,

I'm starting the CELTA course in around 3 weeks time, so I wanted some advice on some of the main topics to revise before I start the course. I know I need to learn the tense system what else would you recommend I revise.

Also what topics will I be teaching, if you have done the course what did you or your group members teach. If you could also give me a list of things I maybe teaching so I can revise them before I start.

Thank you

[Susan]

Great idea.

For tenses and other grammatical items, English Grammar in Use by Murphy is a good place to start. It's written with students in mind but gives very good coverage of the English language.

If you have never taught before, you could also look into how to present language to students.

Good luck!
Susan

[ABBB]

Thanks for the advice.

I wanted more of a list of topics to cover before I start, if anyone can give me some pointers please.

[Susan]

Hi,

how to present language is a topic, and quite an extensive one, on most TEFL courses.

Susan

[Denglish]

Hi There ABBB

I have just finished the Cert TESOl in Oxford. Get yourself a short teaching practice of 3 minutes ready for your first couple of days of the course. You will probably have to give an ice breaker to show you can stand up in front of the class without falling to pieces. I probably won't have to be English grammar related. There are so many things to learn as far as grammar is concerned. Also look at englishgrammarsecrets.com. The website has some good basics to get your grey matter working. Prepare to make your own learning material for your lessons. Get some good scissors, pens, pencils and craft paper and a cutting board and slide cutter attachment. These cost about £5.00 in the UK (The Works) or the equivalent where you come from. Start preping stuff now. If, like me, you are doing a 4 week intensive course, it will save you so much time. You will have to do a learner profile of a foreign student. Get hold of a copy of "Learner English" by Michael Swan. It covers most language issues of the majority of those nationals that may be in your parameter of use. This will also help if you have to, like me, learn a foreign language for a few periods. Also get hold of "Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan and "Learning Teaching" by Jim Scrivener. Get hold of a free copy of Pho TransEdit. It is a phonemic translator. I did all my own donkey work before I found this program. Do not use it for everything though. You need to understand the phonemic chart and IPA in general. This is only good for the likes of your Learner Profile Assignment. Get a good skype headset and get to know a few teachers who may be able to give you real time advice if you get stuck. But Please! Please! do your own work and do not plagiarise. You will learn better by doing all your own work. take and use advice, dont let it run your course. . Get some decent board markers. Get some old magazines and newspapers. You will definitely need a laptop or desktop and CDs to burn and a data stick. (Top tip. If you are using Interactive white boards at your location of study, find out what windows and office they work on. Mine was newer and I had to doctor all my prepared lessons, losing effect through the age of the programmes the school used). Due to my background I had the logistic support to have my printer with me as well and was able to do all my own lesson plans, work and assignments without using the schools' systems, or half my stuff going missing from the printer, or it forever running out of toner or paper in the middle of a print. There is however one thing that will make or break your time on your course. It is a sense of humour. If you do not have one, get one. If you have one, use it and instill it into your teaching. Boring lessons are a nightmare. A happy student is an alert student. As it happens I have been a militaty instructor for over 25 years and so teaching came easy. My grammar let me down so check out the books, check out the sites. Pick a topic and learn till it sits and then pick another. That way you will save time and effort, and have a bit more free time. I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy the experience. I did. A lot of the things I have explained were never explained to me beforehand and I think this should be given out as a pre course package. If you need any more advice please PM me and I will be glad to help.

[ABBB]

Thank you everyone who has commented especially Denglish for your detailed response I am grateful for your advice. You have given me some excellent information that I didn't know and I will defiantly take it on board. I hope you did well in your course.

[hkenglishtutor]

My advice is: Don't give up!

The courses can be very demanding and tiring. Since you are dealing with people a lot of emotions are involved. Trainers can sometimes be very direct in their comments so be prepared to feel a little upset now and then. Think of "The Apprentice" in a classroom setting.

The best reward is seeing the smiles on the faces of your students when your lesson works!

Good luck - and if you are ever in Hong Kong look us up - we always need native English teachers :)

Ian

http://www.hkenglishtutors.com