English is a West Germanic language that originated in England and is the first language for most people in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the Anglophone Caribbean. It is used extensively as a second language and as an official language throughout the world, especially in many international organizations. Modern English, often described as the first global lingua franca or world language, is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy. While English is not an official language in most countries, it is currently the language most often taught as a second language around the world. It is, by international treaty, the official language for aerial and maritime communications. English is also an official language of the United Nations and many other international organizations, including the International Olympic Committee. A working knowledge of English has become a requirement in a number of fields, occupations and professions such as medicine and, consequently, over a billion people speak English to at least a basic level (see English language learning and teaching). Books, magazines, and newspapers written in English are available in many countries around the world. English is also the most commonly used language in the sciences. In 1997, the Science Citation Index reported that 95 percent of its articles were written in English, even though only half of them came from authors in English-speaking countries. The initial reason for the enormous spread of the English language beyond the bounds of the British Isles, where it was originally a native tongue, was the British Empire; and by the late nineteenth century its reach was truly global. It is the dominant language in the United States, whose growing economic and cultural influence and status as a global superpower since World War II have significantly accelerated adoption of English as "the international language of communication.”
Back to topPlease see the Accommodation Options page for information on accommodation options.
Back to topWhy isn’t CELTA offered online?
Just like it’s impossible to learn how to swim without ever getting in a pool, it’s impossible to learn how to teach without ever getting in a classroom. Any program that purports to be able to do so should be approached with extreme caution. On the CELTA course, you'll teach at least nine separate lessons and to at least two different levels of language learners. Each lesson taught is observed by one of our trainers and feedback on performance given afterwards.
Because of its location, Teaching House attracts numerous ESL students of different nationalities, who fill the classes that you'll teach while on the course. This teaching practice is by far the most beneficial aspect of the course. And it is one of the good reasons for taking a CELTA. And, simply put, there is no online substitute for teaching to real students in a real classroom.
Back to topYes. While some of your peers will have had ESL teaching experience, it is not a requirement at Teaching House (or any other CELTA training center) that trainees have previous experience. Certainly, it can't hurt to have experience; if you don't, however, you can expect an intensive but rewarding head-first dive into teaching English as a second language during the CELTA course.
Back to topThe course tutors do everything they can to ensure that trainees who experience difficulties are offered all the support and guidance possible. Hard work to complete course work and learn concepts, as well as stress and time management, are all vital skills to ensure students' success. If a trainee is in risk of failing the course, we provide early warning and a very clear outline of what the candidate needs to do to improve their teaching and obtain a pass grade.
Back to topGrammar is really the nuts and bolts of English, and so having a good grounding is essential. If a student asks you why one tense is right and another is wrong, you need to be able to explain—and in a way that the student understands. This doesn’t of course mean that you have to know the entire grammar of English before you take the CELTA course. Nor does it mean that we are going to teach you the entire grammar of English during the CELTA course. The idea is that you familiarize yourself with the basics before the CELTA course (we will help you with this), have your awareness further raised on the CELTA course (during input sessions and in teaching practice) and then when you start ESL teaching you will develop an ever-deepening knowledge. Each time you teach a grammar item you will learn about it, so that the next time you teach it, you’ll be more ready. But don’t worry: it’s still normal for even the most experienced ESL teachers to refer to a grammar book to answer certain questions.
Most people who finish the CELTA say that it is the most intensive thing they have ever done. Most also say that they have never learned so much in such a short space of time. It’s a very rigorous program, and being healthy and having a free schedule for the four weeks are vital if you want to get the most from it. You can expect to work very hard during the course. That said, you will leave the course knowing a lot about teaching, and you will be ready to succeed as a teacher. Look upon it as an investment that will pay huge dividends.
Back to topEvery CELTA center around the globe has gone through the same process to become authorized to run Cambridge CELTA courses. Every trainer has gone through an approval process and training with the University of Cambridge. The course syllabus and assessment criteria are the same at every CELTA center, and the amount of work you will have to do is the same. Centers are given some freedom in how the course is organized and how the syllabus is taught; for example, input sessions and the style of training may differ depending on the preferences of the tutors or the center. Some centers are more traditional in their approach, and others are more eclectic, drawing from a wide range of ESL methodology in order to give you a more rounded introduction to teaching. Teaching House adopts the latter approach.
Back to topWhile the majority of classes our graduates teach in the US are to adults, many people who earn their CELTA certification go on to teach some young learner classes. Yes, the “A” stands for adults, but the reality is that there is such a market abroad for children's classes that schools will often get you doing young learner classes (and, in fact, with the CELTA, they will consider you qualified to do so). Many of the skills and techniques you will learn can be adapted for use with children. We also do a session near the end of the course where we look at how to teach children to reflect the fact that many people will be going off around the world to do so. There is such demand for young learner teaching that you may not be able to avoid it in some places in the world!
Back to topESL job-finding assistance is included free of charge for all successful trainees of our courses. We aim to help each trainee find a suitable ESL job in the country of their choosing. This process starts when our trainees complete a résumé and model cover letter during the course. Tutors and trainees then work together to develop the résumé to ensure it is professional looking and provides all the essential information a language school Director of Studies is looking for.
Teaching House also has two unique job assistance tools that are exclusively available to our graduates:
My Teaching House—ESL Job Postings
Because of the professional standing Teaching House and the CELTA course has in New York, Boston, San Diego, Vancouver, Mexico and around the world, schools are keen to employ our graduates. To help with this, schools post ESL jobs onto ‘My Teaching House’— a section of the website available only to Teaching House students and graduates.
My Teaching House —ESL School Database
Locating language schools in a city or country you wish to work in is not always easy. Often ESL schools are solely advertising for students, and as such only use the local language on their websites. Being new to a city also means you may not be clear on how to find ESL schools (on the web, or otherwise). In light of this, Teaching House has compiled the ‘School Database’, a powerful program which categories ESL schools by location. At present, there are over 10,000 ESL schools in the database—so whether you’re planning to work in New York or New Delhi, you’ll have instant access to the contact details of the schools there.
In addition, we also offer advice and suggestions on what to expect when teaching in different parts of the world and cultural considerations. We also run mock interviews on the CELTA course, giving CELTA trainees an opportunity to answer the kinds of questions they’ll be asked in an actual interview. And our work does not just stop when you graduate; access to My Teaching House is available for life and we are more than happy to help you with ESL job-related issues, provide references and give advice beyond the end of the course.
Taking the CELTA at Teaching House is a smart move—The CELTA is widely recognized as the leading TEFL certification by private language schools around the world and is held in very high regard by a number of community college ESL programs. Successful candidates do not usually have difficulty in finding work.
Back to topHere you can join a vibrant community of CELTA trainees, CELTA graduates, and ESL teachers! Share resources and tips, support each other, and look through current job postings.
MyTeachingHouse is a service that is available to all graduates of Teaching House.
Included on MyTeachingHouse is:
* A database of 8,000+ schools from around the world (with contact info)
* Current job postings from TEFL centers & other job search tools
* Discussion boards for graduates and classmates to discuss lesson ideas and job searching
* Course forms and materials.
For Teaching House students and graduates, please log in: My Teaching House
For those of you who cannot log into MyTeachingHouse, we'd like to give you a look at some of its main features.
Just below, you can see the MyTeachingHouse.com Dashboard. This is your unique home page where you have the ability to edit personal information about yourself, including a picture, contact information, location, and occupation (remember: only Teaching House graduates and staff can see this information). There are also a bunch of functional job searching tools, as well as downloadable course materials and a link to the MyTeachingHouse forum.
Here you can see the index page of our school database, organized by region. Next to each sub-region (country, city, or state) you can see a number in parentheses; this refers to the number of schools we have listed for that particular place. When you click on a sub-region, a list will appear with names of schools, their locations, and their contact information. 
Click on the image to enlarge it.
Here is a magnified image of the sub-regions listed under Africa. If you click on the picture, you can see an example of how we organize our listings (the example is that of South Africa).
One of the other useful features of my.TeachingHouse.com is its Forum, where you can find discussions between members of your class, other Teaching House graduates and Teaching House trainers. If you have a question about finding a job in Thailand, or if you want some advice about how to teach the phonemic chart, then this is a good place to start. Post your question (or see if someone else already has) and wait for a response; engage in productive dialogue about teaching methods and practice and help each other find meaningful jobs. Click on the image to enlarge it.
This is a detail of the Forums page from above. Click on the image in order to see the "International Jobs" thread.
There isn’t actually a “CELTA method.” CELTA draws from decades of English language teaching methodology and provides you with a toolbox of valuable ideas and techniques on how to teach. It is not a prescriptive course, and you are encouraged to use the tools presented to develop your own style. The only thing really called for is that the lessons be taught in a student-centered way and with an awareness of student understanding.
Back to topThe CELTA course is awarded by one of the most famous universities in the world, so that’s a good start! TESL or TEFL are terms often used to describe qualifications for English Language teachers. CELTA is the best known and most widely taken initial TESL/TEFL certification of its kind in the world. It’s a standardized program: centers and trainers must all be approved and standards are rigorously checked. Every CELTA course run at every center all over the world must be moderated by an assessor, who comes to check the quality of the course being delivered. The result of this is that when you show an employer you have the CELTA, they will know exactly what you have done in order to get it. Also, many other ESL programs, particularly in the US, tend to still use a more traditional approach to language teaching, so if you are looking into other courses be sure to inquire about this.
Back to topThere are a number of terms, which are used within the industry to refer to English language learning and teaching, and often these terms can be confusing. Below is an overview of the different terms and how they inter-relate.
*TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
*TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
* TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
These three terms are often used interchangeably. TESL is used primarily to refer to English language teaching in English-speaking countries (like the United States). TEFL is primarily used to refer to English language teaching in non-English-speaking countries (for example, in Argentina). TESOL is an umbrella covering both TESL and TEFL.
CELTA (University of Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
TEFL Course (Teach English as a Foreign Language Course)
A ‘TEFL course’ or ‘TEFL Certificate’ is a generic term for teacher training courses for English teachers. CELTA is a type of TEFL course that is administered and awarded by the University of Cambridge, UK. It is the oldest, most widely known and widely accepted TEFL course in the industry. To many, it is the benchmark of TEFL courses.
CELTA graduates are able to work in both TESL and TEFL settings (i.e. within English-speaking countries like American and in non-English-speaking countries like Thailand). However, not all TEFL courses cover teaching in both English-speaking and non-English-speaking settings.
Back to topCELTA is a teaching award run by University of Cambridge ESOL, the division of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate responsible for English Language / Teaching examinations. Teaching House is accredited by the University of Cambridge’s Local Examinations Syndicate to run CELTA courses. With Teaching House you are assured of the reputation of quality of Cambridge University and the CELTA, the most sought after certification by employers.
Back to topThere are language schools that hire teachers whose only qualification is that they speak English. The fact is though, like any job, if you want to do it properly and professionally—in other words, take it seriously—it’s best to get some sort of qualification. With some training under your belt you can enter the ESL profession and teach with integrity and feel like you are giving your (paying) students a better deal for their money. Furthermore, English language teaching rarely pays that well. If you work at a school that employs anyone off the street, you are going to be making a lot less than if you work for a school that demands certification. And the chances are that with certification you will be more respected and better treated too. Furthermore, our own experience tells us that the better you are at something the more you’ll enjoy doing it. Taking a CELTA training course with us ensures that you will be ready and confident to teach, allowing you to do a good job and enjoy the experience!
Back to topWithout an American work visa it will probably be quite difficult to find a position teaching in the US for a non-native, just as it is for an American citizen to obtain a work visa for the same position in the U.K. and Europe. In the States, it's necessary to be sponsored by a company to obtain a work visa before starting work. It's not impossible to find a company that would be willing to sponsor a non-American, but is usually very difficult. On the other hand, with a CELTA, you have a very strong chance of obtaining a work visa and working in many other countries. A few countries which currently have a very high demand for CELTA qualified teachers are South Korea, China, Japan, Saudia Arabia, and Vietnam.
Back to topIt surprises us how many people ask this question, or a question related to it. The definitive answer is no. After all, the CELTA is an initial teacher-training certificate. Also, we should add that, even for peers of yours that do have experience, many aspects of CELTA training (in its methods and practices) will be new to them also.
Back to topESL Classes
There are basically two components of every CELTA course. One component includes sessions where you, the CELTA student, are the pupils of our Teaching House CELTA trainers, who run classes on teaching methodology and practice. In the other component, you become the teacher. In order for you to teach, however, you need students. To fill this need, we recruit students from around New York City, Boston, Miami, Vancouver, and San Diego whose native language is not English; and we offer them free ESL classes. The students you'll be teaching are people who have immigrated here, who are currently living and working here, or who are simply visiting, traveling, and want to get some formal language instruction while they're here. These ESL classes are beneficial for the students and necessary for you. Normally, we get 10-15 'teaching practice' students in each class.
"You threw us into the classroom on day two, and although it seemed terrifying at the moment, it proved to be an extremely beneficial lesson & the start to an amazing period of professional growth." - Courtney, July '08 CELTA graduate
