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The University CELTA Myth

At MTA we get a lot of enquiries about whether it's better to do the CELTA at a university.  The answer to this question is no.  Of course university language centres run good CELTA courses, but not necessarily better then small language schools.  The CELTA certificate is provided by Cambridge University in the UK, and Cambridge is the university mentioned on the certificate you receive when you qualify.  The centre where the CELTA is undertaken is not mentioned on the certificate, so it technically it shouldn't matter where you do the course, as each course is monitored and standardised by Cambridge University.

When choosing a CELTA course I would recommend the following:

  • find a course that is within easy travelling distance from your home 
  • find a course with tutors who have a lot of international experience
  • see how you feel about the tutors and the course during the interview; don't be afraid to ask questions about anything!  Nothing is too silly- we've heard it all!
  • find a course where you know you will get the attention, support and understanding you need

Well, that's my basic checklist.  Obviously we at MTA believe our course to be more competitive than others because we, the directors, are the tutors on the course.  In other words, we really care about the quality of our courses and about your happiness Wink

 

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Michael, ESL teacher, Melbourne.

CELTA will give a great start to a first time teacher or a boost to one with experience already. Your teaching will improve in leaps and bounds and so will your confidence.

Tawfik, Melbourne 2011

As a  non-native English language teacher I decided to take the CELTA course in order to refresh my skills and boost my career.
Niki and Barbara are experts in teaching methodology and language analysis; they helped me in improving my teaching style and adapting new teaching techniques.  At MTA, the CELTA course has been a real eye-opener.

Jairo Gomez, Internet Business Consultant

Thanks to my training with MTA I'm expanding my professional boundaries to English speaking countries and developing my business internationally. Best of all, I had so much fun learning with them that I forgot that I was learning! Now I'm speaking English all the time in a very natural way. My experience as your student was one of the best learning processes in my professional career. Now I'm doing my Masters and I feel completely confident about my communication skills.
Natalie, ESL teacher, Melbourne.

Completing a CELTA program was essential in terms of being able to secure employment in the highly competitive Beijing ESL market and provided excellent preparation for teaching. The opportunity to deliver real-life classes is a unique and extremely valuable component of the course and was key to building confidence in the classroom. While the program is an intense experience it was thoroughly enjoyable and one I'd recommend to anyone considering teaching English as a second language.

Gail Waugh (Secondary School Teacher)

Your grammar course renewed my interest from a more refreshing perspective!

Trainee - March 2011

I recently completed a CELTA course at MTA. Both Barbara and Niki have extensive teaching experience and provide practical insight into the world of ESL - they really prepare you for your teaching career. The course is of a very high standard and the practical teaching component is invaluable!

Alison, ESL teacher, Manchester, U.K.

I did a CELTA with Niki in 2007 and found it to be a really useful course. It was interesting, challenging, and it equipped me with many skills and dynamic classroom ideas which I have found invaluable in my teaching career since then.

Pete, ESL teacher, Melbourne.

With my CELTA qualification, I found it easy to secure ESL work in Chile. The course is very interesting and enjoyable. Niki is a perfect role model for any new teacher. She is extremely inspirational and has filled me with the confidence to teach any student at any level of English. Thank you Niki.

Venetia Tsintos (Grammar Workshop Attendee)

I loved learning about grammar and how it works. The workshop, and in particular Barbara Munro, provided me with "imperative" knowledge that took me to another - higher - step in my learning process. Without a proper grasp of grammar you're like a cannon that doesn't know how to fire: worthless"