Tefl vs celta?

[BiscuitLover09876]

Has anyone done either or would recommend one over the other?

I did a Celta (a million years ago) but it certainly got me jobs in 'legit' language schools!

I also did CELTA - a long time ago.
It’s highly regarded all over. A dd did it much later and found work easily in various SE Asian countries and Australia. She did also have a master’s (non language related) though, which I dare say helped.

Do you mean Trinity TESOL or an unaffiliated online "TEFL"?

The Trinity and CELTA are both v good options, but the online random TEFL courses you can do aren't worth paying for.

Celta is best. International House schools are great to start your TEFL journey. Good luck!

Thank you! I'm mostly wanting to work online and with migrants in the UK. Thinking I might go for celta although it will take me longer.

I'm currently halfway through an online CELTA. It's a bloody nightmare, much harder than I thought it would be. We're teaching students online which is much harder than I expected, some are in Myanmar on a mobile phone with dodgy Internet. I get that this method of teaching would be fine once you're qualified but to train in these conditions when you're being assessed is very stressful. I'm really struggling with the technical knowledge of grammar and the pace.

I'm up at 6.00am preping, class 9-5.30 and then a few hours in the evening, 3 days a week. The other 2 days and weekends I'm studying. I'm not alone, this is the same for the other teacher.

If you decide to do it clear your diary for the duration of the course, prepare and freeze meals and study, study, study grammar. I wish I'd waited and done a classroom based course, it's difficult trying to teach material you're not familiar with and manage zoom. It feels a bit like learning to drive in an articulated lorry instead of a small car.

I did a PGCE 2.5 years ago then moved to SE Asia. I also have a 1st class honours degree and I am struggling with the pace. I expected because English is my first language, that would help but the SE Asian student teachers have a better understanding of English grammar, it's just the way they are taught.

Our tutors are in the States and Europe. I can see them becoming fatigued too and they are starting to drop sessions and trying to have them on other days outwith the timetable.

If you decide to do it, don't do it online and don't do the intensive 4 week course. CELTA is the gold standard and the certificate will open doors, I'm still not convinced about the teaching methods.

However everyone who passes rave about it and says do it. Maybe it's a bit like childbirth, you forget how hard it was.

P.S my previous post had paragraphs in it! MN removed them!

DO NOT do a random tefl you've found on the Internet. As someone who had been teaching for eleventy billion years and is involved in teacher training and recruiting I would only advise the Cambridge CELTA or the Trinity TESOL (I did the Trinity way back in the day).
Both are of equal standing though CELTA is more popular, both level 5 courses on the UK qualification framework and both very hard work.

There are lots of providers out there so choose carefully. Go onto the Cambridge ESOL website to find those for the CELTA. Decide if you want the online, blended or face to face course and whether you want full time or part time. I do know that the British Council Cairo course comes highly recommended (I'm not affiliated to it in anyway) and has excellent trainers.

One thing to mention, don't expect to have a life while you do it, you'll have lesons to plan, essays to write, reading to do, teaching, observations, input sessions, feedback etc.

Saying that, doing my initial training was probably the best thing I've ever done.
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Ditto to CELTA being hard work, but that’s why it’s highly regarded.

My CELTA course was part time over 3 months. A dd who did one in a month still found it tough despite being a graduate linguist who’d never have a problem with grammar, etc.

I’d told her she could forget going out for that month - she thought I was exaggerating until she found out the hard way!

I second what everyone else says about doing the CELTA. I did it 6 months ' part time' , but basically you've got to eat, sleep and breathe it for that time. Very intensive.

A lot of people think if English is your first language it's easy to teach EFL. This isn't true. For me getting to grips with the teaching methods was harder than the grammar. PP is absolutely right in saying that foreign students are often very knowledgeable about grammar.

Good luck!

Definitely CELTA. I did mine in London international house - 1 month intensive course. The trainers were brilliant.

I did my CELTA in a month and lived with a friend of my gran's for the duration and she cooked all my meals. Happy days! As others have said, it's a lot of work.

I did Trinity Cert TESOL many years ago. It took a month and it was great.
I've been involved in hiring for legit language schools (the sort you'd want to work in) and as others have said you won't get anywhere without Trinity Certificate or CELTA.
It's definitely a very intensive month but it really gives you an excellent grounding in how English works, how to teach and what difficulties your students may face. I also have a PGCE and a Masters degree in TESOL and that first month all those years ago is still the most I've ever learnt in a month!
Good luck

@iloverunningslow I agree! I have a Masters in Tesol too but I think I learnt more (at least more that was useful to my teaching) during the CELTA.

CELTA. Trinity TESOL is just as good but doesn’t have the same name recognition. Avoid random TEFL courses. They won’t get you hired anywhere that you actually want to work. Especially in the UK.