Anyone done CELTA?

[utterlyfedup2]

I'm a qualified primary teacher but haven't had my own class for several years now.

I'm no longer interested in working in a primary school as a class teacher (I've done 20+ years) but I do love teaching. I mainly tutor 11 plus and do odd bits of supply and am lucky to live in a grammar area where my 11 plus business has become really successful, to the point its replaced my teaching salary.

However, it's mainly evening and weekend work. I'm considering doing my CELTA with a view to teach English online, or locally during the daytimes.I'm happy to teach adults or children and also feel like I need to do something new to use my brain and also to ensure I don't have to ever go back into primary school teaching!

Online teaching appeals most but I'd consider teaching in a local library or college for adults maybe.Has anyone else done CELTA? Would I cope academically and would my previous experience as a QTS teacher help me?

What was your degree in? If you have a MFL or English, your PGCE should be enough to get work. It is probably possible even without English or a language. Check your local council - they may have a service that covers EAL, travellers etc. I did that on a peripatetic basis for years and am now EAL lead in a private school. MFL secondary trained, no CELTA. Local supply agencies nay because to offer peripatetic tutoring which would give you experience.

I don't have a PGCE. I have a degree in primary education studies. I did a 4 year teaching degree with QTS, back when they were more the 'done thing' as opposed to a degree with PGCE bolted on after.

Hello I did my CELTA 10 years ago and a PGCE last year. You’d definitely be able to cope academically with the CELTA and already having QTS would be a benefit in terms of understanding how to structure lessons etc. If you’re planning to do the 4-week full-time CELTA then I’ve heard this is really intense. I did it part-time, 2-days a week, juggling work and family life and it was fine. I spent 4 years working for an online EFL company and also freelance online tutoring through a website called italki.com.

I absolutely loved teaching EFL but one thing to be aware of is that the online companies pay a pittance and that wages for community EFL teachers - in libraries for example, are also low. Contracts are often zero hours and permanent contracts can be quite rare. For EFL, the best paid jobs are in FE colleges and universities - these have a decent salary and are often permanent, but they can be quite hard to come by depending on what area of the country you’re in.

Most recently, prior to my PGCE, I was working as an EAL teacher in schools. These are normally permanent roles but the pay can be quite low and term-time only, and mostly part-time. Again it depends on where you are in the country.

I find EFL/ESOL/EAL teaching so rewarding, and I hope you do to if you decide to pursue it.

I did CELTA before my PGCE as a 4 week course. Pretty intense! But no more so than PGCE really, IMO. I didn't have any obligations/responsibilities/children of my own to juggle alongside it when I did it though.

I taught EFL abroad for a good few years so can't comment on teaching EFL in the UK.

I did the CELTA about 15 years ago as the 4 week intensive course. I found it a very intensive but enjoyable month. However, that was before training as a teacher. You won't have any issues with it having taught in schools. I then worked in a few different private language schools in a city in the UK. A few thoughts. The pay is dire. You only get paid for the hours you teach. So a full day's work might only earn you 4.5 hours pay. It can be fascinating and you can meet some great people. However, it can be a very dodgy industry. You are only as good as your last student evaluation and generally you work on a rolling contract. I have experienced students trying bribery and /or threats of poor reviews to get you to give them a good score or to move up levels. Language schools often promise the world to students and don't deliver it, which can put you in a difficult situation. It can be quite seasonal. I would only recommend it if you wont need to rely on it to pay the bills, and you are self confident and chilled by nature. That said, I haven't worked doing online tutoring so can't comment on that! To be honest, if you're looking to advertise and get students privately, and you've got teaching experience, you might be better off buying skme core texts on teaching efl, reading up, and spending a bit of the cash in marketing yourself rather than paying out for the qualification? I don't know though.