Doing the CELTA

Learning on the job was not without its drawbacks.  By the time I got around to doing my CELTA (the University of Cambridge accredited Certificate of English Language Training for Adults) 7 years later, I had picked up all sorts of bad habits which meant I only got a pass grade instead of the A grade that in my cockiness I had been expecting.  

The CELTA was a good move however and it meant I got straight into a reputable British Council accredited school and thus had more work, earned more money per hour and finally could call myself a relatively serious teacher.  If anyone out there is reading this with the view to becoming a ESL teacher then I really would recommend that they go straight off and do their CELTA.  It's the best investment ever - especially the intensive four week course.  It typically costs about £1,000 and as soon as you qualify you can get your money back in a months teaching.

Don't do what I did which was to faff around doing an online TEFL because it was easier and cheaper.  Not only will you waste time but also you will probably pick up bad habits which are very difficult to get rid off when you do your observed teaching practice on the CELTA.  The teachers who got the highest grades in my CELTA course were the ones who had never taught before.  The people who were already teachers struggled and one poor guy who was head teacher in a Korean school failed to get a Pass grade.