The Cambridge CELTA

CELTA Course 100% Face-to-Face or 100% Online

Trainees can take the Cambridge CELTA either 100% face-to-face, or 100% online. The online courses run similar to our normal face to face courses but organized through your computer with Zoom and Moodle (live classrooms)

For our CELTA part-time course details, click here

Is the CELTA right for you?

Are you:

A native speaker or advancd level speaker of English (C1 or higher) who is thinking about getting a first job as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language
A TEFL teacher with some experience but wanting some further teacher training and an internationally recognized qualification?

If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these, the CELTA is for you!

The CELTA was designed by International House in the 1950’s before being taken over by Cambridge University in 1988 to moderate and certify. It has become the leading TEFL certificate in the world, asked for by 7 out of 10 English school employers worldwide

Not all TEFL certificates are created equal. As the largest Canbridge CELTA Centre in the world, we know first-hand that many schools will not hire teachers unless they have a specific TEFL certification.

Why take the CELTA?

120 hours over 4 weeks for the full-time course – it’s intense but excellent value for money. It covers all the essential information about methodology and classroom management so you're ready to confidently walk into a classroom and teach.
6 hours of observed teaching practice to a real class of learners – this gives employers confidence that you can walk into a classroom and do the job
3 out of 4 English language teaching jobs ask for the CELTA so you can be confident getting the CELTA will get you a job. (source)
Learn how to plan lessons with fun and engaging activities for your students.
All our trainers are extremely qualified with years of experience. They have the Cambridge Delta qualification, and they have received specific training to run the CELTA course. They have also been observed by a Cambridge assessor who approved them to work on the course.
Externally moderated and assessed – an external assessor from Cambridge University comes to every CELTA course, observes some trainees, looks at portfolios and talks with the whole group to ensure standards are being maintained.

CELTA Locations

CELTA Online

Take the CELTA from the comfort of home – run by our IH Bangkok and IH Chiang Mai trainers.

Bangkok, Thailand

Located in the centre of the most visited city in the world, IH Bangkok is the original CELTA centre where it all started.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

With onsite accommodation, restaurant, 25-metre pool, badminton court, and more! Everything is taken care of!

Koh Samui, Thailand

Take the CELTA on the beautiful tropical island of Koh Samui! One of the best locations in the world for your TEFL course.

Chengdu, China

Take the CELTA in Chengdu China – the home of the Giant Panda and voted as one of the most livable cities in China.

CELTA Frequently asked questions

Why do I need to learn how to teach English? I know English already

There’s a big difference between knowing how to do something (speak English) and being able to TEACH someone else to do the same thing. On the course, you will learn basic methodology about HOW to get your students using English better. You will learn how to develop their language SKILLS of reading, listening, speaking and writing. You will also learn techniques to help them improve their grammar and vocabulary.

Teaching is a skill like any other (for example, playing a sport or a musical instrument) – you get better by practicing and getting feedback. That’s why the teaching practice is at the heart of the CELTA course and we will help you plan lessons that engage students and help them improve their English skills.

We will focus on the “Communicative Approach” to teaching language – this involves using English for communication as much as possible in the classroom and using real world material and tasks to bring the language alive.

I’ve seen some cheaper online TEFL courses. Why shouldn’t I just do one of those?

Because of the worldwide demand for English teachers, and the attraction of going abroad to teach, many companies have tried to cash in and offer imitation TEFL courses. However, there is a reason three out of four English teaching jobs ask for the CELTA (source).

Some of these other courses are short and do not have any actual teaching practice – while these are cheap and convenient, employers know that there is little value learning about teaching in the abstract. They want to know you have actual teaching experience and can run a class successfully. That’s why you want to take a course with observed teaching practice.

Other companies have developed courses similar in format to the CELTA, with observed teaching practice, written assignments and some kind of moderation or accreditation. You should be careful with these too and make sure they are truly respected and recognized by employers.

I want to teach kids - is it only for teaching adults?

While the teaching practice you do will be with older teens and adults, the principles of teaching English as a foreign language are the same for all ages. That’s why good schools looking to hire teachers to teach children also ask for the CELTA.

We also offer a free 2 day Introduction to Teaching Young Learners course which gives you some extra techniques and activities for engaging kids. After gaining some experience teaching children, you might be interested to come back for our 2 week course IHCYLT course.

Do I have to have experience teaching to do the course?

No, the course is designed as an Introduction to teaching English. It’s a toolkit to get you into the classroom and teaching with confidence and purpose. But we also help more experienced teachers polish their skills and learn some new techniques. Usually our courses are about 50/50 experienced and new teachers.

I’ve heard it’s really intensive. What if I fail?

We want you to get as much out of the course as possible so there is a lot of content. But we don’t expect you to learn everything about teaching in 4 weeks. We just want to see you can deliver effective classes and improve your skills gradually.

While it is a course that you can fail (another reason it is so respected by employers), the fail rate is very low, about 5% worldwide. This is even lower at our centres – we have a team of full-time experienced and dedicated trainers who know how to get everyone through the course and will give everyone the personal attention they need to succeed in the classroom.

CELTA Course and Packages

Although you can just take the course with us and organize your accommodation by yourself, we also have packages available. In Bangkok and Chengdu the package is for accommodation.

However, in Chiang Mai and Koh Samui the packages include food, laundry, and trips throughout the course.

More Information

Course Fees

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CELTA Online

Entry Requirements

Course Dates

Course Content

The Trainers

FAQs

Questions?

You can send us a message or contact us at celta@ihbangkok.com with any questions.