TEFL - Cambridge CELTA Part-Time (12 weeks) Toronto, Canada

The school is an official training centre for intensive courses leading to the CELTA. Its teacher-training programme is based on practice with foreign students of English, drawn from its international student body and from the local international community. The training programme takes place in the context of a busy language school, allowing trainees access to students for teaching and the opportunity to observe experienced teachers in the classroom.

Toronto
What immediately strikes any visitor to Toronto is that it is a clean, safe and cosmopolitan city, with a wonderful network of parks, recreational and cultural facilities. It is Canada's largest city and also the country's business and financial centre, with its busy port on the Great Lakes and thriving banking, manufacturing and publishing industries. Given the city's relative youth, you could say that Toronto has boomed fairly recently, but what this does also mean is that it has been well planned and is today very lively, with a safe and liveable feel to it. Home to four professional sports teams, the third largest English-speaking theatre district in the world (after New York and London), more than 80 ethnic communities and a strong English Canadian arts and culture, there's little time to be bored here and it makes a great base from which to explore the great Canadian outdoors.

Awarded by Cambridge ESOL, part of the University of Cambridge, the CELTA is the best-known and most widely-taken initial TEFL/TESOL qualification of its kind in the world.

The centre in Toronto has been one of Canada's most active CELTA centres since 1996. It has been inspected and approved by Cambridge ESOL.

Course Features

The part-time 12-week CELTA course:

* Involves a minimum of 120 hours with additional time required for preparation and assignments
* Follows the Cambridge CELTA syllabus and provides practical and professional awareness of learners, language, methodology and materials
* Develops practical ability in classroom management, lesson planning, introduction and practice of new language, and the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills
* Is intended for native speakers of English and those whose English is of native-speaker level
* Provides pre-service training to those with no teaching experience
* Is also suited to those who are already in the profession, but who have no formal teaching qualification

Class Size

A maximum of 12 trainees is accepted on each course.

CELTA Course Trainers

There are two course trainers for each group of 12 teacher trainees. All course trainers are approved by Cambridge ESOL.


Course Content and Format

Lectures and Workshops on Language Teaching

This comprises about half the course time, with about 3 hours a day devoted to the basic principles and methods of language learning and teaching. Topics include:

Learners
* Cultural and individual needs of learners
* Approaches to learning difficulties
* Motivation of adult learners

Language Awareness
* The English language: form, function, meaning and phonology
* Analysis of the English language for teaching purposes

Materials
* Course books, supplementary materials and special interest texts
* Reference works for teachers and students

Classroom Management and Lesson Planning
* Creation of a suitable learning environment and atmosphere
* Planning appropriate individual lessons and series of lessons for a range of levels

Introducing and Practising New Language
* Selection of language items suited to students' needs and levels
* Presentation, practice, checking learning, error analysis and correction

Developing the Skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing
* Use of a wide range of techniques to develop the 4 skills individually and in an integrated fashion

Teaching Practice

Teaching practice accounts for approximately 2 hours per day, with trainees teaching graded classes of volunteer students under trainer supervision. One trainer is assigned to each group of a maximum of 6 trainee teachers. Teaching practice also includes analysis of and reflection on teaching practice sessions; and individual and group tutorials to monitor progress of participants. Trainees teach at 2 distinct levels during the course.

Observation

Six hours per course are devoted to observation. As part of the course, trainees observe classes taught by experienced teachers.

Preparation and Assignments

This consists of background reading, four written assignments, lesson preparation and preparation of teaching and learning materials. There is no final examination.

Assessment

Assessment is continuous throughout the course and is based on performance in teaching practice, the quality of lesson plans and accompanying materials, and the quality of the four written assignments submitted.


University of Cambridge ESOL Certification

Successful candidates receive the Cambridge CELTA - Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, awarded by the University of Cambridge, England. The certificate states the grade received on the course. The course tutors provide successful candidates with a written report detailing their performance on the course.


TESL Canada Certification

Successful CELTA graduates possessing a university degree may apply to TESL Canada for certification. Non-native CELTA graduates who wish to obtain TESL Canada certification must provide proof of English language proficiency by providing documentation of one of the following test scores:

Test & Minimum Test Scores
IELTS: Overal 7 with a minimum of 7 in each skill area.
TOEFL iBT: Overall 101 with a minimum of 23 in Listening, 24 in Reading, 27 in Speaking and 27 in Writing.

These minimum scores are for TESL Canada Certification only. Eligibility for a CELTA course is available only to native speakers of English and those whose English is of native-speaker level.


Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the CELTA, individuals must:
* be at least 20 years old
* have gained university entrance qualifications
* have appropriate awareness and understanding of the structure and function of English
* have a command of spoken and written English that will enable them to undertake all components of the course and teach a range of levels
* provide clear evidence of a professional attitude towards teaching

Visa Information

It is up to each applicant to arrange (if necessary) their own visa. We advise all applicants to check the visa requirements with the Canadian Embassy.

Application Form

Individuals interested in the CELTA may submit the Application Form and Pre-interview Task. Individuals who successfully complete the Task will be contacted for a personal interview. Eligibility for the CELTA is determined following the interview.

Commitment to Equal Treatment

Cambridge English Language Teaching and CELTA are based on the principle of open and equal opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, marital status, sexual orientation, creed, colour, race, ethnic origin, age or disability.

The part-time course runs Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6 pm - 10 pm (approx.) with six alternating Saturdays, 10 am - 4:30 pm for 12 consecutive weeks.

The course was intense and difficult but I learned a lot and it was well worth it. The school was a great, friendly environment and the teachers were knowledgeable and helpful.
- Julie Okovita - March, 2011

Very good program packed with structured input session. Perfectly balance theory vs practice.
-Uwais Vorajee-

The school was very organized and the tutors were definitely knowledgeable about all aspects of teaching and English theory.
-Patrick Farrell-

I can sum it up with one word; excellent! It was VERY demanding and rigorous. I was pleased with the course and the expertise and help of the trainers. I wish we could have spent some more time on systems (grammar) but all in all I was very pleased with the course. It certainly changed the way I teach and provided me with practical skills training for TESL and ESL work.
-Paul Hallihan-

Our goal is to help you find an excellent ESL teaching job in Canada or abroad. We help you in your job seeking by:

1. posting current job advertisements on our CELTA job board in our resource library during your course
2. emailing all job postings we receive from recruiters and individual schools to you for one year after the completion of your course
3. introducing you to our Academic Director who tells you exactly what makes a successful interview and what doesn't!

1. Choose the start date which interests you. If you’re still unsure, please choose an approximate date for now - you will be able to specify later.
2. Register your details with Cactus TEFL (1 minute) to help us track your application.
3. Download the application form and save it on your computer.
4. Complete it offline in your own time
5. Go back to www.cactustefl.com, sign in and submit your completed form.

You can also submit an application by email. We will explain how to do this on the application form. Please contact us if you have any problems with the application procedure.