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backtothefront
Joined: 02 Sep 2012 Posts: 48 Location: uk
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:28 pm Post subject: Hardest part of the DELTA course? |
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I'm studying towards the DELTA module one exam which I plan to take in December. It's going to be tough remembering everything but fingers crossed I'll get through it. Is module two more difficult? Is is better do module two through distance learning? Is it important to get a good school for this part of the course? |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:52 am Post subject: Re: Hardest part of the DELTA course? |
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backtothefront wrote: |
I'm studying towards the DELTA module one exam which I plan to take in December. It's going to be tough remembering everything but fingers crossed I'll get through it. Is module two more difficult? Is is better do module two through distance learning? Is it important to get a good school for this part of the course? |
Good luck...that's a heckuva exam! I wrote it back in June...groan! I don't know if you use the online flashcards, but there are loads of them for the M1 exam (and you can put an app on your smartphone to use them too)...they were very helpful and served as a good way to study on the go!
I am doing M2 right now, through distance in a 12-week intensive program. IMHO, the school you take M2 through is not that important because the bulk of your feedback comes from your local tutor. I am currently getting feedback from my school and tutor, but I think that's likely because this is my tutor's first time and she doesn't have a DELTA (she has all the requisite Canadian qualifications though).
Feel free to PM me if you want more info. I'll be glad to be finished with this diploma!
IMHO
~smedini |
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backtothefront
Joined: 02 Sep 2012 Posts: 48 Location: uk
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Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks. Anyone else care to share?
I can't get out of doing it but it would be good to know if its easier or harder. Mod 1 is hell. |
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tina20
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 49
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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backtothefront wrote: |
Thanks. Anyone else care to share?
Mod 1 is hell. |
Reviving this topic coz I'm curious to know how did the exam go? I'm preparing for Module 1 now and well...I'm drowning. My motivation levels are dwindling as well...hearing other people's experiences might help. |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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tina20 wrote: |
Reviving this topic coz I'm curious to know how did the exam go? I'm preparing for Module 1 now and well...I'm drowning. My motivation levels are dwindling as well...hearing other people's experiences might help. |
Are you doing it with a school (i.e. do you have a tutor?). Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or advice
Good luck!
~smedini |
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tina20
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 49
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Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for the reply, Smedini. I'm doing it through IH London (their Distance Delta programme).
It's the reading that might kill me, I think. I have these spurts of mad activity followed by complete dejection (I'm terrified I might flunk). So yeah, I'm looking forward to the day it'll all be over.
PS: I might take you up on your offer sooner than you think. Too overwhelmed now maybe, but soon! |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:12 am Post subject: |
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tina20 wrote: |
Thank you for the reply, Smedini. I'm doing it through IH London (their Distance Delta programme).
It's the reading that might kill me, I think. I have these spurts of mad activity followed by complete dejection (I'm terrified I might flunk). So yeah, I'm looking forward to the day it'll all be over.
PS: I might take you up on your offer sooner than you think. Too overwhelmed now maybe, but soon! |
No worries, Tina20...any time! Good luck! Yes, the reading is really one of the hardest parts but worth it in the end as, hopefully, you'll have read a wide array of material that will help you down the road.
My 12-week course for M2 turned into a much longer affair...there was no one locally to do the external so we had to schedule someone from afar and then a snowstorm cancelled it. That's all I have left, though...thankfully! I still share your pain, though, so do PM me if you need anything
~smedini |
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tina20
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 49
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Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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smedini wrote: |
My 12-week course for M2 turned into a much longer affair...there was no one locally to do the external so we had to schedule someone from afar and then a snowstorm cancelled it. That's all I have left, though...thankfully! I still share your pain, though, so do PM me if you need anything
~smedini |
Hi Smedini,
I have pmed you...sort of in a quandary...maybe you can help? |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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tina20 wrote: |
smedini wrote: |
My 12-week course for M2 turned into a much longer affair...there was no one locally to do the external so we had to schedule someone from afar and then a snowstorm cancelled it. That's all I have left, though...thankfully! I still share your pain, though, so do PM me if you need anything
~smedini |
Hi Smedini,
I have pmed you...sort of in a quandary...maybe you can help? |
Hi Tina...
I got it...I'll reply as soon as my afternoon classes are finished!
Cheers,
~ smedini |
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tina20
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 49
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Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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Hi everyone
I'm done with the M1 exam (finally!) and while I sit here twiddling my thumbs in anticipation of the results, I was wondering if anyone could suggest some good programs for an intensive DELTA Module 2 course.
At first, I'd planned on continuing with the IH London's Distance DELTA programme. But circumstances have changed in that any support from my school has suddenly become unavailable.
So I'm contemplating undertaking an intensive program, at least for M2, so that I don't end up wasting time. I understand that the costs will be higher (with food & accommodation thrown in) and I'm not very particular about the country I do it from. I was wondering if someone could suggest a few places/schools that have good support and deliver high quality programs.
I have googled this a bit but any suggestions would help in streamlining my search. |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 12:33 am Post subject: |
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tina20 wrote: |
Hi everyone
I'm done with the M1 exam (finally!) and while I sit here twiddling my thumbs in anticipation of the results, I was wondering if anyone could suggest some good programs for an intensive DELTA Module 2 course.
At first, I'd planned on continuing with the IH London's Distance DELTA programme. But circumstances have changed in that any support from my school has suddenly become unavailable.
So I'm contemplating undertaking an intensive program, at least for M2, so that I don't end up wasting time. I understand that the costs will be higher (with food & accommodation thrown in) and I'm not very particular about the country I do it from. I was wondering if someone could suggest a few places/schools that have good support and deliver high quality programs.
I have googled this a bit but any suggestions would help in streamlining my search. |
Hi Tina;
First of all, congrats on finishing the exam! You must feel great having it behind you
I know you say there's now no support from your school, but I wonder if you have other options for local tutors. You really don't need your school, per se, outside of needing a class to teach. Your local tutor would be all the support that you'd need, and you'd likely get support from the school you do the module through as well.
As I may have told you before (sorry if I did ), I did M1 and M3 with IH London and M2 with Bell because they don't require the onsite orientation, which saves loads of course. Bell was beyond helpful and, together with my local tutor, I got through it with really no other support.
If you still believe you need to go to a new locale to take the course, I've heard good things about a number of schools worldwide, particularly in Europe. However, if it were me, I would opt for something in Greece (CELT Athens comes to mind: http://www.celt.edu.gr/delta.htm) or Spain (my friend did his at IH Barcelona and said nothing but good things: http://www.ihes.com/bcn/tt/delta/new-delta.html); I would choose these locales in part, as selfish as it might seem to say, because their economies are a bit low at the moment so your cost of living may not be so high (and M2 is a pricey little sucker!). Besides, how bad would it be doing M2 somewhere in the Mediterranean?
Good luck tina20!
~smedini |
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tina20
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 49
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Hi Smedini,
Sorry for the late reply. Work has been quite demanding lately and I'm just trying to keep up.
When I say there little/no support from my school...it means in terms of the local tutor (and of course no financial support either). In my area, they're a rare breed, most of the good 'uns are working with different branches of my school and would need permissions/special time allocations to make it work. I'm also not on the best of contracts. Which basically translates to me being kind of low on the priority list hence no real hope of support.
I looked at the links you suggested...looks like I've missed the deadlines for the IH one (which I kind of liked). I've found another intensive course: http://www.ihnewcastle.com/teacher-training-courses/delta
It's slightly expensive but what do you think about it in terms of course quality and name recognition? |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:09 am Post subject: |
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Hi tina20;
The Newcastle course looks fine and, really, seems within the realms of comparable and reasonable when compared to other DELTA courses. Of course living expenses on top of that will up the bill significantly - I'm not sure where you're currently located, but the UK ain't cheap . Name recognition in general is mostly irrelevant because your DELTA certificates come from Cambridge, and the only thing about the centre that's on the certificates is the centre number, no name. Quality is a bit more important because although every centre that offers DELTA is vetted and monitored by Cambridge, their teaching styles, policies and individual instructors can differ from other centres (but again, if they're crappy, as it were, Cambridge would revoke their licence to offer DELTA).
That said, it is an IH entity and I think you're more than safe in terms of both
Good luck and let me know how it goes!
~smedini |
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tina20
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 49
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:10 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Smedini for the reply.
I recently heard from IH Newcastle...they offered me a place but I'm having second thoughts now. I would like Option 2 for Module 3 and they don't seem to offer it.
The idea of doing it onsite was mostly due to my desire to get done with DELTA by this year but it seems likely that it'll stretch to next year. I was willing to spend a little more but I can't compromise on what I want. And what you said about quality is also very important.
May I ask which specialization did you opt for in Module 3? |
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smedini
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 2:24 am Post subject: |
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Hi Tina
I opted for Option 1, EAP with a specialization on Academic Writing. I toyed with the idea of Option 2, but decided on an academic focus with an eye toward taking the IH DoS course down the road. CELT Athens, whose link I gave you somewhere above, has a pretty good rep from what I understand for Option 2 ELTM, by the way
Quality is always important
Keep me posted, and good luck!
~ smedini |
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