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leosmith
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 54
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 Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 3:13 am Post subject: CELTA at ECC |
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Hello,
I'm new to this forum, and hopefully soon to be, new to teaching ESL. I'm thinking about getting my CELTA at ECC in Thailand. Does it matter which location I take it in it in? |
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国
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| Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 11:05 am Post subject: |
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Hi 
The short answer is 'no' although people sometimes have a preference for a particular trainer.
Aside from that subjective aspect, a CELTA is a CELTA, no matter where you do it.
The uniform syllabus and Cambridge accreditation assures that. |
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leosmith
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks Kent! |
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workingnomad
Joined: 26 Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Location: SE Asia
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| Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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I have heard that in poorer countries the teaching materials are poorer quality, e.g. photo-copied textbooks etc
You get what you pay for! |
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takgeyon
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 51
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| Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I know that CELTA is much cheaper in Thailand than it is in other places ie(Korea, US). I work with a couple of people who used to work for ECC here in Bangkok and they don't have good things to say about them. I knew one person who did CELTA in Seoul and claimed that it was a complete waste of time and a massive misallocation of money. In most places a TESOL carries about as much weight and is less than half the price of CELTA. In some teaching jobs abroad they list CELTA as a specific requirement but in my opinion that comes from just a serious lack of knowledge of what skills actually constitute good teachers as CELTA can be easily accomplished by any sober person with 1/4%functioning brains. My friend who graduated CELTA at the top of her class basically said that it means your are pretty stupid and basically have the money to spend on a frivalous training program that does little but signal that you are lacking knowledge of the requirements of ESL teachers abroad and lots of time with nothing to fill it with as well as butloads of money to throw to the wind. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to discourage you from getting a CELTA cert. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. But before I plunked down the $$ for it I would evaluate how beneficial it actually is in comparison to what you are paying for it. I know that ECC claims that the CELTA teachers locally get paid more but I haven't found that to be true. An undergraduate education degree carries loads more weight in matters of salary than a CELTA. |
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leosmith
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 3:45 am Post subject: |
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As far as the lower quality learning material, that doesn't really bother me if it's true. I've already bought the recommended texts, which I'll probably use as reference in the future. They are quite excellent.
I'm already sold on getting a CELTA.
It's a fair amount of money to pay considering how many additional jobs I'll qualify for. Maybe I won't get paid more, but I'll have more selections regarding where I want to work.
The majority of people I read about claim they learn a lot getting their certificates. I could really use a grammar refresher, and some teaching instruction.
I could go for a cheaper certificate, but they seem to have less teaching time, and carry less prestige. |
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HarryG
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 14
Location: Sunny England-not for long
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:04 am Post subject: |
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Hey-I'll be on the Siam Square CELTA with ECC starting July 9th (Bangkok). If anyone else is-let me know. It'd be good to meet up before the course begins-although I'll probably only fly in on about the 3rd.
Anyone else who has tips about Bangkok (where to stay etc) it'd be great to hear from you too. Obviously I'm researching as much as I can but first-hand info is invaluable. Also anyone who wants some company out there or who can put up with showing a newbie around....don't be shy guys
Leosmith-I'm entirely sold on the CELTA too. You might not need it everywhere but sooner or later you'll come across that one country/job where you do, especially applying from abroad. ECC looks like it's as cheap as it gets too (apart from this sketchy one I saw in Ecuador)-I'm not in their marketing team by the way! |
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国
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leosmith
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: budget rooms near ECC Bangkok |
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Hi HarryG,
I won't be going until the fall. But let us know how it goes. Have fun in Bangkok.
| Kent F. Kruhoeffer wrote: |
Ask them to quote you a monthly rate.
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Kent,
Heh heh, that may be a little distracting don't you think? We must conserve our energy. Thanks for the hotels post - I see why you're a legend. |
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7969
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:17 am Post subject: |
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| leosmith wrote: |
As far as the lower quality learning material, that doesn't really bother me if it's true. I've already bought the recommended texts, which I'll probably use as reference in the future. They are quite excellent.
I'm already sold on getting a CELTA.
It's a fair amount of money to pay considering how many additional jobs I'll qualify for. Maybe I won't get paid more, but I'll have more selections regarding where I want to work.
The majority of people I read about claim they learn a lot getting their certificates. I could really use a grammar refresher, and some teaching instruction.
I could go for a cheaper certificate, but they seem to have less teaching time, and carry less prestige. |
i did the celta in bangkok as well. first things first.... i found the instructors had the "its my way or the highway" attitude. what i mean is, i had teaching experience before doing the course. when i brought up certain situations in the celta training class, my suggestions/thoughts were politely brushed off (as if i didnt know what i was talking about).
second, celta wont really prepare you much for the typical esl classroom in some countries. i've spent the past three years in china and classes here are the antithesis of the "model" classes you train with in celta. the students you practice with on celta are motivated, getting free lessons in some cases, small groups, they know you're a trainee, and they are all at about the same level of english. perfect setting for an esl teacher. however, you wont find that in the real world of esl (rarely).
if i were you, i'd take an esl job somewhere for a term or two and find out if you really like this type of life before spending about $1400US on a celta that, in the end, you may not use. |
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leosmith
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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| 7969 wrote: |
| if i were you, i'd take an esl job somewhere for a term or two and find out if you really like this type of life before spending about $1400US on a celta that, in the end, you may not use. |
I taught for 3 years as a volunteer in Africa, so I'm not expecting perfect classes. The $1400 will be a good investment in my future. Thanks for your opinion, but I stand by my earlier post.
The original question was about the location. Would you like to contribute about that? |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| I did the CELTA at IH in Bangkok last August. Absolutely excellent. I don't know if the same trainers are still doing it, but I would check it up. |
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