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You can now do the Delta online!

 
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 12:55 am    Post subject: You can now do the Delta online! Reply with quote

Not to be confused with thedistancedelta.com which is run through IH and has a 2 week orientation session or a 6 week session depending on whether you choose the Integrated or Blended one, this one is through Bell and seems you can do it completely online.

http://www.bellenglish.com/Courses/Teachingtrainingdevelopment/77035/Online-Delta/2013-02-18/

It looks like for Mod 2 you find a local tutor and they observe you. Not too much info on the site, but it looks like online education is finally getting accepted. First the Distance Delta, then the Blended CELTA and now the Online Delta. Smile
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It sounds the same as the distance delta, which I am currently studying with IH. Im doing module 1 at the moment and havent done the orientation part, which I believe is just optional.

Considering how challenging the course material is, that orientation thing doesnt sound like a bad idea...Im failing badly and probably needed to be actually 'taught' sometimes.
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Shroob



Joined: 02 Aug 2010
Posts: 1339

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The total course cost (for all 3 modules) is �2,921. That seems expensive for me, considereing that I could do an MA for not much more.

Am I missing something?
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just looked quickly at the link - their module 1 option is 50% more expensive than IH's one. �756 vs. �499. Doesnt look like a good deal to me. The other modules might be better value, but I havent compared them.

Delta isnt cheap. But is a Celta? The advantage is that you can do the Delta whilst working, and I think the course is set up and encourages the better quality employer to pay for, or support the employee.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Denim-Maniac wrote:
Just looked quickly at the link - their module 1 option is 50% more expensive than IH's one. �756 vs. �499. Doesnt look like a good deal to me. The other modules might be better value, but I havent compared them.


That's what really got me as well. I thought about doing module 1 with the DD and the others with the online Delta.

Denim-Maniac wrote:
Considering how challenging the course material is, that orientation thing doesnt sound like a bad idea...Im failing badly and probably needed to be actually 'taught' sometimes.

I wonder abotu the end result though, from what I understand most people pass, correct?

Shroob wrote:
The total course cost (for all 3 modules) is �2,921. That seems expensive for me, considereing that I could do an MA for not much more.

Am I missing something?

Lucky you! My second MA was about 10K and I only had to take 4 courses, instead of 8.

Most people consider MAs to be more theory and the Delta or diploma to be more practical. Places like the BC often require it.
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

25% fail rate of module 1 in 2010 - Thats according to a Delta report dated June 2010.

When searching for the above I found a site that has a students report on his Delta experience, he wrote the following which I thought was prudent, and kinda fits my experience.

Cambridge states that you should have a minimum of three years teaching experience. Debatable. With over 15 years experience at the time I took the course, I was learning things I had never heard of (my fault for ignoring them previously). I think it is not so much the time you have been teaching, but more how much knowledge you have of i.e. discourse analysis, pragmatics, CLIL, intrinsic motivation, summative assessment etc. If you know little to none of this, you will have to cram-read it all during the course, and after three months (should you choose to immediately take the exam) you will have to summarise all that crammed-in knowledge into well written, well-informed sentences, answers etc. on the exam. Therefore three years is probably o.k., as long as you are ready and able to speed read & absorb things you have never encountered before. So I personally would recommend a minimum of five years experience (higher chance of having come across more information related to teaching), and recommend you take the course after having read at least one book on varied linguistic related topics and teaching methodology.
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Teacher in Rome



Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 1286

PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 7:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A lot of factors are important here, I think.

I did the precursor of the DELTA with no teaching experience to speak of, and without a CELTA. I passed with Distinction, first time, but, and it's a huge but, I had lots of luck on my side:

- the fees were low, meaning I could study full-time for 9 months (and I was eligible for the dole and housing benefit). I didn't have to worry about paying rent, or having to attend job interviews.

- I came straight from Uni and had reasonably good study skills. I could absorb large amounts of info and parrot back at length. I was young, with plenty more brain cells than I have now.

- it was mostly face-to-face, meaning I had the support of (and could learn from) an excellent tutor and all my classmates, who crucially, had years of experience to share. When I failed my first assignment, my tutor went through it with me, line by line, and gave me more reading to do, tips to pass assignments, and so on. Each assignment we did, in fact, we had extensive feedback and were shown how to write the "perfect" answer for that type of question.

Encouragement was a huge part, too. The first TP I ever did in front of the class was a complete disaster. When asked for feedback, my classmates said, "well you've got a lovely manner". So the content was crap, but at least I had a good starting block. The techniques are things I can work on... Knowing I had at least some of the raw materials gave me hope.

- I did nothing else but read, research, TP. No social life to speak of (no money anyway) and no "distractions"

- my examiner took a like to one of my examined lessons and gave me a distinction. Very fortunately for me, as he's a lexical expert and my overall aim was vocabulary acquisition.

- I wanted it like nothing else. I knew there was nothing else / better that I could do right at that moment, and I had a lot riding on it. Failing was not an option. I had no other safety net - no parental nest to return to, benefits that were going to run out after those nine months, no savings, and friends that were as poor as me.

To do the distance / online DELTA I think you need a lot more than just x years' experience. Support, encouragement, access to a specialist library, and a very good reason for wanting it are all important.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teacher in Rome wrote:
To do the distance / online DELTA I think you need a lot more than just x years' experience. Support, encouragement, access to a specialist library, and a very good reason for wanting it are all important.


I think that's the key. As well as being able to manage your time well enough to do it by distance.
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Support, in the form of a quality school which has well-organised classes, is essential. Especially for the observed lessons, naturally. But also for providing an environment where a Delta trainee can get help when they struggle. Help from people more qualified than they are, and who possibly did the Delta themselves.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They got back to me,

"We offer Module One as an online course with no face-to-face content. This is referred to either �distance� or �online� Delta. Our M1 course at �756 (2012 rate) includes intensive personalised tutor support to ensure that participants have the best possible chances of passing the exam. Many other course providers who offer M1 courses for less only offer generic advice rather than personalised tutor feedback. For 2013 we also plan to offer a version of the course at around �500 which will offer more generic exam tips and feedback to help participants prepare for the exam. Our course fees do not include Cambridge ESOL exam fees."

So if you wait, you can do the course for 256 pounds less, but you'll get generic support.

"You should nominate somebody as an RDT who has got teacher training experience."

"The external assessor has to be done by a Cambridge ESOL approved Delta assessor. On the current list provided by ESOL one assessor is listed for South Korea, so it shouldn�t be necessary to fly somebody in from another country, provided the assessor in Seoul is available. This might require some flexibility regarding dates/times of the assessment and unfortunately we cannot give any guarantee that a local assessor can be found for you, although of course we will do the best we can to arrange this. Please be aware that you will be responsible for bearing any travel/accommodation costs for the assessor."
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smedini



Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live in Canada and am currently doing M2 (my last module); I've done the entire thing via distance. I did M1 and M3 with IH London but couldn't do M2 with them because of the onsite orientation (M2 is already the most expensive module by far!). I looked at Bell and considered them but chose NILE instead because they were a smidge cheaper.

As someone posted, you need a local tutor, who needs to be approved by Cambridge, and an external assessor, who you'll have to pay to fly in to watch you teach one of your LSAs and grade your paper if there isn't one available in your country.

Incidentally, your DELTA certificates don't say 'distance' on them anywhere; they just say DELTA Smile

Feel free to PM me if you want any info; I've done a lot of research into the program in a number of schools and, as I said, am doing my last module now (yay!).

IMHO
~smedini
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

smedini wrote:
I live in Canada and am currently doing M2 (my last module); I've done the entire thing via distance. I did M1 and M3 with IH London but couldn't do M2 with them because of the onsite orientation (M2 is already the most expensive module by far!). I looked at Bell and considered them but chose NILE instead because they were a smidge cheaper.

As someone posted, you need a local tutor, who needs to be approved by Cambridge, and an external assessor, who you'll have to pay to fly in to watch you teach one of your LSAs and grade your paper if there isn't one available in your country.

Feel free to PM me if you want any info; I've done a lot of research into the program in a number of schools and, as I said, am doing my last module now (yay!).

Congrats on your last module! How long did it take you start to finish? I guess one thing to find out is where the nearest assessor would be.
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smedini



Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

naturegirl321 wrote:
Congrats on your last module! How long did it take you start to finish? I guess one thing to find out is where the nearest assessor would be.


Thaaaaanks! I'm *very* excited, though I have an obscene amount of work to get through before it's all over Wink

I did defer my M1 exam due to an ill parent, but I did it before the next sitting of the Cambridge exam committee. If I hadn't have deferred, I would have taken about a year to do all three; now I'm in for a year and a half. I believe, too, that they are now offering M3 on an "on demand" basis; you can sign up to do it whenever you like as long as there is a tutor available to work with you, as opposed to only doing it on schedule with the school.

Finding out where the nearest assessor is really is important. I was a bit stuck but fortunately the local centre here needs a CELTA assessor to come in while I'm doing my module, so Cambridge is working to have someone come to town to do both...lucky me Wink

Have you started yet?

~smedini
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nope. I've decided to study to be a childbirth educator with CBI and then do a Delta later on. Need a change of pace. Hoping to start the CBI course next year, but depends on workload. I imagine it'd be easier to do it than a Delta with a kid. I'd like to do the Delta maybe when she's three, after the terrible twos. Can't wait. Shocked
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twowheel



Joined: 03 Jul 2015
Posts: 753

PostPosted: Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teacher in Rome wrote:
I wanted it like nothing else. I knew there was nothing else / better that I could do right at that moment, and I had a lot riding on it. Failing was not an option. I had no other safety net - no parental nest to return to, benefits that were going to run out after those nine months, no savings, and friends that were as poor as me.

To do the distance / online DELTA I think you need a lot more than just x years' experience. Support, encouragement, access to a specialist library, and a very good reason for wanting it are all important.


I really enjoyed reading Teacher in Rome's anecdote above.

Warm regards,
twowheel
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