Job Discussion Forums

Argofoto · Joined: 28 Aug 2012 Posts: 61 Location: Philadelphia

I know that at 4 weeks, the CELTA is intensive enough from what I've read. I'm wondering if there are possiblities to take this for 3 weeks. The reason being with my current job, I could take up to 3 weeks vacation, perhaps a few days more, but 4 weeks would be a real stretch.

So, is there anywhere in the world it can be done at 3 weeks, if not 3.5 weeks?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Gawd. Most sensible people ask for 5 weeks. It would kill almost anyone at 3.

In any case, never heard of such a short course.

Have you considered taking a CELTA in the country/place where you want to start working? It can be a very useful bridge into a country/region/culture/job market.

Where are you and where do you want to teach? Both questions are highly relevant in this case.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

Or see if it's available locally part time. Some places do it on evenings and weekends over an extended period.

Argofoto · Joined: 28 Aug 2012 Posts: 61 Location: Philadelphia

Thanks for all the info and sorry for taking so long to reply.

Yes, I would have to find an evening course unless I can get a 4 week vacation. I'm in Philadelphia, USA, hopefully there is an evening course here but last I checked (which was a while ago), there wasn't one. I'm looking now into doing it in Czech since I have a special someone there and will be visiting her again in the summer in Moravia (but would take CELTA at a different date). Though professionally I would prefer to work in Latin America. I'm a native born US citizen but I'm getting, via parents, my Romanian citizenship so working in Czech would in theory be possible, though the language is ten times harder than learning Spanish (I'm also fluent in Romanian), not to mention from checking the forums here, the market is tough as nails to break into for just a language school (and impossible for public schools).

I'm wondering how long in general it can take to get an offer while doing the CELTA, if one would have time to pursue that while studying. Also, what how much time would there be from when the job would start. I would like to take the course 3 months or so before a hiring season. Theoretically I would like to use the time waiting, for the position to start, to continue working at my current job, saving up money and such.

I did post a few times over the past years but I decided to wait on pulling the trigger until I paid off my college loans. I did that, and just have a few credit cards to pay off which should be done soon. Also I was looking at other options, such as TEFL in Peace Corps in Moldova, or a Master's in TEFL in Puerto Rico but both are long-term commitments and I'm not entirely sure if it would work out. I'm a volunteer tutor at a local library program working one-on-one with immigrants, occasionally working with books and lesson plans, but mostly conversation work. So a transition to a classroom spooks me a little. Hence the desire to take the course during a job vacation...

Sorry for the lengthy reply! Thanks again for the help, and it's nice to see familiar people on the forums here! If you could start anywhere at an entry level, where would you go?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

Teaching House offers the blended CELTA in the USA. You do your taught input sessions online over an extended period, and then go to a centre for 2 weeks for the assessed teaching practice.

http://www.teachinghouse.com/celta-online

In terms of getting work, obviously it depends when and where you are. When I did my CELTA in Ecuador a few years ago, there were 12 of us on the course, 8 stayed in Ecuador and we were all working within a couple of weeks. As far as I know, that's still pretty standard here, as long as you are willing to move where the work is.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Argofoto · Joined: 28 Aug 2012 Posts: 61 Location: Philadelphia

Thanks, yes this online option is new to me. In the US it is expensive ($3,000!) but I am finding options for other countries (Brazil is $1,100). Having 2 weeks in person is perfect. It seems that the certificate is the same as the 4 week intensive, with no indication of part of it being online (which if it did I would stay away). I'm just wondering what the difference in exposure would be to the local job market. It just seems too good to be true...

...

Thanks for the tip. I'll take a look at refugee/ESL organizations, though the only thing is I have no formal qualifications (a B.S. in int'l business) and I have the feeling volunteers are a dime a dozen here...

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Argofoto · Joined: 28 Aug 2012 Posts: 61 Location: Philadelphia

MsBlackcurrant · Joined: 22 Aug 2012 Posts: 77

CELTA is obviously the gold standard, but it doesn't seem to be available as a three week course.

I've noticed that Thailand has a number of companies offering 120 hour TEFL courses in three weeks, probably due to visa requirements. If you google you'll find quite a few. (I've also come across one course in Bali.) Some of them focus on teaching young learners.

These less well-known courses probably won't be acceptable to every language school, especially outside of Asia, but how important that is depends on where you plan to teach, I suppose.