Job Discussion Forums

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

I agree with the later comments. Teaching post-Celta is a lot easier. 'The book' offers you structure and your preparation is for providing relevant supplementary materials, e.g. to extend students' talking time. And afterwards, you'll feel a lot more confident than when you spend all the time under the assessor's eye.

smithrn1983 · Joined: 23 Jul 2010 Posts: 320 Location: Moscow

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

This is what happened to me when I learned Russian! I learned in Krasnodar and then my uni profs in the US were from Krasnodar and Rostov na Donu! I learned Russian w/ a Kuban accent I never even knew I had until I showed up in the late 90s at MGU for grad school and the profs asked me straight away if I'd learned in Stavropol, Ukraine, or perhaps Kuban. I took a while to soften my хохлятский акцент but I guess it's not as bad is it used to be. I guess it would be just like taking an English language learner and plopping them down in Texas, or Boston, or NYC and having them acquire fluent English but with a heavy regional accent.

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

It always embarrasses this Londoner when students pronounce brown as 'brahn'.

Houston · Joined: 04 Apr 2010 Posts: 44

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Unfortunately, Russian assessors of English tend to have rather fixed ideas about pronunciation, which is perhaps reflected in the students' idea of 'not having an accent'. In one case in Siberia, in a British English teaching context, they marked a boy down for poor vowel pronunciation; in fact, he had lived for a while in the north of England and was speaking authentically, but because the assessor had learned the usual southern pronunciation, the poor lad was made to resit and speak southern.

smithrn1983 · Joined: 23 Jul 2010 Posts: 320 Location: Moscow

@Houston - I figured it was a Russian trainer. A lot of the time they imagine there's a huge difference between RP and how the rest of us speak, but truth be told, until they reach a good level of English, most speakers can't tell the difference between different accents. I mentioned in an upper-intermediate class recently that the speaker on a listening exercise was Irish. His response? How can you tell?

jdsolo · Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 5

Is taking the CELTA course cheaper in Russia/abroad as opposed to the States? If so, how much does it cost and where do you go to register?

VladJR87 · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 87 Location: Moscow RU

mackayscanland · Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 39

I would agree with the expense U.S. V. F.S.U. is equal. I checked San Diego as this is close to me, there's a celta school there. They wanted around $2500 usd to do the course. To me, that's a round trip ticket plus course in Kiev!. A no brainer! Good job on your course Vlad. I'm trying to get to Kiev in June.

VladJR87 · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 87 Location: Moscow RU

mackayscanland · Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 39

Yeah, it's at IH kiev! It's a "McSchool" I think, but, I look forward to being abused in my first year of teaching. I'm just happy that they will pay me something for the experience. I already figured I wasn't going there for the great pay!

VladJR87 · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 87 Location: Moscow RU

mackayscanland · Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 39

I'm just going to do my CELTA right now and line up some contacts. I'm looking at going back after that in 2 years or so. I have one more child to get through high school, then, I can run away!

BobRob · Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Mother Russia

I thought I would add my 2 cents or pence or 50 kopeks since I attended the same CELTA with Vlad and was his flatmate for that time.

He used the same word I would to describe the CELTA course at BKC, Intensive . Four weeks of information overload, but very interesting. I have three pieces of advice for anyone looking into this.

1. Study our language in depth before you arrive. I managed, but the non-native speakers (9/12 majority) were well versed in this and so they had an advantage.

2. Attend at the end of summer, when contracts are starting. BKC's only option for me was to work part time, just enough to pay their rent.

3. More difficult, but sort out your own accommodations. It seems that they charge too much for a shared flat on the outskirts of the metro. You could possibly find a room much closer for that price or cheaper in that area.

Near completion of the course I was lucky enough to find 2 months of work, though not in Moscow. This worked perfectly for me as I have obligations in the US on the last day of my visa.

I am planning to return after a month or two, but I'm as of yet undecided on the location. I have a decent in-house business job now, but the Moscow life has a greater appeal. The hourly pay for private and business lessons there doesn't hurt either.

If you are considering this for any reason(Russia, teaching, dating or smoking) I'd recommend it, but maybe learn from my experience and don't be as impulsive as I was. Utopia doesn't exist, but Russia is pretty cool.