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Johnny_C_NYC
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 21
Location: New York City
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 Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject: IH CELTA in Wroclaw |
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Just applied - they seem pretty responsive and helpful when I email them and hopefully I will get a slot in the September course. From what I have read in the forum there really isn't much difference in the one-month intensive Polish CELTA courses (Bell Warsaw, IH Krakow and IH Warsaw) so I chose Wroclaw bc it's the smallest of the three and so I won't have to deal with the over-touristy aspects of Krakow and the expense of Warsaw (not that Wroclaw will be much cheaper).
Anyone have any advice re this school and their experiences? Come on I know there are a few of you out there. I'm American so I'm a little concerned about getting any job upon graduation given what's been going on lately. Thanks. |
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scottie1113
Joined: 25 Oct 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Gdansk
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:47 am Post subject: |
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I did my CELTA in August last year, finished in early September. 10 days later I had a job in Gdansk. That was before the Scengen zone thing came about so I had no trouble getting another 90 days on my visa to have enough time to apply for my residency card, which I now have.
A good school will help you with this process but you'll be under a very short time constraint once you finish your CELTA as you need 45+ days left on your visa when you apply for residency. Do you know where you want to work in Poland? Best of luck. |
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Johnny_C_NYC
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 21
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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hey thanks. I am not sure but am thinking of ending up in either Wroclaw, Poznan, Torun or maybe even Gdansk.
RE the Visa thing, I'm a bit of a noob but do I need to have it before I take the course? I thought it was just a requirement to teach and have gainful employment over in Poland - obv one does not need it to enter/visit the country. I was intending to get it at the Polish consulate anyway before I get over there but am wondering what how you did it. Thanks a lot for your help. |
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maniak
Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Posts: 194
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Get the visa before you come. Just something to keep in mind is that schools start hiring in Sept...
Ill be doing the CELTA during July in Wro, pretty excited even though the month is pretty much shot. If you want any advice on wroclaw just ask since Ive been here for a year and half and speak the language. |
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Johnny_C_NYC
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 21
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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| maniak wrote: |
Get the visa before you come. Just something to keep in mind is that schools start hiring in Sept...
Ill be doing the CELTA during July in Wro, pretty excited even though the month is pretty much shot. If you want any advice on wroclaw just ask since Ive been here for a year and half and speak the language. |
Thanks. Will def try to get the visa beforehand...would think I can do it at the NYC consulate. Would like to hear more about your experience in July so maybe I will PM you at some point after it's over if that's ok. Just to get a general feel and - r u using the school's provided accommodations or are you staying in the same place as you are in now? And where exactly is the school? Near the main square? Only been there once so looking forward to finding my way around. |
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BeatRippa
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Missouri, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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| How did you get a visa before your CELTA and a letter of employment? I'm doing my CELTA in August in Krakow..thanks! |
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scottie1113
Joined: 25 Oct 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Gdansk
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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You're visa's only good for 90 days and you can come to Poland on a tourist visa without any advance paperwork. The 90 days start when you clear passport control in Poland and they stamp your passport with your date of entry. To stay longer legally you'll need a residency card. You'll need to go through a lot of paperwork. They'll want to see your birth certificate, university degree, your CELTA certificate (I think a copy is OK), a contract to work for a school, and a lease from your landlord. You'll need more than 45 days left on your visa when you apply and there's no longer any border runs to extend that time.
They also asked me for some document from the IRS stating that I didn't owe any taxes but I just signed a letter to that effect since I didn't know I had to have it. They'll also ask for a police record with fingerprints that you can get at your local police office. I didn't have this so I signed another document that said I wasn't an axe murderer.
Most schools begin hiring in September but some, like mine, will hire people earlier than that. You might want to check out tefl.com to see what jobs are currently being offered and email them to discuss your situation.
It's not as easy as it used to be with the Schengen zone treaty in effect. |
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maniak
Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Posts: 194
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:29 am Post subject: |
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| Johnny_C_NYC wrote: |
Thanks. Will def try to get the visa beforehand...would think I can do it at the NYC consulate. Would like to hear more about your experience in July so maybe I will PM you at some point after it's over if that's ok. Just to get a general feel and - r u using the school's provided accommodations or are you staying in the same place as you are in now? And where exactly is the school? Near the main square? Only been there once so looking forward to finding my way around. |
Im pretty sure you can it at the consulate, print out the visa form and show up. I never got a visa so I cant help you with any details, but Ill let you know about the celta after July.
No, I have my place, about a 30 minute tram ride from the city center. The school is a 100m from the rynek. Man, but they really try to beat it in that you wont have any time for fun stuff... |
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scottie1113
Joined: 25 Oct 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Gdansk
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:38 am Post subject: |
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| CELTA really is very intense with a lot of homework outside class. Even so, I found plenty of time to explore Warsaw on weekends and even go out a few times during the week. |
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lundjstuart
Joined: 01 Jul 2008
Posts: 211
Location: Warsaw, Poland
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| IH in Wrocław sucks balls!! I went there did all the things they asked of me and on the last day they said that they cant pass me because they think that Im not ready. A week before, they said that everything was fine and that I will be passing the course if I get the last assignment done and passed. which I did!! I never really learned anything there!! The best school for the CELTA is at BELL Warszawa!! They had a better break down of the course and they split up the assignments into parts so its no so hard in the end!! Do your work first then party!! |
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Johnny_C_NYC
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 21
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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| lundjstuart wrote: |
| IH in Wrocław sucks balls!! I went there did all the things they asked of me and on the last day they said that they cant pass me because they think that Im not ready. A week before, they said that everything was fine and that I will be passing the course if I get the last assignment done and passed. which I did!! I never really learned anything there!! The best school for the CELTA is at BELL Warszawa!! They had a better break down of the course and they split up the assignments into parts so its no so hard in the end!! Do your work first then party!! |
Too late I already got accepted and so am taking it! Why did you not pass? The guy I interviewed with said that around 95% pass and only a few don't so just wondering. Also wondering about where you stayed and how to get an apartment...the apartments I saw online all seemed pretty expensive and more for monthly business travelers. Thx. |
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lundjstuart
Joined: 01 Jul 2008
Posts: 211
Location: Warsaw, Poland
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:46 am Post subject: |
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| I failed because there was 18 students in the course! The tutors (Dean, John, Tim) all have different opinions about every person and it showed a lot there!! I had a wonderful lesson once and there were no comments by my peers on my lesson in group feedback but then I ended up not passing the lesson because he said that I gave one wrong answer in the feedback but it wasnt true!! Just watch your P's and Q's there!! |
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Beauty26
Joined: 08 Apr 2010
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:17 pm Post subject: Applying for CELTA in Wroclaw! Please help! Urgent! |
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Hi guys,
I have some questions about the pre-interview task as I have failed it. Appearantly they found my answers too short 
How was your pre-interview task like? Could you please give me some advice on how I should reply the questions? Especially the essay part where you have to write about experience of learning English? !!!
Many thanks in advance |
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Master Shake
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:30 pm Post subject: Re: Applying for CELTA in Wroclaw! Please help! Urgent! |
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| Beauty26 wrote: |
Hi guys,
I have some questions about the pre-interview task as I have failed it. Appearantly they found my answers too short
How was your pre-interview task like? Could you please give me some advice on how I should reply the questions? Especially the essay part where you have to write about experience of learning English? !!!
Many thanks in advance |
Always write up to the word limit on CELTA assignments; if it says to write 200 words or less, write 190-200.
Don't try to BS your way through it - they may ask you to elaborate on what you write!
Give specific examples whenever possible...That's about it.
Where are you from? |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
I have some questions about the pre-interview task as I have failed it. Appearantly they found my answers too short
How was your pre-interview task like? Could you please give me some advice on how I should reply the questions? Especially the essay part where you have to write about experience of learning English? !!! |
Writing on a forum is often kind of a hurried process: probably you took more care with the essay. The writing in the post above looks very much as though you're a non-native speaker: there are several pretty glaring errors in spelling and wording, and the last sentence is a fragment.
Nothing whatsoever wrong with being a non-native English speaking English language teacher - there are some benefits that a teacher who went through the process of learning the language can offer which natives can't. HOWEVER - you want to be sure the English you are using won't show a reader or listener right away that you haven't got native-like fluency in the language. |
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