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mushroomyakuza · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 140

Hi All

this my first post! This is a very noob-ish question so please bear with me. I haven't long completed my TEFL course and have been awarded my certificate, however, for sometime I have been confused by the difference of TESOL and CELTA.

The tutors on my course always told me they were of equal worth and meant the same thing. Is this true? I've attained Trinity College, London, TESOL Certificate, not the CELTA. But looking around recently, it seems like CELTA is the more reputable one or regarded as a higher qualification. Is this true?

Someone please help me! Confused

Chancellor · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: Understanding my Certificate

mushroomyakuza · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 140

Chancellor, thanks for the reply, it helps. However I do still have one question; is my certificate of a "higher" level or a "lower" one? I was told that Trinity was one of the higher, possibly highest level certificates for TEFL teachers.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

CELTA providers, and perhaps some CELTA holders, may tell you that a CELTA is the best. Really, though, yours is fine. As long as it has the standard 100+ hours plus several hours of observed practice teaching with real English learners, it's good--and Trinity is generally well-regarded anyway. Really, though, there are "good" certificates that meet the requirements and bad certificates (no practice teaching, not enough hours, trainers not properly qualified or experienced, etc.). If you've got one of the good ones, the name shouldn't matter. If schools insist on only a CELTA, well,... to me, they are either snobs or too lazy or uninformed to know a good certificate from a bad one.

I disagree that TESOL and TESL are the same. TESOL is an umbrella term that covers both ESL and EFL. "Speakers of Other Languages" can be in Anglophone or non-Anglophone countries.

d

mushroomyakuza · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 140

Thanks Denise. I can't remember the number of hours that my course involved, but it included a full weekend at the start, then college once a week for 3 hours on a Thursday as well as 6 teaching practices, 5 of which were observed. Since then I've taught over a hundred hours across two different jobs and had roughly 3-4 observations included within those hours of teaching.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:18 pm Post subject:

Most employers (and for the record, British universities and governmental qualification standards organisations) recognise the Trinity TESOL cert as being exactly the same as the CELTA.

Be careful with the acronyms, though. CELTA is a brand-name. "TESOL" by itself is just an acronym, not refering to a specific qualification.

As long as you remember to call it a Trinity TESOL cert, smart employers won't have an issue. Anyone who claims CELTA is better is probably selling a course.

Best,
Justin

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

I agree that Trinity is quite reputable.

Chancellor · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject:

Chancellor · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:03 pm Post subject:

Chancellor · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:06 pm Post subject:

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject: