Teacher Discussion Forums

Hello. I've been working in japan teaching at JrHS and I'm interested in getting a MA in ESL in order to increase my options an salary - and become a better teacher. The most well known and accredited distance learning program I know of is the CELTA from cambridge. Unfortunately it's very expensive and takes over 3 years to complete. In the US or Australia completing a MA should take between one and two years if you are full time. My question: does anyone have any information or know of distance learning programs that are quality and not as expensive or as long as the CELTA? Hope someone can help me. Thanks in advance!

As far as I am aware, the RSA/UCLES CELTA is an initial ELT/EFL qualification offered standardly as a four-week intensive course at training centres mainly in the UK (with some accredited centres additionally in various countries around the world), although some may offer it on a part-time basis over however many months (gives you more time to do the background reading and prepare ideal lessons, but the lack of so-called "intensity" not doing it full-time may not prepare you for the shock of a real FT teaching job, where prep time will obviously be as if not more limited, at least at first). I haven't heard of a part-time CELTA being offered and/or as taking over one year to complete.

A major component of the CELTA is the observed teaching pratice that the trainees do; I didn't do it part-time so I have no idea how exactly this part of the course is administered with the part-time option, but I suspect you would have to attend at least a full(-time) day or two towards the end of any PT course just so they could assess your teaching live and in person.

I haven't heard of an 'MA in CELTA' (or even in ESL), by the way. The CELTA is meant to be for graduates or those who ought to be able to hack its supposed "toughness". MAs in TESOL or Applied Linguistics etc, on the other hand, are in the UK at least meant more for those who have perhaps a few years of teaching experience and/or a reasonable first degree, and have been developed by the individual universities offering them (such courses can therefore differ in their options according to the research programmes/specialities that the university has, or the interests of individual lecturers etc). An MA would therefore doubtless be academically more rigorous than a CELTA, and more personally rewarding (if you choose one that suits your developing professional interests).

An option that sits kind of in-between these two on paper at least is a diploma-level qualification (e.g. the DELTA), but I personally would skip that and do an MA instead (I reckon the DELTA would generally be just a CELTA "dressed up" a bit with e.g. slightly more "ambitious" reading lists etc).

I agree with fluffy hamster...CELTA is an initial qualification, to prepare ELT teachers for the classroom, that usually takes about four weeks to complete. A CELTA that has been issued by an unaccredited institution will probably be rejected by any good employer. (Unfortuantely, there are many cowboy institutions at this level).

By 'law', you are not allowed to take the DELTA until you have a CELTA and/or completed two years of ELT teaching. This course will cover in greater depth what you are expected to know methodologically as an ELT teacher.

The next step would be applying to a university to get - a postgraduate certificate in applied linguistics or TESOL; a postgraduate diploma, or a M.A or M.Ed. On these courses, you begin to look at things like syllabus development, sociolinguistics, test validity and reliability, second language acquisition, phonetics, research methodology, material development, etc.

Admittedly biased, but I would recommend Exeter University in terms of the teaching quality and support. You can check the Guardian, BBC or TES' league tables for further information.

I am surprised to read that you will get a promotion or a raise if you have a Masters in Japan: as an increasingly popular trend within the MEXT infrastructure is to dispose of 'gaijin' teachers after three or five years, whether they are qualified, brilliant or not.

I am equally doubtful that anyone in your local kyouikuinkai even knows what a CELTA or DELTA is. Why not have tete-a-tete with them about this before applying to do any of the above courses.

Peace & good luck

Lottie