Review of Teaching House
Teaching House is the largest CELTA teacher training center in the United States with locations in New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Washington D.C, Phoenix, Atlanta and Philadelphia. Teaching House has an expanding global network with locations in Canada, Mexico, the UK, Colombia, Spain, and South Africa.
As the most reputable and widely recognized TESOL/TEFL certification of its kind, the CELTA TESOL Certificate is the ideal certificate for anyone seeking specialized professional teacher training. Accepted both in the United States and abroad, teachers qualified with the CELTA TESOL Certificate can pursue positions teaching English to adults or young learners, Business English to professionals, or exam training for internationally-recognized tests like the TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge exams.
Teaching House tutors are highly experienced and qualified. Each trainer has years of experience teaching ESL, and each holds a CELTA and either a DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults) or a Master’s degree in Education. Our trainers combine a passion for training effective teachers and a dedication in assisting with employment post CELTA.
Each course incorporates 6 hours of practical classroom teaching. These multilingual classes involve teaching real ESL students from the community, all from a variety of countries and ranging in age from 18 to 60. Our trainees teach classes of different levels ranging from pre-intermediate to upper-intermediate and cover grammar, vocabulary and skills lessons. As a teacher who has graduated from the CELTA TESOL course, you can be sure you will have the confidence to teach a range of different language lessons to a range of different language levels.
Teaching House sets itself apart from other CELTA TESOL centers by continuing to provide professional help to our trainee teachers even after they’ve completed the course. We give lifelong career assistance and access to Teaching House resources to all our trainees.
Whether you are pursuing a new career in teaching English as a Second Language, or are an experienced teacher seeking an accredited teaching qualification, the University of Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) is the perfect qualification for you!
Become CELTA certified – Apply TODAY! Contact us at 212 732 0277 or email info@teachinghouse.com.
Types of Courses
Locations of Courses
| Overall Rating |   |
| Course Content | |
| Practice Teaching | |
| Quality of Feedback | |
| Lesson Plan Guidance | |
| Instructor Competency | |
| Job Placement |  |
| Facilities/Resources | |
- High School Diploma
- Aged 20 or over
- Have a standard of English which will enable you to teach at a range of levels
95 Customer Reviews of Teaching House
Review by ClassofDec08, January 1, 2009
The most intense and challenging four weeks of my life! I have never worked so hard and learned so much in all my years of education combined. A truly rewarding experience! The instructors were amazing. The ESL students were inspiring. The overall experience was life-changing.
Review by CELTA graduate 2008, January 2, 2009
I highly recommend studying at Teaching House. Even thought it may be a little pricey, it’s worth every penny if you are truly serious about becoming an ESL teacher, whether you decide to teach adults in the US or adults/young learners abroad. The course had a perfect blend of theory and practice- we started teaching practice almost immediately! The instructors were supportive, gave us constructive criticism after our teaching practices, and were friendly and approachable if we had any problems or questions. In addition, we were allowed to borrow books related to TESOL methodology, grammar, and job searching, and had unlimited access to printers and photocopiers. We also have access to the Teaching House website, which enables us to keep in touch with other trainees, post questions/advice on forums, look up various language schools, and check job postings.
Because of the support that I have received at Teaching House, I feel inspired and prepared to enter the field of TESOL, and I am already planning on getting a DELTA in a few years!
Review by John Bandman, January 3, 2009
The previous 2 comments pretty much sum up my experience with the CELTA course I took at Teaching House. The trainers gave very constructive feedback including some very important things about lesson planning and delivery that we don’t think about on an everyday basis when in the teaching profession. The input sessions were helpful in my development as an ESL teacher. (I have been teaching in an unrelated field but this is a different element). Those who plan to take the course definitely will have to do some all-nighters unless you are truly amazing. On the darker side, the input sessions pertaining to things we wrote about in the four assignments could have been done sooner so I did not have to end up cramming to get the additional information into the papers. The instructors I had taught me a great deal, especially about appropriate methods of student participation correction. I also appreciate the way Ryan and Kim are there for us whenever we have questions on their website regarding jobs, countries, standards of living, or specific schools. I count on being able to continue getting that.
Review by Marnie, January 7, 2009
This was more challenging than Law School and infinitely more rewarding on a personal level! The team of trainers and the administrative staff were committed to the success of the class and gave us all the tools we needed to succeed in our chosen career. I would not hesitate to recommend the Teaching House and hopefully a few years down the line they will be offering the DELTA in NYC.
Review by grad, January 13, 2009
This course was worth more than all the money I spent for my undergraduate degree. I recommend this program for anyone considering a Master’s program in TESOL or interested in teaching English abroad. The program will reshape your thinking on many levels. The challenges are rewarding and you will have the opportunity to work with talented instructors and supportive peer teachers. Move past the price for tuition and start filling out the application!
Review by Maureen, January 13, 2009
If teaching is your passion and excellence is your aim, you can find no better program than is offered by Teaching House in NYC.
The instructors are among the most competent and creative professionals you will find anywhere. The course content is challenging and the workload demanding but you will come away with skills and confidence you need to pursue a career in TESOL.
The instructors and staff are with you every step of the way providing teaching practice, insightful feedback, resources and guidance.
I am left a better teacher and I would say a better person for having taken
the Teaching House CELTA course.
Review by Mary P. Willis, January 14, 2009
I thought the Celta Course was truly excellent, in large part because the teachers were really dedicated and talented. The pace was intense, but the course was geared to help the students succeed. I liked that we had to teach from the get go and were able to start with 20 minute classes and work up to an hour. I also thought the peer review was invaluable.
I’ve just started teaching a class at the public library and though I still need practice, I realize how much I learned at Celta.
Review by Teaching House Grad, January 14, 2009
This course was very well run and enjoyable. It is challenging but worth all of the hard work.
Review by Eddie A., January 15, 2009
In retrospect, four terrific weeks with great instructors and wonderful classmates. At the time, I wanted to jump off the nearest building, so intense was the training and so limited my skills.
Now I’m in Moscow, teaching a mix of adults and teens, trying to recall all I learned, and again looking for tall buildings. Still, I wouldn’t have it any other way. At 48, to be reinventing myself in a world far from home, could only happen with an ESL job. TH gave me the chops and the wherewithal to survive and, on my best days, flourish. OK, maybe not flourish, I got carried away there….
Review by coryg, January 15, 2009
Graduate of November 08 class. Very positive experience. I would recommend if you are going to make a career out of this (even if it is temporary)
Review by jodoms, March 2, 2009
Taking the CELTA course with Teaching House NY was one of the best life decisions I’ve ever made. The course is very challenging and extremely rewarding. The instructors are all very helpful, they make themselves readily available at all times which is amazing because they are very busy people. I graduated from the course in Nov. 2008 and I still continue to have communication with the staff regarding any questions about teaching, employment or just letting them know where I am in the world. I gained the knowledge, experience and confidence I needed to feel comfortable teaching and as a career changer this is extremely important. I can’t sing the praises of Teaching House NY enough. Good Luck to everyone!
Review by TH Grad, March 17, 2009
TH was challenging to say the least. Work, research, work, maybe sleep; every moment is filled but you get a load of knowledge and experience from it. The trainers were supportive and understanding, allowing for the occasional tears and keeping us from running away. I was bombarded by offers afterwards, alot were questionable, but some seemed promising – was offered a job in a few months later.
While TH offered all of this, I do wish there was more placement help after instead of just an expansive list of schools. And I was hoping to work in the EU before I took the course only to learn that afterwards it was really hard to even get an email response back (US citizens have a pretty difficult time getting considered for work in the EU).
Remember to ask the right questions, and a lot if need be before signing up or taking any job offer.
Review by David Turner, March 19, 2009
The instructors at Teaching House bring humor, competence, and high expectations to the classroom. Their pace and the breadth of their course work are not for the faint of heart. But one gets from the experience exactly as much as one puts into it.
If you are willing to put almost everything else in your life on hold for one month, this exceptional CELTA school will give you the tools, knowledge, and practical foundation for a rewarding career.
My only advice would be to laugh at yourself when you fall on your face, because you will. But everyone at Teaching House is dedicated to helping you get up, helping you understand why you fell — and helping you stay on your feet when you meet similar circumstances in the real world. True pedagogy.
Review by Steve Stark, April 3, 2009
I completed the CELTA course at Teaching House NY in March 09. It was an excellent experience.
I really cannot overstate how good the course was for me. I entered the course with no ESL teaching experience, and not knowing what to expect other than a demanding workload. I approached each class and every assignment with an earnest desire to do the best I could, and to give it every ounce of my energy. I came out the other side of the course with a strong portfolio (i.e. demonstrable experience that is of value to ESL program directors all over the world), as well as the knowledge and perspective necessary to be a good teacher.
I cannot think of what else one might want from such a course. True, it was expensive, but so long as you realize that you are not buying a certificate – you are enrolling in a class that will turn you into a quality teacher, provided you work hard – I think you will find it well-worth the price.
Review by David Helman, April 8, 2009
Any TEFL course short of a Masters degree is going to be a bit of a mill, but I think is one of the better ones. The tutors/instructors do care about your progress and development as a teacher, and are very competent and knowledgeable at what they do. The assessment and teacher practice sessions were top notch, which to me is the most useful thing a brief course can offer. If you are going to be a teacher, shouldn’t you prepare yourself by teaching? As a CELTA course, the curriculum was intense and comprehensive covering both general and ELT methods and theory that I hope to put into practice with my first TEFL job.
While I was attracted to the course for its location and CELTA “brand name” TEFL credential, you get a lot more than than a officially looking certificate, you gain confidence and know-how to teach English well virtually anywhere in the world.
If you are able to take the course in New York (and are willing to work VERY hard) during this intensive course, I highly recommend it.
Review by Sept 08 Grad, May 19, 2009
Great course, I think the people who wanted to jump off buildings are being a little dramatic, it was intense but anyone who went to college can handle that. Trainers were excellent, especially Tasha. Tons of feedback and accessible trainers when lesson planning. Great students too! Highly recommend.
Review by anna, May 24, 2009
An excellent choice for TEFL prep. You’ll get your money’s worth and you’ll be in New York…and have a CELTA under your belt. Teachers are very knowledgeable and willing to give their time.
Review by Pawel A. Slabiak, November 1, 2009
Review of the October 2009 Intensive CELTA course at Teaching House IH NY.
I enrolled in the CELTA training at Teaching House IH NY for common-sense reasons: First, it’s the only CELTA course available in New York City, where I live and work; Second, the Teaching House website looks professional, and reassuringly lacks promissory, overly optimistic babble; Third, teaching House has good reviews in online communities. I chose the intensive course model because it packs the whole program into four consecutive weeks. I chose that five weeks ago, and now that it’s over, I am convinced it was worth every penny.
Course Structure:
Our cohort comprised 18 trainees and 3 tutors. Almost every day consisted of input sessions and teaching practice. Input sessions were aimed at transmitting to us the ABCs of student-centered, communicative teaching. Teaching practice challenged us to turn that knowledge into a skill. The weeks were thickly layered with observation, analysis, preparation, practice, and feedback. Logistics worked very well: All trainees had copies of the schedule and necessary paperwork, so there were no surprises in terms of teaching practice dates, topics covered during input sessions, deadlines for written assignments, etc.
Tutors & Staff:
The tutors – undoubtedly experienced – are supportive, positive, motivating, and engaging. Aside from working with them, meeting them is a pleasure. The staff is friendly, and mostly out of sight (I guess they’re busy doing their jobs, making the courses run smoothly.)
Workload:
They don’t call it intensive for nothing. I pulled through the course while working about 20 hours a week, but those 20 hours meant I had 17-hour days for four weeks straight, and wasn’t able to complete all the lesson-related paperwork, which factors into trainee assessment. My interviewer advised me prior to enrollment that it would be difficult to maintain such a schedule, so I was prepared. However, I suggest that you clear your schedule before taking the Teaching House CELTA if you can – there will be loads of work, and then some. For all the intensity, though, I quite enjoyed the ride, and do recommend it.
Review by March 8th class, April 8, 2010
Very effective and efficient method, the CELTA. Teaching House classes are taught by excellent and experienced trainers. Highly recommended for those both with and without prior teaching experience. Will make you a better teacher.
Review by Pete, October 8, 2010
I found this company to be quite incompetent, and the course they offered to be very disorganized, especially for the $2,500.00 they charge.
They did not have interested students to practice teaching English to, and ended up having to pay students with free tickets to Sea World to come in for free English lessons. Often when you were supposed to teach, no students were there to teach, so the teaching practice time had to be rescheduled which interferes with the course schedule since you must again make time for the teaching practice. With the workload required for the course, extra time is not really available. Those “students” who did show up for English lessons were not really interested in being there, thus when trying to teach what few students that were there one felt like they were talking to robots.
The course is supposed to teach a prospective teacher of the English language how to teach foreign people the English language. The curriculum and jargon used is confusing to those who who have never taught English, and the instructors offered very little if any assistance or explanations for questions asked or assistance requested , usually telling you to “look it up in the book”.
I would not recommend this school for CELTA teaching to anyone. Find some other company to take a CELTA from.
Review by Eric Snow, January 4, 2011
TH offers a wonderful program with great teacher-trainers. I would recommend this program to anyone with an interest in teaching English as a second language. Beware; the “job placement” isn’t as advertised, & the usual “intensive” program is a bit stressful. TH intensive CELTA side effects include insomnia, lack of appetite, lack of time to eat, high blood pressure, choking, & seizures…..SERIOUSLY. If you have a choice you should ask to be in Sophie’s course, she’s a wonderful teacher. I’ve taught English in the past without training and now know that was a colossal mistake. If you can shell out 2,500 clams, I can’t imagine a much better program. I think I learned more in those 23 course days than a typical semester in college.
Review by Cheryl, March 18, 2011
I completed the course February 11, 2011. It exceeded all expectations. I learned enough in 4 weeks to go out into the world and teach. The students were enthusiastic and engaged, and enough of them showed up even during the blizzard for classes to proceed. Classes were not cancelled for snow! It is intensive–cancel all social life for the month except for 2 or 3 hours on the weekend. Robert Palisin and Abby Ward are excellent and well-trained tutors with a good sense of humor. I could complain about the copying machine breaking down, but a repair person did come promptly. I recommend Teaching House to anybody and everybody who wants to teach English to speakers of other languages.
Review by Kristin, April 8, 2011
I loved this course and felt it taught me a lot. The most frustrating element for me was the fact that, as stated in other reviews, the “job placement assistance” was/is basically nonexistent. A couple things here and there, but then again, I am trying to stay in NYC to teach, which they have less offers for. That all said, I had some great teachers and amazing peers and really had a lot of fun. I don’t think it was as intense as some people have said. I never really felt that overwhelmed, but I did learn a lot in a short amount of time. I definitely recommend this to anyone!
Review by Alexandra, July 8, 2011
I left this course extremely satisfied. Robert, Jackie, and Abby were great teacher trainers. We taught and observed every morning and learned teaching techniques, lesson planning, job search skills, phonology, etc. in the afternoons. It was a challenging course, and to do well, you must abandon your social life during the week or risk under-performing. I got a job while I was taking the course with the help of one of my trainers and feel prepared to start teaching ESL professionally. I recommend having a solid command of English grammar – speaking English is not enough! – and having some experience teaching ESL before starting the course because those two things will make it easier. I highly recommend getting your CELTA at Teaching House.
Review by Luke, August 14, 2011
I took CELTA in Los Angeles & it was veeery informative. This course doesn’t waste any time; on the second day you will already teach your first 20 minute lesson to non-native speakers. Before enrolling I didn’t know anything about how to structure an english lesson, the difference between systems and skills, how to make sure the students are actually understood what I had them saying, and a whole plethora of other teaching skills that could not possibly fit here. Now I not only understand these skills, I’m can’t wait to keep using them!!! My teachers (Sandra and Lizzy) helped me in so many ways and were very patient when I needed clarification on anything (& I needed lots of clarification lol).
If you’re going to do CELTA, here are a few tips:
BEFORE THE COURSE:
1) Actually do the optional pre-course task; they didn’t send it to you by accident.
2) Familiarize yourself with pages 13-34 of the Intensive Celta Handbook. This whole class is basically about how you teach and these pages will get you prepared for what’s coming. (I’m pretty sure that NOBODY actually looks at this book or even knows what it is beforehand, so if you do you’ll be well prepared).
ONCE YOU’RE IN THE COURSE:
1) Thoroughly learn whatever target language you are going to teach in your next lesson. You want to be the expert teacher with the simplest explanations.
2) When preparing your next lesson, first briefly outline what you’re going to do, then use the 3 forms (cover page, procedures page, & language analysis) to help you make it a proper lesson. The mistake that many people would make, including myself, was to mindlessly fill out the forms, and THEN start thinking about how to put together the lesson with the little time left over. DON’T do that. NEVER-EVER. The forms can be your best friend if you let them guide you through your lesson-planning.
Best of luck!!!
Luke Sinquefield
Review by John Gautreau, August 18, 2011
In all honesty this was the toughest month of my life, harder than my Master’s degree. But the content was well worth it. I only wish this was available when I began my teaching career, but I will use it from this time forward. A special thanks to Lizzy Adams and Sandra Kohls, two tough but wise ladies. This felt like boot camp and they were my drill sargents, but I love them nonetheless, thank you my drill sargents I hope to make you proud, you are a credit to CELTA and Cambridge!
Review by J. Mann, October 25, 2011
Liked:
The input sessions were well-designed.
The instructors were (for the most part) experienced, considerate, and helpful with us developing our lesson plans.
There were real language students from a half-dozen countries to practice teach.
The feedback we got on our teaching was thoughtful and helped considerably.
The course is every bit as thorough, challenging, and intense as it claims to be. Either the inner teacher in you will emerge, or it won’t.
Disliked:
From what I could gather, the course is supposed to be taught by two instructors. We had one (Abby) who stayed with us for the whole course, and the other one changed twice due to disorganization within Teaching House, which led to us having four trainers overall. This was frustrating when we were trying to develop as teachers and needed consistent feedback on our progress. There were some other clerical things about the course that were rather disorganized, which wouldn’t be a problem in a college course, but in a hyper-intense teaching course, added to the misery.
A couple of times I was asking questions of a certain instructor, whom I won’t name, while she was walking to her office, and was told to get help from a classmate. WTF? I didn’t pay an exorbitant sum of money to be blown off when I need help.
The cost is exorbitant, considering that you can fly from New York to some training centers in Europe, take the same course, and fly back for almost the same price. For $2,500, I should not have to pay to use the school’s xerox machine, or be “limited” to only two transparency sheets from the office.
The “job placement” is a joke. Instructors said they would “research” the countries we were interested in, but this consisted of a printout about what it is like to work in each country and average salaries. On the last day, our instructor asked us if any of us had brought in a resume for her to look at for improvement. Since she hadn’t mentioned this the day before, no one had. She said she would offer input if we emailed them to her. Two of us did after the course ended, and heard absolutely nothing back from her.
Overall, I would not recommend TH New York. The CELTA is excellent and I don’t regret taking it, but if (God forbid) I had to go through that grueling month again, I would do it somewhere else.
Review by Pat Tobin, May 27, 2012
If I had realized what was ahead I would never have taken this course.
The intensity of the demands were fine. I am used to working hard.
If only I had been warned of the rote learning approach. The information tossed at students who are expected to behave in a fairly robotic manner.
A rigid structure does not make for a cohesive body of knowledge.
The constant evaluation of these courses requires quantitative input. The purpose of the courses is now simply to produce fodder for the quant machine.
Review by Claire Wuellner, July 16, 2012
Overall, this was a great course – I really felt like I accomplished my personal goals and got some great feedback. I learned how to plan lessons effectively and really got to put more lessons to the test. On the other hand, I feel like this course was lacking in rigorous input material, and could’ve used a content test at the end. Based on my observation, trainees who needed a lot more work on content, not planning, would have benefited from more in-depth feedback sessions.
Review by Nomadic Soul, July 28, 2012
I just finished the CELTA course at Teaching House NYC. Overall, I loved the course and really feel I learnt a great deal. It was by far one of the most intensive and challenging course I’ve ever taken. The $2500 tuition was well worth it and I got my money’s worth.
One of my tutors was a fella name Ben H. He’s by a long shot one of the best teachers I’ve ever had in my life. The guy really knows how to teach English. He was easy-going, funny, personable and had a wealth of knowledge. This guy is the epitome of what an English language teacher is suppose to be.
My other tutor was another British named Lizzy A. She was the antithesis of Ben. She didn’t know anything! She had the personality of a snail and couldn’t show anyone how to teach a lick of English. She was brash and outrageously incompetent. If she’s your tutor, she’ll never have one good thing to say about your lesson. She’s the kind of teacher that’ll tell you everything you’re doing wrong and nothing you’re doing right, so you don’t really know how well you’re doing.
In the end, I would most definitely recommend the CELTA course. My advice is to see who your tutors are going to be before you sign up for the course. I think the only person you should avoid teaching you at Teaching House NYC is Lizzy A. All the other tutors there are fantastic from what I’ve been hearing.
Review by Paul, August 17, 2012
This is a pretty great course, provided you have 3 G’s to throw down and don’t have a job. I say $3,000 (and probably more if you’re moving to NYC for this course) because of added costs. I was commuting from NJ half the time, and from Brooklyn the other half. Your guess as to which was cheaper and more convenient. Don’t work while you’re taking the course, either, because you’ll have enough to do without having to worry about a real job at the same time.
The course content is wonderful. I had two years of ESL teaching experience prior to taking it and I still learned a lot of useful information. Teaching practice was sufficient – I wish that we had some more time in the classroom, to be honest, but they have to accommodate everyone and have a small amount of time for everything. The feedback was always helpful and constructive. The trainers (Ben, Helen, and Lizzy) maintained a positive attitude and this influenced me to give other trainees good criticism, rather than focusing on negatives. The trainers were very knowledgeable and capable of passing that knowledge down to trainees.
Job placement isn’t guaranteed and the staff make sure that you understand this before enrolling. That said, there are a few input sessions at the end which provide trainees with interview practice and knowledge of ESL job resources, websites, recruiters and the like. Also, if you manage to work some of what you learned in CELTA into your real interviews, you will find a job. I can say that I have already been successful in finding an excellent job only three weeks after the course finished.
Finally, don’t expect the copy machines to work. Ever!
Thank you Ben, Lizzy, and Helen for your tutelage.
Review by Jacob, September 5, 2012
I’ll start with the positive:
In retrospect, this course was excellent preparation for teaching English both for private tutoring and in the classroom (I have since done both). The course content was for the most part excellent, but I felt that if they just changed the structure around, it wouldn’t be as excruciating by the end of the fourth week (they really do not need to drag out the morning sessions as much as they do for three hours). I think the most rewarding aspect was the TP; I had not had any prior teaching experience before, and being thrown into teaching on the second day of class was a great eye opener for me.
The neutral:
As far as the scheduling goes, I think they could really skip guided lesson planning by the end of the third week (maybe even the second), and also cut out an hour for the teaching sessions in the morning. By the end of it, each and every day was just way too long. They could easily have it be a 11-5 day instead of 9:45-5:30. I know that’s how Cambridge sets it up, but still. Lesson plan guidance was both good and bad. I found the instructors to be a bit condescending when it came to feedback, but you get over it and shrug it off and by the end of it; their advice made me much more confident in my teaching.
The really negative elements:
I also had Abby as an instructor, and in addition to her, we had two temporary instructors. The first instructor we had was an excellent and effective teacher, but almost evil with her feedback she gave us after TP. This seemed however to be very typical of the condescending and arrogant mentality that Cambridge has with ESOL toward CELTA trainees though. The second instructor was much more personable and equally as effective in her teaching skills, so no negatives on her. But back to Abby. Abby would eventually begin to text while the trainees were teaching, and she would arbitrarily give feedback to us in a way that made the worst people in our TP group stand out and the better ones become discouraged with their lack of positive feedback. It was really obnoxious and demoralizing. It was hard to take her telling us to be quiet during TP in the back of the class, when she wasn’t even paying attention to the trainee she was supposed to be observing as well. Considering she was the main tutor for the course it was not a good representation for Teaching House.
Teaching House is also not that organized for how much the class costs. I was literally bombarded with three e-mails asking where my check was since it was only sent on the day it was due to New York, and they got so petty with me that they wanted me to somehow send a photocopy of the already sent check to them. I had to kindly remind them without getting angry that I just sent them my whole summer salary to them via USPS that it was on its way. I felt badly that I didn’t pay them on time, but then I began to realize how much the course was overpriced for the quality; we didn’t receive textbooks for the first two weeks of the class for one of the TP groups. I thought that was completely unacceptable, and the lack of outside resources that were needed by the end of the class was also unacceptable.
Job placement is something that gets tricky, because it should be their job to aid you in being an effective candidate, but sadly, so much of their curriculum focuses on the six hours that you teach for the class (and you will never hear the end of their wonderful curriculum either through the instructors or through the assessor that comes), that they never really go over what life is like as an ESOL teacher in the real world nor what to expect in interviews. As other reviews have said, it consisted of the instructor barely printing out information about specific countries (and you would think with only 12 students, who all chose rather “mainstream” countries like Russia, Korea, Taiwan, Germany etc to teach in she could have found information on all of them – alas she of course did not). We also looked at some really painful resumes that any employer in any field would laugh at, but the instructor was also indifferent to those too. She never really gave the proper feedback on what should be fixed. I understand that it takes some work to get into the course, much less pay for it, but some of the CELTA trainees in our class really needed some much needed guidance on finding a job and living in these countries that they so desperately wanted to go to. But when you combine quasi superiority with Cambridge and CELTA and their UK instructors with American ignorance about foreign lands, it can be a fatal combination for rational thought.
I also think they need to do a better job with finding Teaching House locations, because the Chicago location really only consisted of a tiny study room that they called “the office” and then two classrooms that they rented in Loyola’s law building downtown.
I think overall, the course is great and could be better with some minor changes with timing and scheduling. The problems however, have to do with the instructors and Teaching House (and sadly for how tough the curriculum and Cambridge standards are, you would think that their trainers would be much more consistent quality-wise). Teaching House does not have very good organization and their prices (which are standard for CELTA courses, are not in anyway reflective of their administration of the course).
I would recommend taking the CELTA if I were you as a current ESOL teacher, but maybe try and do some background checking on the specific class you want to take at TH. (Hint: Find out who the instructors will be!)
Review by Inna, October 14, 2012
Extremly informative and intensive!! Beneficial for would be and present English teachers no matter how much experience they already have! By the moment I joined CELTA ,I had been working as a university professor teaching General English and Business English for MBA students in St.Petersburg,Russia, for 10 years, and nevertheless this programm did contribute to my professional knowledge and skills. Interesting and fascinating 4 weeks,although really exausting and stressful in terms of big amount of work ,which is supposed to be done not only during the classes,but also outside the classes: pages and pages of lesson plans and assignments, which will probably take most of your night sleep away..If you are ready to forget about everything else for 1 month of your life and dedicate yourself completely to the studies -go for that! You’ll finally be awarded with a lot of useful knowledge and practice on top of Cambridge Certificate with Pass/Pass B/ Pass A grades.So good luck and all the best !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review by KEVIN LUPO, October 15, 2012
This was a great course overall. I took the 10 Week part time schedule. It was very challenging. The students were great and my fellow teachers were great.
The course covered a wide variety of things that will, at least, lay a good base of knowledge that you can expand upon as you further your teaching.
The practice teaching was rough at times. I feel like there might be a better way to ease you into it. But, as long as you use the student and teacher feedback, you can keep improving. I think that is what helped me through it. Knowing that you aren’t good, yet improving through feedback.
The overall competency of the instructors was great. There were some inconsistencies between each teacher which sometimes cause problems in which direction you should take a lesson or if/when to ask questions and such things. The transition from the Pre-Intermediate class to the Upp-Int class did not go smoothly, I will say. It seemed there was a breakdown among the teachers.
Facilities were nice (although quite hot at times). The copier was not the best, but they have a great library. Job placement seemed to be non-existent. But, instructors do offer themselves as a resource if you need help or guidance in a job search.
Overall, it was a great, not perfect experience. I’d recommend CELTA to anyone interested.
It is something you have to be prepared to put time into and be ready to be humbled.
Review by MW, October 15, 2012
Cannot imagine not having taken the CELTA before starting my ESL job search. I feel so much more prepared now than I did before the course.
The tutors were extremely encouraging and supportive, the teaching practice was invaluable, and I also made some great friends and started to build a nice support network for when I begin teaching abroad.
If you are interested in teaching ESL, you won’t regret taking this course!
Review by Nikki Abesamis, October 28, 2012
I completed my CELTA course in July 2012 at this location (a few months after I graduated college) and absolutely loved it. I thought the trainers were great and very knowledgable. I would highly recommend this course for people who have no experience in formal teacher training. My undergraduate degrees are in Psychology and Human Development but I am teaching English in the Peace Corps for a few years (beginning in January 2013) before continuing with Psychology in graduate school. A few weeks after CELTA I was hired to teach two advanced classes at the UCEDA Institute in New Brunswick. I was very thankful for this opportunity as it is great practice before I leave for the Peace Corps.
CELTA is very tiring since it is only 4 weeks long, but it definitely helped. When I lesson plan now I ask myself what the aims are of each lesson and I really make sure every activity I do in class has a purpose. I also keep every class student-centered. For me, my favorite part of the course was getting to know everyone in my class. My teaching practice group was always very honest with one another during feedback. You learn a lot about yourself when other people watch you teach!
Lastly, it’s important to remember that once you earn your CELTA it is a major accomplishment but you do not have to follow every little thing you learned in CELTA once you’re teaching your own classes. In the real world you won’t have trainers/peers watch you teach and take notes on you so it is definitely more fun and less stressful.
Review by Rita Rozzi, October 28, 2012
This is the place if you are serious about teaching English as a foreign language. This was apparent to me from the very first day with the professionalism of the instructors.
We were taught in the same way were being taught to teach which gave me the motivation to strive to do my best in the course because this method is VERY effective!
Also, the CELTA certificate is as prestigious as they say: The first day after the course ended I called an ELS language school at the local university to see if they were looking for teachers. Once she found out that I had my CELTA, she asked me to send in my résumé and scheduled an interview with me!
Review by Virginia, October 29, 2012
I definitely recommend getting your CELTA at The Teaching House. Our group was lucky enough to get fabulous instructors(Heather and Sharon) who work as hard for us as we did for our CELTA. They were always helpful for guiding us, and I feel it benefited my understanding of the teaching style, as well added to the experiences I already had teaching others. There were lots of positive’s to the daily routine, and everyday was packed with new things that are necessary to think about when teaching.
The Teaching House in New York I felt was very well equipped, despite the copier issues (as that is everywhere in an office job!), I felt that it was a good facility to learn at.
Although I found a most of the course to be enjoyable, I did not enjoy the video lessons(about 2 or 3) as much, but they were observations and served their purpose. Live instructors are a bit easier to focus on in the morning after staying up preparing for lessons the night before.
Our instructors were a great team and were on the same page with each other. Both provided extensive feedback and they always pointed out positive and negatives of each lesson, even when we wanted to just discuss the negatives. The GLP’s (lesson planning) was very thorough.
As for job placement they give you enough tools to go and do it yourself. I picked up some pointers, as I wanted to change from teaching children to teaching adults. They answered most questions to the best of their knowledge.
I also feel that although the course is intense at times, if you time manage well you will not stress too much. I would definitely go back for my DELTA in a few years time.
Review by Taylor Davis, October 29, 2012
This class is a great investment if you want to get involved with teaching abroad. It is definitely challenging–you should probably block off the four weeks you have to complete the course, as you will not have much free time. There are three things that I love about this course:
1) The teachers really care. Although the work ultimately rests on your shoulders, the teachers I encountered went above and beyond to help every student improve. They all take there jobs very seriously–but at the same time, manage to maintain a fun environment.
2) The students: I’m not sure if I just happened to luck out or what, but everyone in our class was wonderful to work with. The drama was definitely kept to a minimum. Everyone was very friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in each other. Good stuff.
3) I found the hands-on part of the course (roughly half of the course) to be the most helpful. The only way to really learn how to tech is to go out into the middle of the room and start teaching. They put you in there at the very beginning. I love how they transition from shorter classes to longer ones. I also appreciated the variety of teaching levels each student is asked to tackle.
People have complained about job placement, but I found work with them directly after graduating–which ended up paying more than what I paid for tuition in the first place. It all worked out. Plus, it’s not that hard to find something overseas if you just look.
Another complaint I’ve heard is that the printer was always broke. Guess what people. That’s the real world.
Overall, my experience was great. It really prepared me for this next stage in life in the best way possible.
Review by Helen, November 5, 2012
I took the course in NYC, and it was an excellent course. I felt like I learned a lot in a month, and the programs gives you great real life teaching experience and feedback on points for improvement. The course gives a really great comprehensive overview on how to be an ESL teacher.
Review by Sara Saba, November 9, 2012
I really enjoyed doing the CELTA course at Teaching House NY.
The course was very intense and challenging but very enjoyable.
I’ve truly learnt a lot and will definitely be allotting the skills I’ve acquired in my future teaching career.
The instructors r highly professional ad very helpful.
All in all I can truly say I’ve immensely enjoyed this course and would recommend it to anyone who wishes to teach English to non native speakers in a more student centered style and environment.
Review by Jon Waldron, November 12, 2012
I completed my CELTA at Teaching House New York. My teacher trainers (tutors) Sharon and Heather were professional, well qualified, learned, but humane and approachable. They were always willing to take a moment out of their own time to help me with a question. I enjoyed their friendliness and sense of humor while simultaneously pushing me to produce and execute the best lessons possible. Their lesson demonstrations in class, informational handouts, and advice will all be invaluable to me in the future.
Review by Maha El Sherif, November 16, 2012
Doing the CELTA at Teaching House is the best decision I ever made. I had almost registered to do the CELTA at the British Council here in Egypt, when I came across Teaching House’s website, and then all my plans changed. Teaching House not only made it completely easy and accessible for me to apply and register, but also offered a lot of help and guidance on all the logistics, thanks to their prompt and thorough administrative staff, a shout out to Tessa!
My course ran June18- Jul13, 2012 and I truly think that I was so lucky to have done it then, because I do not believe I would have gotten a better combination of trainers if I had asked/prayed/paid for it. I had Lizzy, Heather, Debra Lunt, who had come as a trainer from Australia just for our course, and Sharon, who had just joined Teaching House. I am so lucky to have had a chance to learn something from each of these amazing women and am really glad to say, I used to appreciate that everyday while on the course.
CELTA has definitely polished and refined my teaching skills in ways that would always stay with me and has certainly inspired me as well as given me confidence in the teaching methods that I use. CELTA has also inspired me to do my DELTA which i would of course apply to at Teaching House.
Much love,
Maha xx
Review by Bek, November 19, 2012
The CELTA course was comparable to graduate school’s intensity. I liked it very much. I thank Heather and Sharon for their teaching and comments. I had it all: input sessions, CCQs, blue books, ICQs, anchoring, TBT, TTT, readings, assignments, resubmissions, teaching, comments, confusions, questions, wonderful students, experienced teachers, and sweet memories.
Review by Shelby, November 21, 2012
The course I completed with Teaching House New York was a perfect example of kind but firm. There was no false advertisement, the intensive course was intensive and the interviewee was correct in telling me not to plan much for my four weeks of CELTA. I learned a great deal and got a good amount of experience, guidance and feedback during this course.
The content was focused on teaching itself and information about English that is either difficult to find on your own OR something that you wouldn’t have even thought to look up. They give you a lot of information and handouts that are useful, I kept all of mine.
The teaching practice was very well organized. We always had a sizable classroom full of students at different levels and from a variety of backgrounds. It helped that the students in my particular course were quite understanding and outgoing. Teaching House NY seems to have created a very comfortable environment for both students and teachers alike.
The trainers I had, Heather and Sharon, were both serious and understanding. They made themselves available for support but did a great deal to insure that you left the course feeling independent and capable of developing your abilities. They gave feedback that was realistic and helpful. They also did a great job of teaching you to assess your own abilities. I’m not sure if it was intentional but I felt that the dynamic they had together was perfect. Their personalities were different but it was clear that their goals were the similar if not the same. Furthermore, the staff at Teaching House NY in general was very friendly and available. I received a lot of help, advice and even empathy from a number of people who worked there when I needed it!
There was technically no “job placement” but Teaching House did have lessons focused on the process of finding employment. I’ll say that I was certainly more prepared for the job market in the ESL world than I was before taking the course. Teaching House NY also made a point to tell graduating students about employment opportunities that they themselves have. They also have a website with a job board that is available to you as soon as you’re officially enrolled.
Teaching House NY was open pretty late which was fantastic for those of us taking the intensive course. There were a lot of things at your disposal including a library of workbooks (for both teachers and students) and books on English grammar and teaching. They also had a large computer lab, whiteboards, overhead projectors, CD & DVD players etc. There is one photocopier/printer available to students which is both evil and a wonderful way of teaching you the importance of time management. I still have dreams about taking the photocopier out back and destroying it, Office Space style.
If you’re committed to working hard and putting a lot of time and effort into this course then Teaching House is a great place to be. I highly recommend Teaching House New York, Heather and Sharon in particular.
Review by Harry, November 23, 2012
My experience at CELTA fully prepared me for teaching jobs both abroad and in the US. Immediately after the course I felt comfortable teaching learners of all ages and skill levels, youth to adults, beginner to advanced. Beyond the comprehensive training, employers are always impressed by the CELTA name.
I recommend Teaching House in New York for a CELTA training program. My trainer, Sharon Balani, was very knowledgable and encouraging throughout the course. Her guidance and the guidance of other trainers help to make the very challenging course manageable and enjoyable. The strengths of the program at Teaching House include the practice teaching and the accompanying lesson planning and feedback. Very relevant resources are available to plan lessons, and experienced trainers offer thorough feedback in a manner that is easy to digest. If there was one drawback to the program it would be the career services offered after the fact. Teaching House offers just a small job board and no continuous counseling. However, my trainer, Sharon, has always offered her support and her letters of reference for any of my job searches.
Overall, I highly recommend Teaching House in New York for a CELTA training course, and I recommend the CELTA course in general.
Review by Meredith Haines, November 26, 2012
I took the CELTA course at Teaching House with Heather and Sharon in New York from October 22nd- November 16th. I had no idea what to expect, little experience as a teacher, and was overall terrified. The course, however, turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. The instructors were incredibly insightful and helpful and made the topic interesting and interactive for everyone. We had a small mishap over the term of our course known as Hurricane Sandy, and unfortunately the school had to close for three days, leaving us to cram three weeks of work into the last two weeks. The tutors were sympathetic and sensitive towards this situation and worked at great lengths to help us finish on time. Teaching House doesn’t offer job placements, but the tutors answered any and all questions we had regarding the job search and continue to help us after the course. I would HIGHLY recommend this course.
Review by Mia Armstrong, November 27, 2012
My experience with Teaching House, Washington D.C. was one I will always remember. The instructors Lizzy Adams and Richard Grant were awesome. Their feedback was always thorough and tailored to the trainees’ individual teaching style. I felt like I was always pushed to the next level and was never allowed to just coast, which I am grateful for.
The classroom became my second home during these 4 weeks. The work is extensive however, once you come out on the other side, you feel so accomplished and ready to hit the ground running.
The application / interview process went seamlessly. I initially signed up for the class in New York, however due to lodging reasons I was able to effortlessly change my location and I am glad I did. As a part of the first class in D.C., I feel we got the cream of the crop in terms of instruction
I would definitely recommend Teaching House for anyone planning on taking the CELTA. No hassle, great reputation and an accessible network post-completion.
For confessions of some of my classmates, check out the videos via this link – http://youtu.be/oq6CvkJ_sHk & http://youtu.be/9-QRllVMwro
Review by LaNesha Hammett, November 28, 2012
When I took the course about a year ago, I was slightly nervous about the task ahead of me. I had never taught English as a second language, I had no experience teaching adults,and to top it all off, I’m a Muslim woman who wears the veil. Needless to say, I was a bit scared. Would the instructors be understanding and helpful? Would the other people taking the course keep their distance from me? Would my students want to learn from me? What if I’m given a lesson to teach and I struggle with it? What if I totally fail a teaching lesson?
Thankfully a few of my fears were laid to rest on the very first day. My teaching instructors were warm, inviting, and very engaging. They made us feel completely comfortable, eased our anxieties, and gave us a glimpse of what we should expect throughout the course.
My instructor, Sharon Balani, was wonderful!! She has a passion and a deep understanding of what she’s doing, and she explains things so clearly. She’s so knowledgeable in her field, that I wanted to consult her and seek her advice and input for every lesson that I had while she was teaching me. Every bit of information that I received from Sharon has been invaluable and has served me well in my career.
I absolutely recommend this course for anyone whose interested in a career in teaching English to non native speakers! You will be so happy that you did.
Review by Chace, November 30, 2012
My course in NYC was better than I ever expected. I had two brilliant instructors Lizzy and Sophie who made the course not only educational, but also very alluring. I had zero teaching experience and this course helped me to learn what it takes inside and out of the classroom. My favorite part was the actual teaching of a class because I believe that the best teacher is experience and to dive in right from the beginning was intense, but very rewarding. After only a month of training I felt I had a firm grasp on what was needed of me in order to help students learn English. I am very grateful for the course and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to teach English. The opportunities to connect with other cultures and peoples though Teaching House are enticing enough.
Review by Dana, December 1, 2012
Looking back on my CELTA course experience, I have to say that it was a wonderful experience. Starting the course, I was very insecure and unsure. The teachers at the New York location really had their lessons well planned and were able to make one feel as though they were getting personalized guidance. Yes, it was intense. Yes, there was a bit of stress when they teach you something new in the morning and you are expected to apply it to your lesson that afternoon, but the results in my teaching skills were drastically improved.
Thank you all for the confidence and support. Lizzy and Sophie were great teachers.
Review by George Chan, December 1, 2012
I took the intensive course in NYC, and it was an excellent course. I felt like I learned a lot in a month although the schedule did get hectic at times but the programs did give me great real life teaching experience which is always invaluable and feedback on points for improvement from both my fellow trainees and the instructors Lizzy and Brian. The course gave me a really great comprehensive overview on how to be an ESL teacher.
Review by Suzanne K, December 1, 2012
This course exceeded my expectations in every way. Previous to enrolling in the CELTA I had considered a different course with less rigorous credentials, but I’m glad I decided to do the CELTA. The intensity of this course is immense, but with completion came the confidence that I had the skills required to actually teach on my own.
My trainers Lizzy and Ben were fantastic–super knowledgeable, they were tremendously effective with their advice and criticism of my teaching, but at the same time they were fair and really invested in helping us grow as teachers. There’s a real sense of camaraderie at Teaching House which helped sustain us students over an often grueling four weeks.
The course input sessions were well-presented and informative, but practice teaching was the most beneficial part of the CELTA program. Here you actually get to teach real ESL students–no peer demos are involved. The bulk of the training for my first ESL job was peer demoing, which made me realize how useful teaching actual English learners was. The only way to learn how to teach is to actually do it, and then get feedback from experienced teachers, and Teaching House provides both.
As Ben said, you can get a TEFL diploma from a “Mickey Mouse” school, but in the ESL world it’s the CELTA qualification that actually means something. Teaching House’s course was professionally presented, on par with a course at a good university. As corny as it sounds, the four weeks helped me grow as a professional and as a person, and there’s no higher recommendation in my mind.
Review by Patrizia, December 1, 2012
I took the CELTA course with Lizzy and Sophie in November 2011 and had such a good time with both of them! They were so supportive, encouraging, professional and demanding at the same time. They were the perfect role models to me as they seemed so devoted, passionate and knowledgable about the ESL field and teaching in general. Even though the course was very demanding they kept us in good spirits with their high level of energy and enthusiasm.
After receiving my CELTA certificate I definitively felt much more prepared to venture into the teaching field. Since I wanted to stay in NYC for a while more after finishing the course I started applying to different language schools in the city and got right away a couple of job offers. So having a CELTA definitively opened up a lot of new possibilities for me.
Thanks again Lizzy and Sophie – I will never forget your professional guidance, warmth and positive energy!
Review by Emily Miller, December 3, 2012
I took my CELTA course in November of 2011 at International House, New York. This was before you could take a CELTA in Washington, DC, so I was adjusting to a new city as well. My concentration in Public and Community Health at the University of Maryland provided me with a basic background in education, but I had no formal teaching experience prior to this course.
The course was as intensive, if not more, as we had been warned. Each day presented countless opportunities to absorb communicative teaching techniques, as we were instructed utilizing them and then expected to incorporate them into our own lessons. I had expected a slightly higher quality of resources for lesson planning, but the school I am currently working in (a half-private school in Spain serving wealthy families) has none at all! Thus, it might be best to acclimate taking full advantage of the Internet as early as possible. There were times that I felt a bit overwhelmed as there was a somewhat high standard of self sufficiency; however, this is a tremendous skill to develop as an educator and furthermore the tutors were always readily available to me.
Lizzy Adams and Sophie Bryce, my two CELTA tutors, brought a dynamic energy to the classroom that encouraged me to create the same positive and engaging learning environment in my own lessons. They made the course fun and interesting and were true insprirations in how I would want to be seen as an educator.
I am now working as an auxiliar in Spain at a primary school and therefore a CELTAYL may have had a bit more application, but I believe I was sufficiently prepared with a foundation on which to build ESL teaching principles upon. The overall experience was truly eye-opening and I highly recommend it to anyone considering teaching English as a second language.
Review by Kevin, December 4, 2012
Teaching House and the CELTA Certification profoundly changed my perspectives about Language Learning. I entered Teaching House hoping to earn an ESL certification just to make some extra money while I pursued my Ph.D. in Classics; but I graduated Teaching House with some of the most supportive friends (many of whom I still keep in contact with almost 2 years later) and a completely new career! After earning a CELTA certification, I actually decided to leave my Ph.D. program and pursue graduate work in TESOL at Columbia University where I am currently finishing my second graduate degree. However, I could not have achieved these goals without the rigorous demands of the Teaching House program and Sharon Balani’s assistance both during and after my CELTA program was completed. As an ESL professional in the NYC Public School system, I take with me many of the strategies and methods I internalized at Teaching House, often discovering that much of what I learned complements my graduate career in ways I never imagined. I recommend this program for those who are truly serious about ESL/EFL and hope to have a career in one of the most exciting professions.
Review by K.M., December 9, 2012
Just finished the course in Chicago! I believe it was a wonderful experience for all the trainers, trainees, and students! First thing you need to do before you sign up for the CELTA is realize that it is a commitment. You should clear your schedule as much as possible to dedicate to this course. TH Chicago is a very popular location for TH so if you want to register, do so 3-5 months in advance so you don’t get wait-listed. Hopefully, they will open their own center soon so they will be able to offer intensive and part-time classes regularly.
Before you begin classes, check your ego at the door. You will receive criticism from experienced ESL trainers. Keyword: EXPERIENCED. They know what they’re talking about. Take their input, do as they say, and you will succeed. This isn’t to say you won’t have the chance to be creative. Experiment with different activities but stick to the outline they give you in your binder. They give you the framework of what your lesson needs to be about but its your job to modify the activities to make them engaging for the students. You can be creative and change things up in your own class especially the beginning. Always be there early. Trainers have to be sure you’re a responsible teacher (even if the students are usually late).
Tip: Always think of ways to get the students speaking as much as possible. They’ll give you guidance on that which you should wholeheartedly apply. This is the major habit experienced teachers will have to break. Those with 1-2 years of teaching experience will probably be at an advantage over everyone else.
Another thing that the trainers look for is independence. They want you to figure things out and will assist but will NOT think for you. They might ask you questions that would guide you to the correct answer so don’t be put off by it. If you’re still stumped, your fellow trainees should be willing to help (working together with fellow trainees is a good idea as everyone has their own strengths).
As said earlier, the course is intensive so until you know how well you can manage your time, clear your schedule. You will be busy all day and have to work on the lessons at night. I personally didn’t find it as hard as some make it out to be but everyone is different.
Our trainers were wonderful! They all added to the course with their unique personalities and experiences. Colleen K. gave input was amazingly clear and accurate. Her experience teaching in Prague was an added bonus.
My second trainer was Sharon B. who was also clear and accurate in her feedback but also forced us to be increasingly independent. She challenges you to think about what you’re doing in the classroom and why. She typically asks you a question that should guide you towards finding the answer yourself. This is an amazing technique that forces you to prove you’re independent. After this month, you won’t have these trainers holding your hand telling you what to do so she will cut-the-cord ASAP in preparation because not only are the trainers also busy during this course, the directors at your future schools will be as well.
From what I heard, all the trainers do this during the second stage of the course (you switch trainers). We are expected to have a good idea of what we’re doing by our 4th lesson (don’t be intimidated, its absolutely achievable even with no teaching experience!). Unfortunately, my group never had the chance to teach with Julie but she did teach some of our input sessions. Shes all smiles and her lessons were informative and a wonderful way to end the day in a good mood. Don’t take the feedback as a personal attack. The trainers are there go guide you and will help you help yourself. If you want someone lecturing and explaining what to do every step of the way, this course is not you. They will rarely explain, only clarify so you can learn on your own and be certain you can handle the task of managing a class independently. This is not to say they won’t help you. They will certainly help you but you have to be willing to give it your all 24/7 for a month.
This is only a one month course so by the end of it, you will not be fully experienced but you will have the tools necessary to confidently teach a class. The input sessions (classes on how to teach) are done in the same way that you are expected to teach (so pay attention!). The benefits of this are two-fold. 1) It gives you a model on how your lessons should transition and 2) shows that the CELTA teaching method is applicable in a wide array of subjects.
Is it always the best method? No. However, this course is used for training and making you aware of different aspects and nuances of education in only a month. You will have the experience of thoroughly analyzing a lesson plan and putting it into practice. With the through preparation TH gives you, you will confidently adapt according to your students needs.
Final tips: Take things day-by-day. If you think about what you have to do over the next week in this course, you will stress yourself out for nothing. Its completely doable as long as you follow your trainers advice and collaborate and be congenial with your fellow trainees. I highly recommend TH if you are a disciplined, responsible, and considerate towards others. Though this class could be stressful (especially week 2 & 3), it was full of laughs, fun, and good times!
Review by John, December 9, 2012
Not only am I extremely happy that I invested my time and money into this course, but it was an experience that I will never forget. I was given excellent guidance, feedback and support from great trainers like Sharon Balani, Colleen Kalchik, and Julie Bray. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in ESL to take this course, you will get everything that the course promises and so much more. Thank you Teaching House.
Review by Chris Billos, December 10, 2012
I took my CELTA in New York City in December of 2011. Has it already been a year? It was the most intense month of my life; equal parts love and hate.
I had excellent instructors who pushed me to the limit while managing not to break me. I cannot imagine how I ever taught without all that I learned during that month.
The students were amazing as well, as were the other CELTA students. Couldn’t have done it without them.
Review by Anthony, December 11, 2012
I thought the course was extremely informative and well worth the time of anyone looking to enter the field of English language teaching. The Teaching House NYC facility was well-maintained, stocked with resources, and was a nice place to take/give a course.
Review by Eliza, December 11, 2012
This is the best thing I’ve done for my teaching career so far. This past month was packed with an amazing course that let me grow into a better, well rounded ESL instructor. My tutors were very helpful and positive, and I always felt as if I was being supported with the program. Feedback was always constructive and encouraging. I do agree that this program is intensive and time consuming, but it is all doable and not impossible. My only complaint was the resources of the allocated conference room. the internet was not reliable, which I do realize was beyond Teaching House’s control, and the books on hand were limited and unavailable for checkout. There was also no available area to work at on the weekends unless previous notice was given, making last minute emergencies for assignments a little more difficult to grapple with. However, the support of my classmates was enough to help during the weekends away from the classroom. Overall, with the support and motivation I got from my tutors and peers, I feel that anyone serious about teaching English should take this course and will benefit greatly from the information and training provided.
Review by Dean Rogers, December 11, 2012
I really had an amazing experience at the NYC CELTA program. The instructors did everything they could to make sure I both understood the material and could succeed in the class. I would recommend this program to friends wanting to be better ESL teachers and I have.
Review by Yasmeen Coaxum, December 13, 2012
I was on the CELTA course at Teaching House in NY. I opted to take the semi-intensive 10 week course instead of the month-long intensive since I was already a full-time teacher at a language school in NY who wanted some official credentials to boost my future opportunities. I was on the course from Oct 2011-December and it proved to be very useful. While I was already teaching in NY and had taught in Japan for a year and a half before taking the course, I still felt that I was missing a lot of knowledge about the methodology behind what I was doing, as well as different approaches to my style of teaching.
The trainers I had- particularly Sharon Balani and Lizzy Adams- were extremely patient and helpful in providing additional resources for further development during and after the course, as well as overall encouragement and support.
Although it was tough doing the course while teaching full-time, I felt that it was well worth it. I was able to use new techniques I’d learned from the course at my job, and overall, I felt more of a sense of professionalism. The location was awesome- not too far from Battery Park, so I even ended up taking some of my students to the area as a Friday field trip.
The only issue I had with the course is that I felt a little “left to my own devices” when it came to finding a job. We were given reputable company names in NYC, but I felt that a little more time should have been spent toward the end of the course helping us with resume crafting or cover-letter writing for the countries we were interested in. A list of schools abroad that have gotten good reviews by previous CELTA grads, or that the trainers themselves heard positive things about would have been very helpful to get us started. The list of schools on the website was overwhelming and didn’t really come with specific recommendations by others, so I wasn’t sure which ones I should even tackle.
After thorough research, I am now teaching at a private university in Turkey, which has a heavy work load for teachers. If I hadn’t been trained thoroughly through this course, I know I would be having a much more difficult time adjusting.
The course was a great decision for my ESL career, and I also met some awesome people along the way!
Review by Rob Sheehan, December 13, 2012
I recently finished up at the Chicago Intensive CELTA course and I really cannot stop singing the praises of everyone involved. Though the facilities were somewhat lacking (small rooms, little access, and lack of a library), every other aspect of the course was amazing. Speaking as someone with zero teaching experience before the course, I felt that every lesson I taught I became stronger and stronger. The content in the input sessions was extremely helpful and paced in such a way that it didn’t overwhelm me with information. Each session slowly build up a repertoire of techniques and activities that will help to make me the most capable teacher I can be right out of the gate.
Though I definitely put a lot of personal effort into the improvements that took place, it was also a collaborative undertaking between myself and my wonderful teachers. It was truly a pleasure to be taught by Sharon Balani, Julie Bray, and Colleen Kalchik. Their advice was timely and important to increasing our awareness and effectiveness as new teachers. Though it was concise, by focusing on the main issues that were raised in the feedback sessions after each teaching practice it was possible to get a handle on glaring problems early and correct bad habits before they really became habits at all.
I would recommend both the CELTA course and the trainers to anyone. Both have made a giant positive impact in my life, and I feel quite lucky to have taken this course at the time and location that I did. Thank you.
Review by K.W, December 14, 2012
I completed the CELTA course at Teaching House Chicago. From the application process through my final taught lesson, I was challenged, encouraged, and impressed with the CELTA curriculum and tutors.
My first recommendation to anyone planning to study for the CELTA is to clear your schedule as much as possible. Also try to read through the recommended materials prior to the first day of class. The work load, especially the first two week can be extremely taxing and any measures you can take to prepare should be considered. Come prepared to put in hours outside the classroom, complete research, and work closely with your classmates.
Taking this course is definitely worth the time, money, and energy.
Review by B.B, December 15, 2012
I recently finished the CELTA course, and I must admit that I feel prepared to teach. The people I met were awesome, and the trainers as well.
My first advice, like many others have mentioned, is to keep your schedules clear when you are entering into the course. It’s full on teaching and learning; your evenings will only be filled with lesson planning and studying on teaching the grammar/function materials for the next day. However, if you’re fresh out of school and taking this course then I assume the workload won’t be that intimidating – in fact, it shouldn’t be if you’re well prepared.
Also have in mind that 80% of the work is on your own. The instructors will only provide a faded guideline of what you’re supposed to do and you’re supposed to fill in the blanks by doing your own research and preparing for your own materials. However, this should be good training for your future preparations. In addition, don’t expect your hand to be held by the instructors throughout the entire course. They’re pretty busy too, and they expect you to at least get your stuff together and be prepared. Personally, I asked for specific help during the first week but after that I was well prepared to be on my own where I wouldn’t ask the instructors for any guidelines in teaching my lessons.
Side note: I had rented a place in the northern part of Chicago because I was told that the course would take place in the downtown campus; however, it was much later revealed (after I signed my contract and paid the deposit) that it was at the southern campus. Also there was miscommunication and misunderstandings within themselves (CELTA) where they sent out the incorrect information, and I had to remind them of it … but other than that, always ask them – even if they seem annoyed by it, it’s really a good thing to make sure where their course will take place so they will feed you the correct information.
The southern campus at the Granada center wasn’t really my cup of tea. It was very small and had limited space. There were no libraries and the books provided only came in copies of perhaps 2 each (if lucky) and could never leave the classroom. Thankfully, there were two printers (though one of them broke down during the last week of the course), and there were no computers for the teachers to use. However, Sharon Balani (the head director) was gracious enough to lend out her laptop to those who needed it.
That then leads to my critique of the trainers. During the entire course, I was able to intake different flavors of teaching styles from each trainer. Sharon Balani is a bit lenient in a way where she won’t pinpoint at every little thing. However, that doesn’t mean that she overlooks your teaching points. She times you in every stages of the lesson and will provide you feedback on how to better your lesson as well as greatly complimenting your teaching styles and/or materials you used for the lesson. Colleen Kalchik is a very gentle soul who does look at the smallest things in your teaching style and lesson, which leads you to perfect yourself for future teachings. She will take the time to walk you through anything you need to improve on your next lesson and also cover any questions you have as well as provide ideas for the students. Julie Bray is also a great trainer, for she encourages the teachers to use a lot of creativity. Her input sessions seem the most lively and she always gives fun ideas for the teachers to use when teaching their lessons.
Overall, all of the trainers have their own spark of color where it encourages and disciplines us future teachers. From each trainer, you can achieve helpful ways in bettering yourself and your teaching styles.
A slight disappointment I had about the course was that it does not guide you in seeking an ESL job. Unlike TEFL courses where they seek jobs for you, CELTA only prepares you for the work. The job seeking – you must do.
Then why did I choose CELTA? Well, I was really close in choosing TEFL since they do the job hunting for me (according to their recruiter who kept telling me), but I have no regrets in choosing CELTA since it really did prepare me much more. Also if status came to it, CELTA is run by Cambridge, which was an A+ for me.
Please have in mind that this course is not for the weak-hearted and the busy bee. You must keep your schedule clear and you must be willing to feel like a university student all over again – finals every single day of the week. However, it’s worth it. It’s only hard while you’re in it, but afterwards it leads to a successful future.
Review by Mary, December 16, 2012
I really enjoyed this course, however it was as intensive as other people have described. I spent about 9 hours a day at school, with another 1-4 hours at home working on assignments and lesson plans. It was worth it. I have just finished and have yet to be placed with a job, but I am confident that my CELTA experience has prepared me well enough for my first teaching position. Best of luck!
Review by Monica Bologna, December 16, 2012
Be prepared for a very intense month! You must clear your schedule completely for this course but it is worth it and even though it is intense if you stay organized, it is doable! You gain real teaching experience and at the end, you truly feel prepared to start a job.
Review by Mensur Ganibegovic, December 16, 2012
By completing the CELTA course, I think we all realized just how much we learned within a month. The course trained us well, but it is by no means an end to the learning process. I think this is something achieved over months and years, total knowledge is impossible to achieve over a month. It takes experience, will and effort. This was a difficult, but excellent starting point. Everyone tried very hard to the best of their ability. All of our tutors did a great job as well in teaching and observing us. They did their job and we did ours. It was fun.
I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in teaching English to adults, no matter of their field background, though with an “intensive” remark in the end and an exclamation point to the word.
Review by Magali Rutschman, December 17, 2012
This course was an incredible and intense experience. I came into it never having taught a course in my life. Day two you are conducting a 20 minute lesson. By the 9th teaching practice, you’re teaching a 60 minute lesson. Our three trainers were great. Sharon Balani, Julie Bray and Colleen Kalchik all had great input (Chicago course). The feedback we got immediately after each lesson was invaluable and enabled us to improve each time.
We taught two levels of learners: high intermediate and pre-intermediate. However, I would have liked to have taught a lesson to beginners as well.
We also learned how to teach a variety of types of lessons to real English learners from the community. This was wonderful, practicing on people who needed the help. The only drawback was that sometimes there was only 1 or 2 students for the Pre-intermediate class. To fix this problem, I think the recruitment process for students could be greatly improved.
I recommend this course. For those who have prior teaching experience, be prepared to potentially unlearn some of your teaching habits, because they may not jive with the methodology CELTA teaches. Also, this is extremely intense and fast paced. Be prepared to fully dedicate the month to it.
Review by Leah Squires, December 18, 2012
I completed my training in November 2011 in NYC. The course is composed of learning and teaching hours, which ensures you are always absorbing new information, whether you are the learner or the teacher. My CELTA training honed my teaching abilities and gave me the tools to be a creative and effective teacher.
As promised, it was an intensive month. The days were long and often tiring, but I was fortunate to have two incredible instructors, Lizzy Adams and Sophie Bryce. No moment was wasted in our training–they prepared every lesson so that they not only conveyed important content, but so they also modeled effective teaching strategies. Their energy always helped motivate us on the hardest days.
In my opinion, teaching actual classes is the best part of the training. You become comfortable standing in front of a classroom. You begin to develop your own teaching style. You develop and write your own lesson plans. You get immediate feedback from your peers and trainers. When I was teaching, I could always count on Lizzy’s and Sophie’s astute observation skills to pick apart my lessons and offer constructive feedback. I still reference old lesson plans, with their notes scribbled in the margins, to direct my lesson planning and reflect on my shortcomings and successes as a teacher.
CELTA lives up to its reputation. When I was considering TESOL certificates, I wasn’t sure CELTA was worth the investment, but over a year later, I can definitely say it was the best choice. Immediately after I finished the course, I cold called a program in St. Louis to see if they were in need of substitute teachers. When I said I was CELTA certified, I had an interview the next day and was picking up classes the following week. I’m currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, and I’m teaching English to high schoolers at the youth center in my community. A year from now, I’m confident that with my certification and two years of teaching behind me, I will be able to secure a teaching job of my choosing.
Review by Henrietta Gwaltney, December 18, 2012
I learned a lot about teaching the CELTA method and enjoyed the accessibility and support of the teachers. Most of all I enjoyed the learners I was teaching and believe that my practice teaching, (the hands on learning) was most helpful. The library is located in a tight area and not conducive to reading and thinking along with the copy machine.
Overall I am pleased that I completed the course.
Review by Sharon Schweinfurth, December 19, 2012
This Celta course in Chicago that I just finished (Nov. 8-Dec. 7) was the most intense class that I have had in a very long time and I am a teacher. It was all worth it, as I know that I will get to start the next chapter in my life with a new career in another country. Sharon Balani, Colleen Kalchik and Julie Bray were wonderful instructors. Each had a different approach to teaching the course but all were wonderful. It was easy to ask questions, go over lessons and seek out advice. Thank you to all my teachers.
Sharon
Review by Joseph Brennan, December 19, 2012
I would highly recommend the CELTA course at Teaching House in New York City. The instructors were excellent, the facility is very modern (minus the printer) and the students were a joy to teach. Both Ben Hammond and Svitlana Bulkina did everything they could to help trainees pass the course by offering lots of constructive criticism, being very well prepared with engaging activities for the Saturday input sessions and sharing their knowledge of ESL in a professional manner. The facility is housed in an ordinary New York city building but is very well maintained and the computer lab has quite nice Mac computers to use. The foreign students we all had the opportunity to teach were a fun bunch, very motivated and patient as all the trainees “fumbled” with certain techniques during our lessons.
I will never look at the English language the same way again. Doing the Language Analysis sheets, although a bit tedious at times, broadens your knowledge of the language systems – grammar, vocabulary, functional language. You always learn more than teach when you teach. I acquired some great techniques, methodology and activities that I will use wherever I teach next.
Review by Barry Blecher, December 19, 2012
This was a fantastic course (CELTA, New York, Nov 5- Dec 20 2012 semi-intensive), and greatly exceeded my expectations in every way. The syllabus is constructed tightly and intelligently and covers multiple aspects of teaching and of language. Lizzy and Sezgi are instructors of the highest caliber, extremely bright, hard working, totally professional, and totally devoted to educating and training teachers. The feedback was endless and detailed, providing a clear path toward improvement. I am so happy I chose this path and this school for certification.
My only criticism is the copy machine (which is why I gave only 3 stars to Facilities/Resources). They need to replace the old one they have and also buy a second one!
Review by Cindi, December 30, 2012
I took the intensive 1 mth CELTA course in NY with trainers Heather and Sharon. Intensive is the definitely the one word to describe it! Make sure you are working on this full time as you will still be working on lesson plans and assignments after class and during the weekends. I had some experience but this has definitely changed my perspective of teaching ESL and I walked away knowing what good ESL teaching really is. The course content was useful and I always enjoyed the input sessions. What I loved most about this course is probably the Teaching Practices, as you get invaluable feedback to improve yourself and learn from observing your peers teach. We had the opportunity to teach real students from different backgrounds and levels. I’d definitely recommend this course to both new and experienced teachers.
Review by Kate Tomaskovic (Graduated CELTA November, 2010), January 4, 2013
Completing the CELTA course was one of the best decisions I have ever made, but the experience was made even better by my first teacher trainer, Sharon Balani. She was the perfect role model for CLT teaching and gave critical and constructive feedback- no coddling here! I learned more in the one month at Teaching House than many of my undergraduate (and now graduate!) courses. When I first started searching for TESOL Certification courses I knew I wanted to go through the best, and this course exceeded my expectations.
I loved having the teaching practice, which really made the lesson planning feel more critical than simply an assignment to be handed in. I thought some of the assignments were more valuable than others; especially assignments which forced us to use the grammar and vocabulary sheets. The drilling exercises and other demo activities which we could then use in our lessons were invaluable, and I still use many of those ideas even two years after my course.
I was able to land a teaching job two months after graduating, which I found through Teaching House’s website. My CELTA certification and Sharon’s recommendations also helped me when I switched ESL teaching jobs and applied to graduate TESOL program. Thank you, Sharon!
Review by Barbara Duffy, January 5, 2013
I took the Semi-Intensive Course for 7 weeks in NYC. It was a very intense course, to say the least, but also challenging and stimulating. I recommend to clear your schedule and have plenty of time after class and weekends for all the lesson planning and assignments required. The instructors were experienced, encouraging, engaging and always ready to help each student. They were invested in our success! I am proud to have earned my CELTA certificate! Every aspect was great, except for the frustrating, tense moments at the ONLY copy machine that often broke down or got jammed. I also would have appreciated a bit more help with resumes and cover letters during the course, though a lot of information was given about how to go about finding work. I highly recommend this course!
Review by Jorge, January 9, 2013
I finished the Celta course in December 2012. The word “intense” is not an understatement. It is challenging, informative, satisfying, nerve wracking…all in one! It was a great experience and our tutors were fantastic. As hard as it was at times, I am glad I did it; and I feel ready for the next stage in my teaching career.
Which brings me to the only drawback, I wish teaching House gave us more resources and assistance in finding teaching positions upon finishing the course. There was a brief session towards the end, but i feel this could improve a little more.
Other than that, it was worth every penny…and although it is expensive, it prepares you and forces you to think on your feet and enables creativity and independence. It was an experience I will never forget. Thank you again to all three tutors: Colleen, Sharon and Julie. You guys rock!
Review by Johnny, January 14, 2013
I took the intensive course with trainers Helen and Heather, who are wonderful people. My fellow trainees were also very nice, and I enjoyed working with everyone.
Course Content
You are given a binder full of information on the first day. It is your guide to everything about the course/teaching EFL and will only double in size as you use it throughout the month and perhaps beyond. It’s very important, so don’t lose it!
Practice Teaching
I loved the two classes I had an opportunity to teach. The students were very enthusiastic and intelligent. Of course, there is no guarantee that you will have similar students. You are asked to teach lessons starting from the second day of the course. It can be nerve-wracking, but it was quite a valuable learning experience. You will do fine as long as you do your lesson plans properly, and don’t forget to smile.
Quality of Feedback
This will depend on the trainers on your course. The feedback from my trainers was very good. If you are doing poorly, they will let you know how to improve. If you seem to be on the verge of failing, then they will warn you well in advance.
Lesson Plan Guidance
Guidance starts off very thorough, and then the trainers will ween you off their input. By the end of the course, you will have planned at least one whole 60-minute lesson by yourself with minimal guidance from your trainers.
Instructor Competency
Heather and Helen are the best.
Job Placement
There is a job listing section on the “My Teaching House” website, but other than that, you will have to do your own job search. Your trainers may be willing to write you letters of recommendation after the course.
Facilities/Resources
There are plenty of iMacs to use for the course. The printer-copier was very unreliable. There are vending machines for snacks if you get hungry.
Review by Tricia, January 17, 2013
I started the intensive CELTA course after Thanksgiving and finished right before Christmas… I was warned by my friends who had been through the CELTA that there would be tears and many sleepless nights, so I knew what i was getting myself into!
I had a head start on my coursemates because I have been teaching English for the last few years and doing the CELTA was part of my professional development at work. However, being on the course forced me to reexamine and reevaluate my teaching methods and I definitely took away a lot from the input sessions and teaching practices. All the tutors on the course (Heather, Elena, Christina and Sharon) were knowledgeable and engaging and very approachable and helpful to us. The students were easygoing and obliging and I really enjoyed getting to know them and teaching them! That said, be prepared to be thrown into the deep end… I did as I was told for the first two weeks before everything sank in and began to make sense to me.
I was however, a little disappointed with the facilities in the centre. One photocopier is not sufficient for the number of CELTA trainees and it would be great to have a paid colour photocopying option. I was also surprised to see the OHP still being used- it would have been nice to have a computer and projector in every classroom. I also felt that more copies of the resource books would have been nice. The computer lab was great though, a lot of us came in early and stayed back late to work and it became a communal space for us!
All in all, I would give IH New York a high rating for the CELTA course and recommend it to anyone who is considering entering the ESL profession!
Review by Samuel Choi, January 22, 2013
The course was well-worth my time and money. I did the 1-month intensive course and it lives up to its name. I had barely any time to do anything else but work for the course. You start teaching on day 2 and the feedback, though sometimes it can come at you hard, is very good, direct, and helpful. All of the trainers that I encountered were top-notch, professional, and knew what they were doing.
You end up teaching a total of 9 times for 6 hours and they are excellent practice. I feel very confident to go forth and teach ESL. However I do wish I had more teaching practice with all of the different aspects of language. For example, I never got to teach a lesson on functional language. But the principles you learn in teaching other systems (grammar, vocabulary), I suppose, are transferable. But what can you expect from a 1-month course? For what it’s worth, it was as good as it could have been.
Probably my biggest complaint would be the fact that there is only one copy machine for use by trainees in the NYC Teaching House. Other than that you are provided with 300 pages for copying/printing, staplers, paper clips, books, resources, etc.
I learned a good deal about English grammar and how to teach it. The course forces you to be confident in the material that you teach. You may not learn everything but it does a great job of showing you how to teach yourself to teach. I suppose teaching self-learning is the basis of a distinguished education.
Perhaps the biggest strength of this course is the teaching practice and the feedback that you receive. You can count on it to be good advice because each course is evaluated by an evaluator from Cambridge. The evaluation is systematized and consistent.
As for job placement, they have job listings on their website and I’ve gotten an email. But other than that you are on your own. But I guess the trade-off is that the CELTA is supposedly the most widely accepted certification course for ESL teachers. I have yet to be hired but I’m banking on this notion myself.
Review by Shari, February 4, 2013
Just completed the NYC TH CELTA course. It was definitely worth it!! I learned so much! It really stretched my mind. Yes, you are teaching by day two (real students) and the teaching method employed is learn by doing, then constructive feedback which is overwhelming at first but at the same time thoroughly useful to imprint the experience on your mind.
A very positive experience for me- I loved working with my fellow teachers, trainers Heather and Svitlana, and the students at Teaching House. This experience gave me the confidence / courage to pursue higher education and seek to make ESL my new career. I would recommend this course to anyone seeking a first class certification that future employers will respect.
Suggestions?
*You’ll need every spare moment to keep up if you are like me.
*Read and employ improvements suggested by trainers after each teaching lesson to increase your chances of success
*Read and reread all instructions for written essays
*Avoid a long commute
*Take a grammar refresher course- the one recommended to me was a free course through cambridgeenglishteacher.org
*And be prepared to work really hard- they don’t call it intensive for nothing!!
*Oh and Carefully read all reviews as you consider your accommodations
Good luck!!
Good luck!!
Review by Imoni, March 9, 2013
Taking the CELTA was definitely intense, but if you are motivated and willing to learn it will click.
I enjoyed my time at the New York Teaching House. I learned things that I don’t think I will ever forget. The teachers were always well prepared and efficient answering any questions we had. The way the day was structured was great and you didn’t even feel that you been in the classroom for about 8hrs. The feedback from the teachers were not sugar coated; they were truthful and helpful. Being a recent college grad and familiar with teaching from a students point of view, the methods we were taught were way more effective than how I was taught in school which was throwing all this information at you and expecting you to understand. CELTA teaches you to think from a students point of view and I think that is what keeps the students (during our teacher practice) engaged, motivated and able the comprehend. Also I learned so much about the English language than I ever remember learning- participles, intransitive verbs, collocations?! Being equipped with this knowledge definitely helps and improves my own English, even as a native-speaker.
I would recommend taking the course to anyone. Getting the certificate is something that will always benefit and can be a great fall back to whatever your real career is.
PS. Just keep in mind this facility does not have a microwave or lunch area so you might be buying lunch everyday.
Review by Ladan Kadkhoda, April 2, 2013
I did a lot of research on what type of certification to get and where to get it – there are so many options. I am so glad I chose to do the CELTA at Teaching House; it exceeded my expectations.
I was very confident when entering the classroom after graduating this past October. I got work right away, and was actually covering for a teacher with years of experience, who had decided she wanted to get the CELTA at Teaching House as well!
Everyone at the school is very supportive – a special thanks to Tessa, who was very welcoming and helpful from my application and throughout. Altogether, the school is well-organized and the staff is both friendly and very efficient.
In terms of the classes my teachers were all great and very knowledgeable. I worked primarily with Lizzy,Sezgi, and Christina – they all want you to succeed. You work really hard, it’s definitely worth it, and they are there every step of the way.
I found that the student-centered methodology to be sensible, and you can appreciate this because you are experiencing it for yourself. Outside of the CELTA, a student-centered classroom is widely favored, the reason being – it works! My classes were fun, interactive and memorable. If you love learning and teaching, you’ll find classmates who share your this passion, who will become your colleagues in the ESL field.
It’s exciting to graduate and to start to research the job market and have the choice to do a CELTA validated. There are are opportunities for CELTA graduates in New York, and abroad, where there are many Teaching Houses as well. If you get an opportunity to study here, go for it. The world really opens up for you!
Review by Stephan Gallego, April 3, 2013
As a CELTA graduate from the Feb 2013 class, I highly recommend the CELTA Intensive course for its teachers, its subject matter, and its resources.
I have had many teachers throughout my academic career, from the “work on pages…” type to those who motivate and inspire; however, the teachers in CELTA changed my point of view in teaching itself:
it is no longer an “activity”, but an art instead. The classes were fluid, engaging, and informative; but for the first time, I felt compelled on taking notes on how the teachers taught.
The program format was divided in two segments: morning and afternoon classes. In the morning classes, the CELTA instructors focused on ESL Teaching-related lessons, which included: language
analysis, teaching styles, lesson types, and phonology among others. Though I had had some experience as an ESL teacher in the past, these classes presented brand new material and methods. During our
afternoon classes, we were able to place into practice what we had learned during the morning lessons as we taught Basic and Intermediate level students. To wrap up each day, peers and teachers alike
gave constructive feedback, which we would then apply during our next lesson. During my University days, I used to be described as a “crammer”, so being able to apply, modify, and execute new and old
material was very beneficial for me and my students. It’s also important to mention the vast amount of resources- physical and virtual- that were available to us.
As the name suggests, the program itself was intensive. Due to the course’s demand, I initially put my health as a second priority to the course – a horrible idea considering how much information one
day can contain. So as a result, during my second week I began eating oatmeal in the mornings, fruits throughout the day, and sleeping outside of class I much as I could. On average, my classmates and I
spent about two to three hours working outside of the classroom, lesson planning, acting out the lesson, and completing assignments. When you spend so much time together with such like-minded individuals, forming close bonds is inevitable, and the help and support my classmates provided was invaluable.
As the strawberry on top (I don’t love cherries), my experience was further enhanced by the Teaching House staff. Like the teachers, the staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and genuinely enjoys
working with different cultures.
Post-CELTA life is beautiful! I was hired 1.5 weeks after completing the CELTA, and today I teach over four classes to Basic level students here in New York. CELTA itself was recognized and talked about during the
interview, and I feel more confident as a teacher employing behaviors learned during the course – these include improved eliciting, increased student-talking time, and improved non-verbal communication.
If you want to enhance your marketability as an ESL Teacher, enjoy a fast-paced and challenging learning style, and are serious about improving your behaviors as a teacher, then I hope that you consider CELTA as your next step.
Best of luck sir/mademoiselle!
Stephan Gallego
ESL Teacher
Review by Marcela Ardohain, April 8, 2013
The CELTA course was a really life changing experience.
As a non-native teacher I had to deal with two challenges: a 24/7 English environment and to learn teaching methodology and techniques that were new to me.
The course is divided into two: Input sessions in the mornings and teaching practices in the afternoons.
During the input sessions trainers demonstrated the teaching techniques and taught the basics of teaching and jargon. We also watched videos where professionals were teaching real classrooms or you could also observe professionals “live” in a language school near Teaching House. Everything I learnt was really interesting and essential either to start a teaching career or in my case to update my teaching knowledge.
What made this course unique was the second part: Teaching practices.
During the afternoons, after lunch-break (not always possible), I had the chance to teach a class or to observe other teachers and give them feedback. In the first two weeks, I had to teach a pre-intermediate level class and in the last two weeks, I had to teach an upper-intermediate level class.
To tell you the truth, this freaked me out a little at first but it marked a turning point in my teaching career. I believe I can only learn from experience and making mistakes and this was the case. Even though it was nerve-wrecking and frustrating at times, I could evolve into a better and more efficient teacher, much more aware of students’ needs.
Although I am experienced teacher, during the first week I was really lost. I didn’t know exactly what I was supposed to do.
As I hadn’t taught groups for a long time ( I had been teaching in-company one-to-one or small groups exclusively for the last 7 years), to get the hang of writing lesson procedure forms and classroom management took a long time. I had lots of bad habits that I needed to get rid of. By the end of the second week, I was literally exhausted and overwhelmed by all the teaching practices and assigments I had already done. The first assignment was a language related task. I had to analyse a lesson and put into practise what I had learnt in the input sessions. The second assignment was even more challenging. I had to design a skills related task from scratch. I chose an interview in a Bostonian magagize about a local celebrity.
During my second week I had to hand in two assigments and I had three teaching practices. What helped a lot was being supported by my host family and classmates. My hostmum made it easier because I didn’t have to worry about meals or anything except for the course. In fact, I didn’t have time to do anything but attending the course or doing homework.
Being able to focus on the course 24/7 was essential and also having a good computer and printer ( my hostmum let me use hers). The school provided both but not at all times and I could work much better from home after a proper meal.
I was very lucky because I had wonderful classmates, too. We made a great team and we complemented each other a lot. The were all native speakers so they helped me with my accent and intonation and I helped them with their grammar.
After week three, everything went downhill. I could start thinking about my teaching practices conscientiously. It didn’t mean I didn’t make mistakes, it meant that I realized them the minute after I made them.
I believe that to be aware of my own mistakes is what will help me become a better teacher.
Only then, I had time to read and analyse all the bibliography that trainers had suggested. I also had to observe one of my students to do the Focus on the learner assignment but this was a very relaxing week in comparison to week 1 and 2.
During week four, I had no assignments left, just the one we did in class, and I had only two teaching practices.
I wanted the 60-minute class to go perfectly. I used my SRT (Skills related task) assignment. I didn’t go as expected, though. But I learnt a lot from it, that’s for sure. And I believe that’s what really matters.
Now I am back in Argentina looking for jobs here and abroad eager to start using what I learnt during the course. I know this is going to be a great challenge mostly abroad because I am a non-native teacher and most jobs in the USA and the UK are for native speakers but I don’t lose hope. Meanwhile I go on teaching in-company and private students. I am using what I learnt during the course or I adapt it to one-to-one and small groups and it really makes a difference. Students enjoy my classes far more. I am also thinking to do the DELTA, in Buenos Aires this time, hopefully next year.
I am certain that having a CELTA Certificate will enable me to fulfill my dreams.
Review by AJ, April 12, 2013
The TeachingHouse I went was in Chicago. It was incredible! Though I had previous teaching experience, I learned exponentially. The tutors were very personal, instrcutive, helpful, and challenging. It was definitely an intense four-week period, but all the work was practical and useful. Ultimately, I think the feedback was the best part of the class. The tutors invested so much time and energy in giving us feedback–this is where I learned the most. For anyone looking to get an ESL certificate, CELTA with TeachingHouse Chicago is easily the place to do it!
Review by Andrew, April 16, 2013
My experience with Teaching House Chicago was incredible. From the moment you walk in on your first day to the last step out the door four weeks later you are being well educated. The instructors were intelligent, thorough, concise and professional while still keeping the environment lighthearted. The four weeks are extremely intensive and taxing, but if you have the drive and determination they will give you the tools needed to succeed. I highly, highly recommend Teaching House Chicago.
Review by Mark, April 21, 2013
I took the four week March CELTA course at the new Chicago location and came away with a lot of useful experience. The course instructors were both very helpful when it comes to pointing out areas in need of improvement AND strengths. The hands-on teaching experience that is a part of this class makes me much more comfortable with the idea of handling a class of sts. I came away with a large base of working knowledge and a lot of useful teaching references. The class actually does ready you to prepare and teach lessons effectively. I suggest it to anyone interested in teaching, not just because of its weight on a resume but because it approaches teaching in an interesting fashion that emphasizes student participation. I feel that I learned important multifarious information at an impressive pace in this class.
I have two warnings for anyone interested in this course:
1. It says intensive and it means intensive. You will be expected to teach the first week of class and learn the use of a large register of unfamiliar words quickly. I suggest keeping your notes organized and paying close attention to lesson plan layouts and aims. You will reference that information often, especially when designing lesson plans or writing papers. Leave yourself some time to think about WHY the instructors want a lesson to flow in a certain order and what the purpose of each part of your lesson is in relation to the overall purpose of the lesson.
2. Count on around twelve hours a day being taken up by this class and the work involved in it. The idea of taking a weekend vacation during this class is humorous to me in hindsight. Weekends are used for sleep and catching up.
In conclusion : Hard. Worth it.
Review by Amy, May 6, 2013
I recently completed the intensive CELTA course at TH New York. I decided on the CELTA after careful review of all the TEFL certification options available. I am definitely pleased with my decision.
The CELTA is very intensive and requires a lot of hard work, but I really felt like I learned a lot and greatly developed my teaching skills. The teaching practices are incredibly important and really push you to jump into the mindset of a teacher right away. I learned a lot from the focus on communicative language skills and student-centered lessons.
The greatest strength of the course is definitely the instructors. They are incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, professional, and accessible. The input sessions with them were engaging and packed with information. They go out of their way to help you plan your lessons and help you reflect on your teaching abilities. They really gave the course its value.
TH doesn’t do job placement for you, but they give you some resources and input sessions on how to find jobs. I think the greatest benefit of their job resources is that the instructors are so willing to be references for us new teachers. Job searching can be frustrating (as with any industry) but I’ve already had some success with schools abroad after just a few weeks.
The only other frustrating thing was the sometimes undependable and always in demand copier. It might be beneficial to have a printer in the computer lab. Regardless, plan out your printing needs and try to get it all done the night before.
I would definitely recommend this course to someone interested in getting a TEFL certification.
Review by Adrianne, May 7, 2013
First of all, if you’re serious about teaching, you should seriously consider making CELTA your first stop. When I first decided I wanted to teach English, I did an huge amount of research into different certification programs, and there are dozens out there. The problem is that many (well, most, actually) are done entirely online and include no real teaching practice. With CELTA, however, you start teaching literally on your second day and continue until the end of the course, teaching a total of nine lessons. You will find that what you learn about teaching methodology (and you learn A LOT) requires practice in execution. The CELTA trainers know their stuff and are happy to guide you every step of the way. Throughout the course, you will find that you are naturally becoming more independent and self aware. By the end of the course, you will feel empowered to take what you’ve learned into the real world of English language teaching.
You will also find that the CELTA is pretty much the “gold standard” of TESOL certification programs, and employers all know this. I was hired literally 7 days after finishing the course for my first teaching job. The trainers do a really good job of preparing you for the job search process and are always willing to serve as references.
For each CELTA course, Cambridge sends out an assessor to make sure the course is being run correctly and fairly. Cambridge is very committed to making sure the course standards are met at every center, every time the course is offered. I personally took the course at their smaller, Los Angeles campus; however, I have no doubt that had I taken it elsewhere, I would’ve received the same great teaching preparation.
As for the cost, everyone I took the course with (myself included) feels like the course fee was more than fair for what we got. If you’re looking to cut costs, don’t. The online programs may be significantly cheaper, but don’t include the teaching practice that CELTA includes, and many employers are dismissive of them because of this.
In hindsight, it’s scary to think about teachers going abroad (or anywhere for that matter) without the intensive preparation CELTA provides. You can’t learn everything there is to know about teaching in a four week course, but it’s a hell of a start!
Review by Sam Kirchner, May 10, 2013
I took the celta at teaching house chicago. I would unreservedly reccommend this course to anyone (and the location in downtown Chicago is really awesome!) The instructors were very knowledgable and helpful. The books in the library are a gold mine and I plan on using some of them in my professional career. Oh and the students in the classes I taught were just incredibly fun and enthusiastic. I had never done any public speaking in my life prior to this course but now I feel like I will really enjoy teaching.
Anyway, the part I liked the best (aside from teaching) was leaving the building to go observe teachers in an actual professional language school, in this case English First Chicago. Separately, the input sessions on games/young learners as well as on the use of drilling/pronunciation were very fun. Both of the tutors seemed like they really cared and wanted us to succeed. I didn’t think any of their criticisms of us were unfair or off base- it was all very constructive. Overall I really miss all my fellow trainees and tutors and students a lot, and it’s hard to believe we won’t be together again. We all really bonded through the shared stress of finishing the course.
Review by Rissa K, May 11, 2013
This course was by far one of the best I have taken in my life. The teacher trainers are fully aware of the fact that we are coming from different backgrounds and experiences and they formulate their lesson plans in a brilliant manner that can be applied directly to the lesson plans that you will be engaging in for your own lessons.
I was extremely fortunate enough to have two excellent teachers that would give me valuable feedback that I would make sure to utilize right away in my next lessons. They are caring and empathetic to any concerns. I myself was extremely nervous about taking this course, but by the end of it, I feel much more confident about what I am taking away from the course and how I will apply it as a ESL teacher. I never done public speaking in this setting, but now I am more confident about doing so since the conclusion of the course. In fact, I am considering the next phase-the DELTA, after I have taught ESL for a few years.
Now, granted this is a month course, it is a big challenge! I feel it was much more intense than any graduate or undergraduate course I have ever taken in my past! But it is well worth it, and my independence and assertiveness shot through the roof in a matter of 4 weeks. I took the course at the Los Angeles location, and it was a great setting with the materials and books that I needed to successfully complete a lesson plan. The resources and guidance from the teachers is definitely there and go above and beyond what you expect, it’s just a matter of making sure you are always on top of your work
Review by Sean Halloran, May 13, 2013
Overall I would have to say that the CELTA experience at Teaching House Los Angeles was great. I learned everything I needed to know and formed a solid foundation for teaching English as a second language.
I honestly do not think I could have learned what I learned on this CELTA course, all of which was necessity, on any online learning program. I just don’t think that is possible.
The hands on teaching practice in a classroom with real students, combined with the instruction on how to succeed from knowledgable and competent instructors, and the CELTA learing system which provides high quality feed back as you grow step by step were all totally amazing.
The instructor’s I had were exemplary. Julie Norminton is a wonderful teacher and pleasant person to learn from. She knows what she is doing and when you listen to her notes you will see immediate results. Svitlana Bulkina is a friendly and fun instructor to learn from, warm, smiling and highly intelligent. Both are a model for professionalism.
CELTA at Teaching House Los Angeles prepared me to teach and also for job interviews. I literally prepare for my interviews by reviewing my notes from class. I have already had more than 1/2 a dozen job offers based on successful interviews since graduating three weeks ago, and more pending.
If you are serious about teaching English as a foreign language – start here.
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