CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Overview

• Learn the principles of effective teaching.
• Gain a range of practical skills for teaching English to adult learners.
• Get valuable hands-on teaching experience.

Topic 1	Learners and teachers, and the teaching and learning context
Topic 2	Language analysis and awareness
Topic 3	Language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing
Topic 4	Planning and resources for different teaching contexts
Topic 5	Developing teaching skills and professionalism

The most popular ESOL teacher training course

Teaching English to speakers of other languages can be a highly rewarding career, offering you the chance to live and work abroad. You will need an internationally recognised teaching qualification, and CELTA – highly regarded throughout the world – gives you the skills you need and will make it easier to get a teaching job anywhere.

TEFL or TESOL are terms often used to describe qualifications for English language teachers. CELTA, the most widely taken initial TESOL/TEFL qualification of its kind in the world, was previously known as CTEFLA and the 'RSA certificate'.

Widely available

CELTA courses are designed by individual centres, based on specifications produced by Cambridge ESOL. They are available at over 286 approved centres in 54 countries, providing almost 900 CELTA courses every year.

You can take CELTA full time (typically four to five weeks), or part time (from a few months to over a year). It is also possible to study for CELTA online with the Cambridge CELTA Course Online.

Continuous assessment

You will be assessed throughout the course, with no final examination. An external assessor, appointed by Cambridge ESOL, moderates each course. There are two components of assessment:

• Teaching practice

You will teach for a total of six hours, working with classes at two levels of ability. Assessment is based on your overall performance at the end of the six hours.

• Written assignments

You will complete four written assignments: one focusing on adult learning; one on the language system of English; one on language skills; and one on classroom teaching.

To be awarded the certificate you must pass both components. There are three grades – Pass, Pass 'B' and Pass 'A'.

A Cambridge qualification

Because it is awarded by Cambridge ESOL, part of the University of Cambridge, CELTA is internationally recognised, highly respected and a benchmark for quality.

Next steps

Find out more

Download the CELTA syllabus.

Find a course

• Do you have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education?
• Are you aged 18 or over?
• Is your English good enough to teach at a range of levels? (CEFR C2 or high grade at C1, Pass A or B)

If the answer is yes, choose a centre and apply for the course.

Centres may still accept you if you do not have formal qualifications at this level but can demonstrate that you would be likely to complete the course successfully.