Thread: Prep time for CELTA - am I ready?

Hello again


I will be arriving in Bangkok next week and will be getting my head down to study and prepare for a CELTA course I wish to take, however I just want some feedback on whether I should take the course next month (Nov) or in Jan.

I have done some research into the course, and read how intense it is and that you are pretty much thrown right in the deep end from day 1. Internation House BK have a course starting Nov 12th, with Dec closed, and then again Jan 7th.

I am just not feeling that confident to start it right now, or if I'm sure I am ready to take the course in November. I have ordered a couple of books to sink my head into such as 'Michael Swan's Practical English Usage' and 'Jim Scrivener's Learning Teaching'. I am also concerned my speech is not the best due to picking up English laziness over the years - my 'TH Fronting' is a natural part of my speech now and I am trying to correct it but it still feels difficult wihtin fluid sentences to correct me speaking like 'wiv' and 'frough'. I realise it is bad and each time I say it am mentally aware of it and correcting myself daily.

I am a native English 'Brummie' born, 30 year old male, who feels I need to retouch on all my Grammar and Punctuation skills, and at present feeling under prepared to take the course Novemeber. Is 4 weeks ok for me to get up to speed? or should I wait for January's course? or will I be fine attending it November do you think? I would be interested to hear from anyone who felt the same and just jumped on the course as a last min thing or if they felt that they should of waited?

Once I apply how long will it be until I have the phone interview?

Thanks everyone, and all the best in your teaching careers

Why woudn't you be ready?

The course is intense but is designed for peope who have never taught before (although it could also be useful for those with some experience). If you have read a bit of Swan and Scrivener before the couse then you will be better off than some people doing it...

Don't be nervous about lack of grammatical knowledge. That will be covered in the course and you won't be required to be an expert by the end... Your trainers will have encounterd trainees who didn't know the difference between a noun and a verb... Just show common sense and use Swan to check up on any language points that you teach during one of your lessons.

I'd do it as soon as possible. You'll be interviewed pretty quickly if there are still places left on the course I'd imagine.

My Celta was intense and hard work but I also met some great people and learnt a lot. We also had a great party on the Friday it finished


Good luck and enjoy!