Thread: Chiang Mai CELTA March 2013

Hey all,

Just a quick post to say thanks to everybody who has contributed to helping answer new people's questions in here. It's been a valuable resource and has helped me get on the March 2013 course in Chiang Mai. If anybody else is in the same proverbial boat come March next year let me know!

Thanks again,
Chris

Hi!

I AM IN YOUR PROVERBIAL BOAT, STEALING YOUR PROVERBIAL OARS.

Ok, that might not be true. Are you talking about the IH CELTA? I'm in the very slow process of getting around to applying for the very same course - any tips? Are you staying on-site or commuting from the city? Are you already in Thailand? ALL OF THE QUESTIONS! Only four months until I fly out but it feels like a million years!

Originally Posted by Trants1

If anybody else is in the same proverbial boat come March next year let me know!

Originally Posted by Sasperella

Only four months until I fly out but it feels like a million years!

Best of luck. Good timing. Academic year 2013 starts half May 2013.

Hey!

Glad to hear you might be joining me in March! I'm a little apprehensive myself which is why I was looking for other people I may come across. If I have any suggestions it would be these:

- do the pre application task to as high a standard as you can and make sure you understand why you have answered the questions how you have. In the interview they'll ask about it.
- use skype if you are currently in the UK. The interview will cost a fortune otherwise!
- don't worry as mich as I did about the interview. It was relatively informal with a very friendly trainer.

as for me. In still in the UK hoping to fly out at the end of February to acclimatise a little first. I'll be staying at the inclusive accomodation they offer simply because I hear the course is quite intense.

are you still in the uk?

Let me know if you have any questions I can help with!

good luck!
chris

The British Council offers the online CELTA. Do it at home and then report to KL for observed teaching.

Chichester, if I understand correctly, has an option where a working teacher videotapes himself teaching his students. This fills the assignments and practice teaching requirements. If a CELTA program can do a little of this, the time spent away in KL could be slashed even further.

Just a thought for those who insist on the brand name recognition and quality control of the RSA/UCLES CELTA TESOL cert.

Originally Posted by Stamp

Best of luck. Good timing. Academic year 2013 starts half May 2013.

Thanks Stamp, that's bloody good to hear!

Originally Posted by Trants1

Hey!

Glad to hear you might be joining me in March! I'm a little apprehensive myself which is why I was looking for other people I may come across. If I have any suggestions it would be these:

- do the pre application task to as high a standard as you can and make sure you understand why you have answered the questions how you have. In the interview they'll ask about it.
- use skype if you are currently in the UK. The interview will cost a fortune otherwise!
- don't worry as mich as I did about the interview. It was relatively informal with a very friendly trainer.

as for me. In still in the UK hoping to fly out at the end of February to acclimatise a little first. I'll be staying at the inclusive accomodation they offer simply because I hear the course is quite intense.

are you still in the uk?

Let me know if you have any questions I can help with!

good luck!
chris

Chris!

I'm still in the UK and, coincidentally, am also flying out at the end of February! My plan is to have a few days in Bangkok then a few in Chiang Mai before the course starts - I've never been to Thailand before so I'm looking forward to doing a bit of looking around. My plan is also to stay on-site: no sense in making things more difficult by throwing a commute into the mix!

Thanks very much for the pointers - I'll definitely keep them in mind and let you know once I've a confirmed place on the course. We should keep in touch in the meantime! I've added you as a contact.

Anyway, speak soon and hopefully see you on the other side!

Sarah

Hey guys,
Myself and my boyfriend are also planning on doing the CELTA in March in Chiang Mai too!
We are hopefully going to send our applications off this week, I'm getting quite nervous about the interview though!
Are there a lot of grammar questions involved in the interview? How long does it last?
Sorry for the questions! It's so nice to see there are others in the same position as us and I can't wait to meet you!

Do you mean you're going to apply to get the CELTA? If so--don't be nervous about the interview; if you're a native speaker or fluent (and you apparently are from reading your post) it will be absolutely easy as pie. Good luck and enjoy Chiang Mai.

oh and also I e-mailed them about the accommodation and it looks really nice. I can't post a link but the name of the resort is Vdara resort and spa. Rooms are normally $130 a night so I think that we are getting a good deal

---Update---

Thanks Thinkingofchange.
I guess I'm just not very confident about my grammar level, I have over two years of teaching experience so hopefully that will work in my favour.

Originally Posted by geegcurtin

Rooms are normally $130 a night

Take those sort of claims with a pinch of salt.

I was asked to talk about the difference between several tenses. How to explain an abstract idiom. And how I might teach certain phrases. It was all very friendly and not intimidating at all. Good luck if you haven't already done it!

Thanks so much for the tips,
I'll have my interview tomorrow evening so just reading through my grammar book trying to get myself prepared!
I'll let you know how it goes

Originally Posted by geegcurtin

Thanks so much for the tips,
I'll have my interview tomorrow evening so just reading through my grammar book trying to get myself prepared!
I'll let you know how it goes

Good luck! I'm sending my form off this week so fingers crossed for an interview/place!

Originally Posted by Trants1

I was asked to talk about the difference between several tenses. How to explain an abstract idiom. And how I might teach certain phrases. It was all very friendly and not intimidating at all. Good luck if you haven't already done it!

Cheers for the info - very useful!

I did my CELTA at IH Bangkok during March / April last year - best thing I've ever done, even though I went on to teach maths & science. I'd also advise you bone up on your grammer (tenses & conditionals in particular) as it's primarily a teaching course & you won't have time to learn it as you won't have a spare minute after the first day.

When does your course finish? Mine finished 8th April which is really a bit too late as I was exhausted at the end & just needed to rest but schools generally close for summer a few days later then don't reopen fully until early May.

Good luck.

---Update---

I'd highly recommend 'English Grammar In Use Intermediate Ed' by Raymond Murphy; also recommended by IH. It's logically structured with a single page, for example, on each tense followed by another with exercises to complete.