Find out what English language teaching is all about in this introduction to the key English language teaching concepts that are covered in depth in a course such as the CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL. Things like learner centredness, learner needs and how to make language learning relevant and engaging.
Start when you want and go at your own pace. Ask questions - a tutor is there to help.
Visit the language school. See teachers in the classroom and listen to international teachers in the field reflect on their teaching.
Feel confident about what teaching new language really involves as we introduce you to the main concepts that English language teachers cover when they teach new words, grammar and lexis.
Videos, interactives, quizzes, forum and food for thought
Course Writer Jamie King
Jamie King is a Consultant Teacher Education Specialist, Accredited Teacher Trainer and Assessor, Course and Materials Designer.
He is an accredited University of Cambridge ESOL CELTA and Delta Tutor and Assessor and has extensive international experience teaching and training in 13 countries over the past 15 years (UAE, UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Iran, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Ethiopia, South Africa and the Ukraine). He has also worked as a Departmental Director, including: departmental management, product development/course design, product management, quality control, business development and staff development.
He has taught a full range of learners in a variety of teaching contexts, including: Adult Learners, Young Learners, General English, English for Academic Purposes, Exam Classes, mono and multilingual classes and has also worked as a Cambridge ESOL Examiner.
“The ELT Campus TEFL Preparation Course is definitely worth its modest price and the time one needs to invest in completing the course. Anyone planning to do a CELTA will greatly benefit from the basic orientation and understanding that the TEFL Prep Course provides. The videos offer a glimpse into what a 'real' ELT classroom is like, invaluable for those with no experience in particular.””
Steve Oakes, Co-Author of Speakout English Language Coursebook Series by Pearson and Teacher Trainer
“As an experienced CELTA and YL-extension teacher trainer I’m so pleased to finally have an opportunity to refer potential candidates to a TESOL/TEFL Preparation Course. Many trainees coming onto CELTA do not realise the intensity of the course which often negatively affects their overall performance. Now ELTCampus offers a solid preparation course that familiarises candidates with many of the concepts we go into and put into practice during the CELTA course. For some less confident candidates this course, which covers key concepts, essential terminology and provides an insight into communicative language teaching in practice, can make the difference between a pass or fail and it can even be the difference between a pass and a strong pass.”
Anna Hasper, Teacher Trainer, Course Materials Writer
“The course would be helpful for all applicants of CELTA-like TEFL courses including the Irish CELT because in my experience the greatest obstacle to confident, coherent lesson planning and successful course completion has been the difficulty in acquiring and maintaining a grasp of the central principles of modern language teaching.”
Tony Penston, Teacher Trainer and Author of "A Concise Grammar for English Language Teachers" and "Essential Phonetics for English Language Teachers"
“I wish there had been an orientation course available before I did the CELTA course! I was already a qualified teacher. I am a native speaker of English. I thought this should be the easiest topic to teach to date. It was the most difficult! I had no idea about terms like "graded language", "language skills", "TTT", or "choral drilling" etc etc. Three fellow CELTA students pulled out in the first week! If you are thinking of doing any type of TEFL course , even if you already have a teaching qualification, I would strongly recommend taking the "TEFL Preparation Course" with the very dedicated teaching team at ELTCAMPUS to give you an insight into all the new terminology and teaching skills you will have to learn. They can also help you to save time, money and the biggie....Stress!”
Marianne Jordan, Pronunciation Consultant and Content Writer for Pronunciation.Club
“The TEFL Preparation Course for CELTA by ELTCampus was shortlisted for the Innovation in Teacher Resources Award, 2016.”
ELTons 2016, Industry Award Nomination
What is Learner Centredness?
FREE PREVIEWActivity: Consider the scenarios and decide whether they are found in a teacher-centred or learner-centred classroom.
FREE PREVIEWIdeas, theories and principles: Deductive and Inductive Learning
FREE PREVIEWIdeas, theories and principles: Discover, Experience, Cooperate
FREE PREVIEWTest your learning
FREE PREVIEWObserving Teachers in the Classroom I
FREE PREVIEWTeachers Reflect I: Teachers, from a variety of backgrounds and teaching experiences, reflect on issues of learner-centredness.
Let's analyse some real classroom materials
Compare your thoughts with our answers to the classroom material analysis.
Classroom Materials Analysis Quiz
Finally, let's apply our knowledge to some teaching and learning scenarios
Scenario 2
Scenario 3
Scenario 4
Classroom management, teacher talk and rapport
What are Interaction Patterns?
Activity: Think carefully about how the following activities can be done to maximise learning for everyone.
Apply this idea
What is Monitoring?
Consider the following classroom scenarios. Think about what should happen.
Keys To Effective Task Setting
Apply this Idea
Test Your Understanding
Observing Teachers in the Classroom II
Teachers Reflect II: Our participating teachers, from a variety of backgrounds and teaching experiences, reflect on issues of classroom management.
Rapport and Dynamics: Review of a Teacher Trainee’s Self-Evaluation Exercise
Classroom Materials Analysis Quiz: Review of a Teacher Trainee’s Self-Evaluation Exercise
Let's apply our knowledge to some teaching and learning scenarios.
Apply this Idea
What is Needs Based Learning and Analysis?
When we talk about learner needs, what is differentiation?
Activity: Is this a traditional, undifferentiated or a differentiated classroom?
Learning Styles and Preferences
Time to Check your Understanding
Observing Teachers in the Classroom III
Teachers Reflect III: Katy and Chris, teaching in Thailand, consider what "learner needs and differences" means.
Example of Class/Learner Profiling
Example of Learner Profiling
Classroom Materials Analysis Quiz: Learner Profiling
Accommodating Differentiation in the Classroom
Let's apply some of our new knowledge to these teaching scenarios. Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 3
What are Language Systems?
What is MPF (Meaning, Pronunciation & Form) ?
Let's check our understanding of the concept of a CCQ (Concept Checking Question)
Let's check up on key terms and concepts of the module so far...
Observing Teachers in the Classroom IV: What is Contextualisation, Clarifying Meaning, Form and Pronunciation?
How can we personalise course content?
Teachers Reflect IV: Sze, teaching in Singapore, talks about Meaning, Form and Pronunciation
Contextualisation: Look as these two material samples and follow with the next video.
What is "contextualisation" and how do course and classroom materials try to establish this?
Classroom Materials Analysis Quiz: Creating context for presenting new language.
Let's apply some of our new knowledge to this coursebook material
Answers
The Principles of Language Practice
Personalisation in Communicative Language Practice
Explain "Communicative Language Teaching" in your own words
Complete the simple exercise below to consolidate your understanding of what “Controlled and Freer Language Practice” is.
What is feedback in language learning and what are the ways we give it?
Time to check the terms and concepts
Observing Teachers in the Classroom V
Teachers Reflect V: Teachers talk with our CELTA and Delta teacher trainer Jamie about the purpose of controlled language practice activities.
Teachers Reflect V: Sinem, teaching in Turkey, talks about pronunciation practice activities she does in class
Materials Analysis: A grammar focused practice activity
Let's analyse the material together
Materials Analysis: A pronunciation practice activity
Answers
Ideas for the Classroom
Listening and reading are "Receptive Skills". What are the principles behind how we stage a receptive skills lesson?
Key points to manage the stages of a receptive skills lesson effectively
Time to check we've got this.
Observing Teachers in the Classroom VI: Jen's Class: See how the pre/while/post stages of a reading lesson starts to take shape.
Observing Teachers in the Classroom VI: Isabelle's Class: See how the pre/while/post stages of a listening lesson starts to take shape.
Teachers Reflect VI: What really happens in the classroom when we work with receptive skills?
Materials Analysis: A reading activity
Materials Analysis Quiz
M6 Let's apply what we now know to the following scenario
M6 Suggested Answers
Speaking and writing are "Productive Skills". What are the principles behind how we stage a productive skills lesson?
What are the keys to effective productive skills lessons?
Quick comprehension check about giving feedback
Observing Teachers in the Classroom VII
Teacher Reflect VII: Sinem, teaching in Turkey, takes a writing lesson and shakes it up!
Teachers Reflect VII: Andrea, teaching in Canada, talks to us about speaking activities and gives us an example of one
Materials Analysis: A Writing Practice Activity
Answers
Let's apply what we know to the following scenario: a speaking lesson
Suggested answers
Let's quickly revisit what we've done over the course.
What are the main ideas for planning an English lesson?
Suggested stages for different lesson types
Ok, let's check we have the concepts of lesson planning
Teachers Reflect VIII: Emma, teaching in Spain, talks about what she does to prepare for a lesson
Teachers Reflect VIII: Rageshree, teaching in India, talks about her approach to planning on the go
Let's look at a model lesson plan
Answers
Apply your knowledge: Look at this coursebook material and suggest how you would make it come alive!
A Suggested Answer
Congrats! Here's what's next...
More resources for you
Before you go...
320 students enrolled.
Love the freshness of the graphics and your personal anecdote Emma about leaving NZ and heading to Spain. In particular, you saying that you yourself were a weak CELTA candidate who went on to embrace all things ELT, is really encouraging to hear ...
Read MoreLove the freshness of the graphics and your personal anecdote Emma about leaving NZ and heading to Spain. In particular, you saying that you yourself were a weak CELTA candidate who went on to embrace all things ELT, is really encouraging to hear for those candidates from non-teaching backgrounds. A great lead-in to the material to come! - Penny Ebbrell CELTA Tutor, Wellington, New Zealand.
Read LessI have always been on the other side of the story. I’ve been learning English since I was about 5 or 6. I am used to a classroom routine, where you have different stages etc. I just never quite realized that this is what was happening. It was n...
Read MoreI have always been on the other side of the story. I’ve been learning English since I was about 5 or 6. I am used to a classroom routine, where you have different stages etc. I just never quite realized that this is what was happening. It was natural for me and my colleagues to, for example, be introduced to the topic first, then get to the material and do a little post exercise of some kind after. I have just come to the realisation that there is a procedure to follow and it all makes sense now! I can now understand all the techniques my English teachers were using and it is so interesting. Overall, The TEFL Preparation Course for CELTA has helped me come to an understanding of how a class can or should be managed. Some things might have been common sense, but I hadn’t noticed them till I started the course. For example, something so simple as: not repeating yourself much with words like “okay?”, “yeah?” or treating the students as children. This is a very typical mistake and I have been on the other side of too. I didn’t used to like it whenever they would talk to me in that way and I would think to myself “I’m not a child, it’s just not my first language”! Prepare for the CELTA I feel more confident about doing the CELTA after this course. I was always a bit nervous of the fact that I am not a native speaker. I have noticed throughout the course, that it is not about being native, but being able to teach and handle situations quick and smoothly. Even though I haven’t started my CELTA yet, I feel that I am in a better place to do so. I feel much more confident having learnt new concepts, techniques and having observed many lessons that have given me new ideas. Overall, I would highly recommend the course as a pre CELTA experience.
Read LessExcellent, I highly recommend the course. I’m starting a CELTA course soon and have no teaching experience. This course has helped me understand the basics of teaching a CELTA course. I feel confident and I’m now looking forward to start the CELTA...
Read MoreExcellent, I highly recommend the course. I’m starting a CELTA course soon and have no teaching experience. This course has helped me understand the basics of teaching a CELTA course. I feel confident and I’m now looking forward to start the CELTA course.
Read LessThis TESOL orientation course is really helpful to know what to expect from a language teaching job. It provides you the tools to be ready to prepare your future lessons, how to manage a classroom, how to diversify your lessons, how to get your st...
Read MoreThis TESOL orientation course is really helpful to know what to expect from a language teaching job. It provides you the tools to be ready to prepare your future lessons, how to manage a classroom, how to diversify your lessons, how to get your students to achieve the aims, … It’s really interesting and it will be useful to all the people who want to become a teacher and don’t know what to expect from the job. I can’t wait to do the CELTA course, I feel more confident to do it after this preparation course. Terry
Read LessHow the course may have helped you feel orientated and “in tune” with becoming an English teacher. Has it changed your ideas at all about what you thought teaching was about? I have always been on the other side of the story. I’ve been learning E...
Read MoreHow the course may have helped you feel orientated and “in tune” with becoming an English teacher. Has it changed your ideas at all about what you thought teaching was about? I have always been on the other side of the story. I’ve been learning English since I was about 5 or 6. I am used to a classroom routine, where you have different stages etc. I just never quite realized that this is what was happening. It was natural for me and my colleagues to, for example, be introduced to the topic first, then get to the material and do a little post exercise of some kind after. I have just come to the realisation that there is a procedure to follow and it all makes sense now! I can now understand all the techniques my English teachers were using and it is so interesting. Overall, The TEFL Preparation Course for CELTA has helped me come to an understanding of how a class can or should be managed. Some things might have been common sense, but I hadn’t noticed them till I started the course. For example, something so simple as: not repeating yourself much with words like “okay?”, “yeah?” or treating the students as children. This is a very typical mistake and I have been on the other side of too. I didn’t used to like it whenever they would talk to me in that way and I would think to myself “I’m not a child, it’s just not my first language”! Prepare for the CELTA I feel more confident about doing the CELTA after this course. I was always a bit nervous of the fact that I am not a native speaker. I have noticed throughout the course, that it is not about being native, but being able to teach and handle situations quick and smoothly. Even though I haven’t started my CELTA yet, I feel that I am in a better place to do so. I feel much more confident having learnt new concepts, techniques and having observed many lessons that have given me new ideas. Overall, I would highly recommend the course as a pre CELTA experience. Maialen
Read LessDoing this course helped me prepare for the CELTA interview I signed up to the TEFL Preparation course for CELTA before I had secured a place to study the CELTA course. I had only gone through maybe to about halfway when I got through to the inte...
Read MoreDoing this course helped me prepare for the CELTA interview I signed up to the TEFL Preparation course for CELTA before I had secured a place to study the CELTA course. I had only gone through maybe to about halfway when I got through to the interview stage for the CELTA. I have to say what I covered really gave me the confidence in my interview to stand out. I then completed the rest of course before I started the intensive. This pre CELTA course gives you an insight into the CELTA course and what to expect The pre-CELTA TEFL Preparation Course is so concise where it needs to be and it literally covers everything you will learn on the CELTA course (how to prepare your future lessons, how to get your students to achieve the aims, how to diversify your lessons and classroom management to mention a few). The course is also delivered in a high quality manner where you have interactive exercises, quizzes and videos. It’s so well thought through. I highly recommend it to anyone who desires to teach but has no teaching experience. It puts things into perspective and potentially paves the way to achieve well on your selected TEFL course. Simbiso
Read LessThe ELT Campus TEFL Prep Course for CELTA Preparation is definitely worth its modest price and the time one needs to invest in completing the course. Anyone planning to do a CELTA will greatly benefit from the basic orientation and understanding t...
Read MoreThe ELT Campus TEFL Prep Course for CELTA Preparation is definitely worth its modest price and the time one needs to invest in completing the course. Anyone planning to do a CELTA will greatly benefit from the basic orientation and understanding that the TEFL Prep Course provides. The videos offer a glimpse into what a ‘real’ ELT classroom is like, invaluable for those with no experience in particular. Steve Oakes Head of Teacher Training IH Budapest Steve Oakes
Read LessI’m very happy about having taken up this pre-CELTA TEFL Preparation course because now I’m aware of what to expect from my CELTA course. I enjoyed every minute of learning here and it made me feel I was a student again. And actually I really was!...
Read MoreI’m very happy about having taken up this pre-CELTA TEFL Preparation course because now I’m aware of what to expect from my CELTA course. I enjoyed every minute of learning here and it made me feel I was a student again. And actually I really was! So now I feel more confident about my future studies and I am sure it will not be such a scary thing for me as it could be without the pre-CELTA! I’d like to thank all teachers who participated in creation of it and of course to Emma Pratt. And I highly recommend the course for all the people who really to make teaching English their profession. Anastasia
Read LessThis course is self directed. Start anytime! A tutor will alongside to answer any questions.
When you have completed the course, a blockchained certificate and badge for sharing on your portfolio or resume will be become available to you.
You are welcome to take this course even if you aren't planning to do the CELTA, Trinity Cert TESOL or equivalent. The language level is C1+.
Not entirely online. The CELTA course requires you to complete observed teaching hours and participate in observing other teachers. This can't be done online. The formats of the CELTA course are face to face or part time for people living in the area near the CELTA centre wit some online component.
This course aims to enrich and improve your training experience and the quality of what you do on the training course through helping you be very well prepared. It is not however, a cheat sheet. This isn't our style. We believe in learning and the journey you are about to take as a teacher. This online preparation course covers the basic concepts, but cannot guarantee a place for you on a course such as the CELTA or Trinity Cert TESOL. These courses have strict requirements. You'll be assessed on your initial pre-interview tasks that you complete when you apply. Then you'll have an interview. The tutors are checking not only your English language level - both spoken and written - but also things like your level of language awareness, aptitude to be a good teacher and readiness to be taught.
The perfect preparation for any 120 hour English teacher training course such as the CELTA. Trinity CertTESOL or equivalent.
£95.00
Six modules to have your preparation covered + bonus materials, for a reduced price:
£45.00
