Unexpected Challenges of the CELTA
You’ve heard the CELTA is hard. There’s no doubt about that. As a prestigious and reputable teaching certificate, it has every right to be. Most expect to put in hard work and lots of time, and they are right. However, there are also some unexpected challenges of the CELTA you should be aware of.
Cost
The CELTA can easily cost 2,000USD to get. This isn’t taking into consideration the extra costs of living expenses, especially if you are doing the course full-time.
In addition to the financial burden, the CELTA costs a lot of time. Most candidates don’t realise just how much. You’ll have to make sacrifices to stay on track with the workload.
Failure
There is always the unexpected chance of failure. As unfortunate as it is, it can happen. If you’re vigilant, try your best, and consistently work with your tutors to improve on whatever it is you are struggling with, you shouldn’t fail.
Read more: Can You Fail Your CELTA Course?
Refund Policies
If for some reason you do fail, change your mind about taking the course, or something unforeseen comes up and you can’t attend, it’s almost unheard of that you will receive a refund once you’ve paid in full. It’s the same story if you’ve completed the course and aren’t happy with the results. You’ll be extremely lucky if you see any money back, so be aware of that and take full advantage of the course.
Different Teaching Styles
Everyone is different. After the CELTA is complete, and you start teaching, you’ll start developing your own teaching style. Why would your tutors on the course be any different? They too will have their own teaching methodologies they employ in the input sessions. Although every tutor is trained on the course content, delivery of said content will vary from tutor to tutor, something that can be unexpected.
The above challenges are those that aren’t usually considered by potential candidates, but they need to be in order to be more prepared for entering into the CELTA. No matter what though, it’s still worth all the hardships!
Want to learn more about the CELTA? Click here for the Saxoncourt Teacher Training Blog.
About the Author
Yvette Smith is an English teacher currently in Vietnam. She has taught in China and Mexico as well. She enjoys writing about the ESL field and thinks everyone should take the chance to travel abroad at least once in their lives.