CELTA Courses in Oxford
We offer both intensive and part-time CELTA courses designed to be a springboard for those wishing to teach in the UK or abroad. It is also suitable for those who have some teaching experience but who wish to gain a formal internationally recognised TEFL qualification in order to develop a career in EFL.
Oxford Teacher Training Centre Video
Join our CELTA trainees and Academic Team to find out more about our training courses!
4-Week Intensive CELTA
| Course Summary | |
|---|---|
| Course code | CELTA |
| Available in | Oxford |
| Start dates | See Fees & Dates |
| Course duration | 4 weeks |
| Class times | 09:15-17:00, Mon-Fri |
| Lessons/week | 38 |
| Lesson duration | 50 minutes |
| Total input | 120 hours |
Over 10,000 people successfully complete their CELTA every year and the course is recognised by employers in the UK and worldwide. Each course is externally validated by the University of Cambridge so you can be assured of the quality. At British Study Centres we offer a high level of personalised service by trained and experienced professionals within a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
We generally run one intensive course each month. Please see the sample timetable at the bottom of this page for a detailed schedule.
6-Month Part-Time CELTA
| Course Summary | |
|---|---|
| Course code | CELTA/PT |
| Available in | Oxford |
| Start dates | See Fees & Dates |
| Course duration | 6 months |
| Class times | 17:45-21:00, Wed & Thu |
| Lessons/week | 6 |
| Lesson duration | 50 minutes |
| Total input | 120 hours |
For those who would like to combine taking the CELTA course and having full-time employment, we have a part-time option too. The course covers the same areas of methodology as the intensive course, but runs over 6 months – two evenings a week on Wednesday (teaching practice) and Thursday (guided lesson preparation and input) and there will be at least two Saturday sessions.
Please note that the live observation component of the course will be organised to take place at convenient times in the morning. It may be that candidates need to negotiate with their employers to be able to fit the observations into their daytime work schedule.
Graduate Scheme
The British Council has launched the English Teaching Graduate Scheme that will support unemployed graduates to become English teachers overseas and encourage young people from the UK to apply for teacher training grants.
Successful applicants will receive a British Council EFL teacher training grant for 50% course fee of Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL.
For further information about the graduate scheme and how to apply, please see the British Council's TeachingEnglish website.
Course Components
Teaching Practice
The course is very practical in nature. Under the guidance of your tutor, you will spend each afternoon either teaching students or observing your peers. Course time is set aside for the preparation of these lessons and your tutor will assist and guide you throughout your time with us. You will gain experience in teaching at two distinct levels.
Language Awareness
This component is designed to familiarise trainees with aspects of the English language. It focuses on grammar & structure (form), meaning in context (function) and the sound system of the English language (phonology).
Written Assignments
Candidates need to complete 4 written assignments which range from formal language analysis to a study of teaching materials. They are graded on a pass or fail basis and candidates must pass 3 out of 4 assignments.
Methodology of Language Teaching & Learning
This involves the analysis and appreciation of various methods, styles and strategies for both language teaching and learning. You are also introduced to a range of teaching aids and classroom management techniques.
Classroom Observation
During the course you will be timetabled for 6 hours of classroom observation. This will give you the opportunity to see experienced teachers in action. These observations are complemented by specific observation tasks, which will be referred to throughout the course.
Eligibility & Enrolment
Eligibility
Candidates should be 20 or over by the start of course although we will consider applicants between the ages of 18 and 20 at our discretion. Applicants should have a good standard of education (e.g. UK university entrance level) and have an awareness and high level of competence in written and spoken English in order to be able to follow the course. For non-native speakers we recommend an English level equivalent to Cambridge Advanced English 'A' grade or IELTS 8.0.
Assessment
Assessment is made on a continual basis (there is no final exam). Particular emphasis is given to teaching appropriate lessons effectively. Candidates are assessed continually and kept up to date with their progress throughout the course during regular tutorial sessions. Final assessment is made on three main areas: Professional Development, Written Assignments and Teaching Practice. Final grades are in negotiation with an external assessor from the University of Cambridge. There are three pass grades - Pass, Pass 'B' and Pass 'A'.
Enrolment Procedure
If you wish to apply for a place on the course, please download and complete the application form. Places are allocated on the basis of group and individual interviews. If you are based overseas or live some distance from the school, we are happy to arrange telephone interviews. Due to the high demand for our courses we encourage candidates to return completed application forms as soon as possible.
Interview
Candidates should allow two hours for the interview. As part of the interview, you will be given some language awareness tasks. This is designed to help us assess your ability to analyse language. It is not a test of your knowledge of grammar rules. If you don't feel particularly confident, you might want to look at 'English Grammar in Use' (Murphy) or 'Learning Teaching' (Scrivener) for the more practical side of teaching. We will also give you some tasks to take home and complete so that you are fully prepared for the start of the course.
Post-Interview
Once you are offered a place, we will let you think about it for a while by keeping your place for 48 hours. If you would like to take up the offer, you will need to send us the deposit within this time. We ask that you pay the balance of the course fees a minimum of 4 weeks before the start of the course.
Sample Timetable (4-Week CELTA Course)
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:15-10:30 | Introduction to course admin | Introduction to language analysis | Classroom observation | Phonology (stress, rhythm & speech) | Checking understanding |
| 11:00-12:30 | Foreign language lesson | Teacher & learners' roles | Receptive skills | Teacher vocabulary | Lesson planning |
| 12:30-13:15 | Guidance for teaching practice | Guidance for teaching practice | Guidance for teaching practice | Guidance for teaching practice | Guidance for teaching practice |
| 13:15-14:15 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 14:15-17:00 | Lesson observation & meeting your class | Teaching practice & feedback | Teaching practice & feedback | Teaching practice & feedback | Teaching practice & feedback |