CELTA Training Dilemma

[celticcelta]

Hi,

I'm 19 years old and am in the middle of studying for a degree in Pharmacy. I've taken a gap year and want to do something productive in another country while earning money. Thus I've arrived at doing TEFL. In particular, I was thinking of doing CELTA in this organization who run monthly courses in CELTA:

https://www.cactustefl.co.uk/tefl/co...course_id=1436

They offer it at 1500 euro which seems an average price plus accommodation would result in around 2000 + food which would be 2,300 for the entire Month.

However I would want to do this in January. I'd like to re-coup my money or even come out in profit as I return to my studies at the end of September. The possible lack of work in Summer is also a concern. I'd like to work abroad in Spain as well as soon as I finish the course first. So I'd need to earn around 1200...because 300 is for accommodation a month and 200 for food a month...so 700 after cash seems great. Is this realistic that I could get a job in Spain as soon as I finish the course...

I'm 19 and haven't had any experience teaching either. I'm not the greatest speaker in the world in front of people and the thought of teaching in front of an examiner bugs me. Primarily because I could make a holy show of myself and make a log book of errors. My English standard is pretty much perfect and I have already done an i-to-i 100 hour TEFL course and Grammar Cert so I know the area and what's expected.

My only concern is that I might not perform on the day when the examiner is observing me, as I assume the event is quite formal...and I could make a hash of it. I would -really- like to excel at it but have these concerns at the back of my head as well. Can anyone provide some insights, or advice here?

Thanks for all replies, I appreciate them all.

Kind Regards.

[ICAL_Pete]

You might find the tips in these 2 ICALwiki articles useful to help you with your interview.

Nervousness Tips - ICALwiki

Stage Fright - Teaching for the First Time - ICALwiki

Good luck

[celticcelta]

Thanks for those links - I read them.

To be honest, I doubt reading anything will help...on the day is on the day really.

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by celticcelta

Thanks for those links - I read them.

To be honest, I doubt reading anything will help...on the day is on the day really.

Yup, I'm afraid so and no matter how much you plan, things will not pan out in the way you'd expected. But everyone else on your course will be pretty much in the same boat. Also, remember that most people who do it pass, so it's perfectly achievable. It's like any interview or oral exam; once you get going it's fine; it's the lead-up that is daunting. Whereabouts in Spain do you want to go? I'd say that your age and not having completed your degree could count against you in places where there's no shortage of teachers, but even there teachers can be needed at short notice. Many jobs pay the kind of money you're after, but there are also so very low-paid positions there, so try not to get into a situation where you need to take one of those.

[celticcelta]

I'm doing the British Language Centre CELTA in Madrid in January. I wouldn't mind moving around Spain to get a job, what's the market like there at the moment. The person over the course today told me it was good, I certainly hope so. I'd be happy with 1000 to be honest.

[I'm With Stupid]

Originally Posted by ICAL_Pete

You might find the tips in these 2 ICALwiki articles useful to help you with your interview.

Nervousness Tips - ICALwiki

Stage Fright - Teaching for the First Time - ICALwiki

Good luck

Can I add to those lists, "have a bottle of water with you at all times." Watch people on TV programmes or public debates. There's always a jug of water there, because otherwise the nerves make your throat dry. It did on my first teaching demonstration, and it didn't go very well.

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by celticcelta

I'm doing the British Language Centre CELTA in Madrid in January. I wouldn't mind moving around Spain to get a job, what's the market like there at the moment. The person over the course today told me it was good, I certainly hope so. I'd be happy with 1000 to be honest.

I'm afraid that I am on the other side of the world but here are a couple of very different views The ELT Times Blog Archive Spain: two viewpoints