If you wish to become an English teacher, then you should think of taking the CELTA course.
But do you really need it? Let’s find out!
Is Being a CELTA Holder Worth It?
The short answer to this question is a definite yes! And let me tell you why. Even after a few years as a teacher, you’ll still feel the overwhelming difference after you’ve taken the CELTA course. It might seem hard at first, but it’s beyond worth it to have such a trustworthy certificate in your resume.
CELTA is especially essential for non-native speakers as it gives your employer a good reason to trust you. You see, not everyone can have an understanding of what and where you studied, but everybody knows the CELTA certificate and therefore they know what you had to go through and what you had to learn to get to where you are.
The CELTA course requires you to have good English skills in order to take it. This might sound nerve-wracking for you, but it’s easier than you think! You only need to be fluent and communicative to pass the interview. And make sure you practice your speaking before applying for CELTA.
Can You Pass Easily?
Of course, you can! If your worry lies in the fact that you’re a non-native speaker, we have great news for you! It’s the same for native speakers and non-native speakers! Of course, each person has their pros and cons, but the course is intensive and challenging regardless, so you needn’t think that you’re the only one!
As a non-native speaker taking the CELTA course, you even have some advantages. For example, non-native speakers excel when it comes to grammar, so that’s one thing you won’t have to worry about! This is because native speakers aren’t taught English grammar in their schools.
So even though they might know it instinctively, they might find it hard to explain grammar to their future students. This is where you come in; you’ll find yourself explaining English grammar to native speakers!
It’s also good to note that students are more patient with non-native speaking teachers. When they ask a native speaker a question they don’t have the answer for, they’ll be surprised. As for you, a non-native speaker, they’ll be more understanding as they know what it feels to be in your shoes. For this, you can tell them you’ll review it and get back to them later.
Become an Accredited English Teacher with the CELTA.
Take the CELTA course with us. The CELTA is highly regarded by employers around the world as it is the most highly respected of its kind in the world.
Tips & Advice for Non-Native Speakers
Your English skills can always improve if you have the right material. Here, we’ll give you easy examples and tips on how to utilize everything around you.
Reading:
Reading materials are very easily accessible. For online resources: things like news articles and blogs are a great way to improve your reading skills. As for offline resources: you can find them in books, magazines, or even menus!
Listening:
Nowadays, the internet allows you to practice your listening skills all day long! There’s an unlimited amount of YouTube videos and songs you can learn by heart. Also, an excellent and easily accessible form of material is podcasts!
Writing:
The best way to improve your writing is by booking some classes with an English teacher. It could be a private lesson or in a local private school. You can tell them that you need to focus on your writing skills and ask that they provide feedback on your writing.
If you’re unable to book a teacher, you can always join some online forums instead. Pick some topics you’re a fan of and start searching for online communities that revolve around a said topic. You could also explain in your signature that you’re not a native English speaker, and that feedback on how to improve will be much appreciated.
Speaking:
Although it might not be easily accessible to many, taking a vacation to an English speaking country is the absolute best way to improve your English, on the condition that you only speak English.
However, if you can’t visit one anytime soon, you can always have one-on-one conversations with an English speaker, preferably a native. It’d be great for you to have a couple of sessions every week and have them give you feedback and corrections.
Where Can I Teach English as a Non-Native Speaker?
Working in Asia:
For non-native speakers, Asia is an excellent choice for an English teaching job. Your best options in Asia would be to go with Thailand, Cambodia, or even Japan!
A good tip for this is to look for jobs in smaller towns as opposed to bigger cities. Your experience there might be even more rewarding than in the city!
Latin America:
Generally speaking, Latin American countries are very welcoming to people of different nationalities. So, your chances of finding a job there is almost guaranteed! It’s also worth mentioning that Latin America’s requirements are much more relaxed, so starting your career there would be a great choice.
Other great options for your English teaching career are Turkey, The Czech Republic, and Ukraine.
8 Companies That Let You Teach English Online Without a Degree
If your fear stems from your lack of a degree, This is why you shouldn’t be afraid. Here are ten companies that you might find to be the perfect fit for your English teaching career without the need for a degree!
- Cambly: It enables you to engage in short chat sessions with students via webcam. And here’s the great thing, it doesn’t require prior experience!
- Palfish: It doesn’t have a preference when it comes to the teacher’s nationality. It also allows you to have one-on-one lessons or to teach larger groups. And you access it from your phone.
- Lingoda: It’s the leading online language school in Europe. It provides the teacher with the material and teaches over 6,000 adult students all day long.
- Open English: It’s the market leader in online English learning in Latin America. It has small groups and private classes 24/7. It also has a flexible schedule.
- Verbling: It connects students and teachers for private lessons through live video chat.
- LatinHire: Not just in English, they recruit and manage talent for some of the largest education companies in the world.
- iTalki: It’s a global learning community that connects teachers and students for one-on-one sessions.
- Tutlo: It’s a Polish-based platform that allows flexible learning.
Final Thoughts
The CELTA course enables you to teach English whether you’re a native English speaker or a non-native one! It gives you both a theoretical background and practical tips that you need to teach English perfectly and reach your students’ minds.
So, if you want to teach English online and join one of these companies that we’ve discussed in this article, then register now for the CELTA course!
Apply for the upcoming CELTA course now!
This certificate is the most sought after by employers offering English language teaching jobs abroad or in prestigious organizations.