Do I need a CELTA with my teaching experience?

[r.brummer]

Hi there,

I have a PGCE and two years teaching Geography in secondary school under my belt. I am going to Prague for 2 years and will be teaching EFL for that duration. I have been offered a job with a Primary School which I am extremely keen on as I wanted to work with children and in a school environment. However, it will mean that I will be unable to take the CELTA course as the term start date clashes with the CELTA Course. I'm not sure what to do. I really want to take the CELTA course as I believe ELT teaching is different to my experience of teaching and teaching grammar and language needs a slightly different set of tools. Advice will be most appreciated

thanks

Richard

[systematic]

Hi Richard,

If the CELTA or some TESOL cert. is not a prerequiste for the job - and it appears you have the job already - your PGCE will have already armed you with the knowledge you need of teaching practice. What you need to know about teaching English you can brush up by reading either:

The Practice of English Language Teaching
Jermemy Harmer 2001
Longman
ISBN 0-582-40385
http://www.longman-elt.com
(it's practically every TESOL course provider's bible)

or

A Course in Language Teaching
Penny Ur 1991
Cambridge University Press
ISBN 0-521-44994-4
http://www.cambridge.org

Then go to the Longman, CUP, and OUP catalogues and check out the course books for kids. If you are allowed to make your own selection in the Prague school, if any books take your fancy, you are welcome toask me again for my opinion.