Cambridge CELTA Training

The gold standard teaching qualification

Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

We are committed to delivering world-class teacher training and professional development opportunities for educators. Over the years, we have worked closely with leading institutions, including Cambridge English Training Professionals, to design and deliver high-quality teacher training programmes that meet international standards.

In addition, Smart Rudder has successfully arranged exclusive training opportunities for teacher groups at the Cambridge University Press and Assessment headquarters, providing participants with direct access to cutting-edge resources, expert-led workshops, and insights into the latest innovations in English language teaching and assessment. Through these initiatives, Smart Rudder continues to empower teachers with advanced skills, global best practices, and internationally recognized credentials that elevate their careers and enrich learning outcomes worldwide.

Download a summary of the course topics

Download the ofificial suggested CELTA syllabus

CELTA

Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The gold standard teaching qualification

CELTA from Cambridge is a qualification for teaching English as a foreign language. It is the most widely recognised English teaching qualification in the world and the most often requested by employers; three out of four English language teaching jobs require a CELTA qualification*.

It focuses on developing practical techniques, and includes face-to-face or online teaching practice with groups of learners, which will give you the confidence you need to begin teaching in as little as four weeks.

Whether you’re looking for your first teaching job, or you want to prove to employers that you have the required teaching skills with a recognised certificate, CELTA from Cambridge is the qualification you need.

Face-to-faceYour teaching practice will be in a classroom with groups of learners and observed by your trainer. Your training sessions will be face-to-face or a combination with online study.It’s especially suitable if you prefer studying face-to-face, if you only want to teach face-to-face classes, or if you want to travel to take your CELTA in a particular place.

OnlineYour training and teaching practice will be in an online learning environment with groups of learners and observed by your trainer.It’s particularly useful if you want the flexibility of online study, if you want to limit travel costs, or if you plan to teach English online as you’ll learn more about the digital tools needed.

CombinationYour training may be online, face-to-face or a blend of online and face-to-face.Your teaching practice will include face-to-face lessons in a classroom and lessons in an online learning environment. Your teaching practice will be with groups of learners and observed by your trainer. It’s particularly good if you want to get experience of both online and face-to-face teaching.

Who is CELTA for?New teachers with no experience starting their careerteachers with some experience who want to develop their skillsfirst-language English speakers and non-first-language speakersteachers who want to travel and teach English

Why should I choose CELTA over other qualifications?There is a lot to consider when it comes to choosing a qualification for teaching English as a foreign language. Is it globally recognised? Will you get practical teaching experience? How long is the course? Find out why teachers choose CELTA over other TEFL/TESOL qualifications in our blog.

The benefits of teaching English as a foreign languageTeaching English as a foreign language can be a rewarding career path, whether you’re teaching in your own country or planning to travel. You can develop your teaching skills, experience new opportunities, travel the world, enjoy greater flexibility and develop transferable workplace skills. Find out what it involves and the many benefits in our blog.

The CELTA course in detail

How you will be assessed

Preparing for your CELTA

What’s in the CELTA course?

The CELTA course in detail

The CELTA course covers the principles of effective teaching, and gives you a range of teaching techniques and practical experience. You get hands-on teaching practice and observation of experienced teachers, and you’ll apply your learning by delivering communicative teaching with English language learners.

CELTA courses are delivered by authorised centres on behalf of Cambridge English. All CELTA courses include at least 120 hours of contact between candidates and course tutors, and include:

tutorial support and consultation
supervised lesson planning
6 hours’ assessed teaching practice per candidate supervised by a course tutor
feedback on teaching practice
peer observation of teaching practice (i.e. watching the other candidates’ lessons)
6 hours’ directed observation of lessons taught by experienced ELT professionals, up to 3 hours of which may be of filmed lessons

You should also allow for 80 additional learning hours for pre-course preparation, reading, research, assignment writing, lesson preparation and record keeping.

The maximum ratio of candidates to tutors is one tutor for every six candidates, and there are at least two tutors on each course.

Course topics

The CELTA course covers a range of topics:

learners and teachers, and the teaching and learning context
language analysis and awareness
language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing
planning and resources for different teaching contexts
developing teaching skills and professionalism

Professional development and career advancement

CELTA Courses with Smart Rudder

Gain Global Teaching Credentials

Elevate Your Teaching Now

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed throughout the course and there is no final examination. The two types of assessment are:

Teaching practice

You will teach for a total of 6 hours, working with adult classes at a minimum of two levels of ability. Assessment is based on your overall performance.

Written assignments

You will complete four written assignments (each 750–1,000 words). These focus on:

analysing and responding to adult learner needs
analysing language for teaching purposes
teaching language skills
reflecting on classroom teaching

Your teaching practice and written assignments are assessed by your trainers during the course. Your trainers will discuss your progress with you, including in at least two one-to-one tutorials, so you should have a good idea of your strengths and areas to focus on.

Results

There are four possible grades for CELTA:

pass A
pass B
pass
fail

At the end of your course you will be given a candidate report form, which will give your provisional grade. This will also say whether you took the course face-to-face, online or as a mix of face-to-face and online.

Cambridge English will issue your certificate when grades have been confirmed. Certificates are usually despatched up to eight weeks after the completion of the course. The certificate will state your name, grade, the centre number where you took the course and the date of the award.

The CELTA test in detail-Core modules

There’s no need to worry – your CELTA interview is about getting to know you, finding out about your skills and motivations, and making sure the course is right for you.

Here are our top tips for preparing for your interview.

1. Try to relax

The CELTA interview isn’t a test. Instead, it’s designed to get to know you. During the interview, you’ll talk about your experience, goals and the course content, so you and your interviewer can be sure it’s the right qualification for you.

2. Review your written application

Your application form will give you a good idea of the kind of areas you’ll be asked about during the interview. Take time to review it ahead of your interview to be fully prepared.

3. Do your research

Do you know what to expect on a CELTA course? There’s lots to consider when taking a course, which is why it’s important to do your research. Here are some questions you could research ahead of your CELTA interview:

What is an ‘intensive’ course?
What will you be doing on the course?
What topics does the course cover?

It’s also a good idea to prepare some good, relevant questions to ask the interviewer. This shows you’re interested and can give you a greater insight into the course.

4. Think about why you want to take CELTA

What do you expect to get out of taking CELTA? Be prepared for your interviewer to ask this question and answer honestly – they just want to understand your real motivation behind taking the course.

5. Consider your reaction to feedback

Receiving feedback can help you develop your skills, identify your strengths, and the areas that you need to practise more. An important part of CELTA is getting feedback from your trainer and fellow trainees, so it’s important to think about how you feel and react to receiving feedback.

6. Reflect on your previous experience of studying

Looking back on your previous experience of studying, what worked well for you and what didn’t? Reflecting on your past school, university or training experiences can help you understand how you learn best. Your interviewer may explore why you’ve chosen a particular type of CELTA course to make sure it’s the most suitable for you.

7. Explore your beliefs about teaching and learning

Our previous experiences play a huge role in our beliefs and views of the world. Whether you’re new to teaching or already have experience, it’s important to think about your beliefs about teaching and learning.

If teaching is a new career path for you, you could think about your experience of being taught by a particular teacher – what worked well and why? Or, if you are already a teacher, what activities and lessons have worked well with your students? Consider what made them successful and how this informs your teaching practice.

8. Get set up online

Many CELTA interviews will be done online. Make sure you are calm and prepared for your interview by checking your speaker and microphone are working, and set yourself up in a place that is quiet and connected to the internet.

Empowering Teachers with Global Training ExcellenceGlobal Opportunities, Comprehensive Support, Lasting Impact

Smart Rudder Group provides teachers with the opportunity to undertake their training across six international destinations, creating a truly global platform for learning and professional growth. Throughout the training journey, SR Teachers benefit from comprehensive end-to-end support, including well-arranged accommodation, daily meals, local transportation, visa consultation, and flight booking assistance. This holistic service ensures a seamless, comfortable, and stress-free experience, allowing teachers to fully focus on enhancing their skills and advancing their careers.