CELTA

The Teacher Training Department of IH Johannesburg is part of the London-based IH World Organisation. IH helped to create the standards for teacher training in language education, and continues to do so.

CELTA is a full time initial qualification, typically 4 weeks, within the ELT profession. Awarded by the University of Cambridge, this course is aimed at candidates with little or no previous teaching experience.  Your chosen course will teach you the principles of effective teaching and a range of practical skills for teaching English to adult learners. You will have hands-on teaching practice, observe experienced teachers in the classroom and complete four practically focused written assignments.

1. Course Description

The CELTA is an introductory teacher training course designed for candidates with little or no previous English language TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teaching experience. It is also suitable for teachers who have teaching experience but who have had little or no formal teacher training. It is considered to be a solid foundation for teaching English as a foreign language. The CELTA teacher training course is recognised by EFL organisations worldwide and the certificate is the most highly respected of its kind in the world.

2. Applicant Profile

Applicants for the CELTA course should have an awareness of language and a competence in English, both written and spoken, that enables them to follow the course and complete the assignments and teach English at a range of levels. They should normally have a standard of education that would allow them entry to Higher Education in their country. Candidates must usually be 20 years old at the start of the CELTA course (although candidates from the age of 18 may be accepted at the centre’s discretion where it is confirmed that they have the potential to develop the necessary skills to become effective EFL teachers and that the course is suitable for them in terms of their background and their career plans).

3. Course Requirements

The CELTA Cambridge Certificate requires an attendance of a minimum of 120 hours over 4 weeks. These hours include:

• input
• tutorial support and consultation
• supervised lesson planning
• six hours assessed TEFL teaching practice
• peer observation of TEFL teaching practice
• six hours directed observation of live lessons taught by experienced ELT teacher training professionals
• a minimum of 80 hours of unsupervised work outside of timetabled course hours is also required
• candidates must be present for at least 80% of each component of the course in order to pass, although 100% attendance is expected, and time off is granted in exceptional circumstances only.

4. Assessment Overview

The CELTA is awarded to candidates who have completed the course and met the assessment criteria for all written and practical assignments.

By the end of the course candidates should show that they are able to:

assess learners’ needs and plan and teach English lessons which take account of learners’ backgrounds, learning preferences and current needs

demonstrate language knowledge and awareness and appropriate teaching strategies

demonstrate knowledge about language skills and how they may be acquired

plan and prepare lessons designed to develop their learners’ overall language competence

demonstrate an appropriate range of English language teaching skills at this level and show professional awareness and responsibility

5. Teaching Practice and Observation

Teaching practice is an integral part of the course and takes place every day. It is related to the areas covered in the input sessions. Trainees work in groups of six to plan, observe and give feedback to each other on the teaching they have done. Candidates teach at least two different levels of students on the course to get experience of teaching at different levels. In feedback on teaching, all lessons are discussed by TP groups and tutors.

Tutors give both verbal and written feedback on each assessed lesson. Trainees also observe at least 6 hours of lessons given by qualified teachers.

Additional time is required for lesson preparation and written assignments.

As the course is full-time and very intensive, it is impossible to have any other commitments during the period of the course. Candidates will find they have to work most evenings and at weekends on course-related work.

The cost of the CELTA course is R21,900.00 and a R400 refundable book deposit - How to Pay.

Course dates for 2025

In-person

These courses will be held in-person at our school in Parktown:

• 31 March - 25 April
• 26 May - 20 June
• 28 July - 22 August
• 22 September - 17 October
• 10 November - 05 December

Online

These courses will be held online.  Ensure that you have a reliable internet connection and a Webcam.
The cost of the online CELTA course is R24,500.00.

• 30 June - 01 August

How to apply and prepare for the course?

Please email celta@ihjoburg.co.za for the 2025 application form using only a GMAIL address. This is required to use Google Drive to complete the form and for the CELTA course.

We will evaluate your application and call you in for an interview.

Once you have been accepted on the course and have paid your deposit, you will be given a pre-course task to complete. In addition to completing the task we suggest you begin reading the prescribed methodology book. Both the pre-course task and the methodology book form part of your preparation for the course.

Candidates will be required to have a strong understanding of Google Drive and the ability to edit and upload documents to a shared folder.

Please note that registration closes 3 weeks before the start of each course and payment must be made in full.

Extra Documentation

CELTA Syllabus and Assessment Guidelines

CIS Form (Cambridge)