The disastrous floods at the end of January interrupted the course. The prompt offer of free and dry accommodation from Arabian Homes (Sierra) Compound ensured, however, that the learning experience was only interrupted briefly.
CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults), a qualification backed by Cambridge University and recognized worldwide for its quality, trains teachers in the pedagogic techniques of teaching English language and opens the way for later diplomas and specialist courses to teach young learners.
Course tutor Kieran Joyce said that the students came to the course wanting top marks “but their eyes opened up pretty quickly when they realized how much there was to learn. But they responded really well to the feedback and made great efforts each day with their lesson and course planning.”
Course leader Richard French said that he was concerned initially about how the experienced adult students, each with at least eight years practical teaching behind them, would take feedback on their work, which is an integral part of the CELTA course.
“We worried that they would take it personally and get offended — but they did not and responded very well indeed,” said French. “I was impressed by just how much these students could change — it can be a problem with experienced teachers.”
The consensus of opinion was that the course had been both a surprise and a challenge in that techniques the students had been using as teachers were questioned, overturned and new ones tried and tested.
None of the students objected, rather they were interested in trying out the new ideas in the classroom. Reforming and even scrapping techniques that had sustained their teaching sometimes presented a personal challenge, but one they found valuable.
“One of the most interesting elements was how to attract and hold the attention of your students,” said student Mohammed Gomaa, pinpointing the essence of the CELTA course, which is student-centered and introduces teaching methods that focuses on eliciting responses rather than being didactic.
The students all agreed that English was the current de facto world language and while other languages may later take over that role, it made sense to have a communication tool that was effective and worldwide.
The group unanimously agreed that the earlier learning English as a second language started, the better and easier it was for the learner.
French said that the course had been a great success and that based on the reaction from the students, further CELTA courses were very much on the cards.
