The British Council, Chennai, started as a library almost half a century ago. Now, it has evolved to a buzzing cultural and learning centre. One aspect of British Council, Chennai, which has become staggeringly popular, is the English Language Centre (ELC). With the variety of courses available, the ELC manages to cater to a wide array of needs and requirements to Chennai folks.
The ELC offers spoken English and Business English courses for those who want to develop their language capabilities. Additionally, there are courses that prepare candidates for the IELTS and BEC examinations. Finally, the Chennai ELC is a flagship centre for teacher training courses as well. It provides training for teachers who want to or already teach IELTS and BEC courses. There are also courses such as TKT and CELTA for teachers who want to develop their general teaching skills.
For most aspiring teachers, the first step towards building a career in English language teaching is the CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
A course designed by the University of Cambridge, the CELTA equips people with the skills and aptitude for English language teaching. Part of CELTA’s allure is the fact that it’s recognised worldwide and lets you teach anywhere in the world, once you get qualified.
Trishna Jethwani, a 25-year old banking and public relations graduate, says, “Not so long ago I finished college and had no idea what to do next. My sister kept trying to push me to join CELTA, and after days of going back and forth, I finally agreed. Back then, I had no idea that the four weeks that followed would change my life for good. I learnt how to design my own lessons and make them interesting by using drama, poetry songs and the like. I learnt more grammar and pronunciation in those four weeks than I had done in my entire life.” “Malala Yousafzai once said, ‘One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world’, and I decided to be part of that change,” says Trishna.
24-year old Immanuel Francis says, “To me the CELTA was more of a self-actualisation course than an academic course. It was also instrumental in developing my language skills. I’ve not come across any other course that encourages you to be this creative and independent.”
One of the USPs of the British Council ELC is a sharp focus on the learner’s needs and aspirations.
Facilitating learningHaving a more student-centred classroom and helping learners become more independent is something that Premila Lowe, a 60-year old teacher at the British Council, learned from the CELTA.
“Before the CELTA, I’d be the one talking and ‘teaching’ the language. After the CELTA, I learnt how to help my students discover the language for themselves. An independent learner is an incredible asset.”
Lakshmi Vishnu, a 26-year old teacher, was initially headed for a career in finance, specialising in company law and audit. “And then CELTA happened! It opened my mind to endless possibilities of teaching creatively, of thoroughly enjoying one's job and of doing something meaningful and beneficial. My CELTA tutors made me realise my potential and only after CELTA I realised that I was meant to be doing this all along,” she says.
Despite a background in English and Education, 25-year old Melisha Robinson remembers the course being intensive, but insists it’s as rewarding as it’s demanding. She says, “The CELTA was a definite value-add to my career. It raised the bar and set a new standard of learning for me. The hands-on experience had me working really hard to refine my approach to teaching.”
Maninder Bali highlights the opportunities that have opened up for her since the course saying, “CELTA brought me in contact with the British Council, and since then it’s been a continuous, rewarding journey of learning. It’s given me plum teaching assignments at the teaching centre as well as with big corporates. It’s also given me a chance to work with the brightest people in the industry. And the best part is that I’m still learning!”
Asha Shoba is currently pursuing the DELTA (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), the next step for those who’ve completed the CELTA. In her opinion, it can be quite frustrating for teachers when they fail to transfer their appreciation for the language to their students.
Coming from varied educational and professional backgrounds, with varying degrees of work experience, this merry band of teachers and educators have one thing in common — their undying love for teaching. Oh yes, and that CELTA had a big role to play in nurturing that love.
The writers are academic managers, Chennai, English Language Centre,
British Council.
