How to Prepare for a Successful CELTA (Certificate in Language Teaching to Adults) Phone Interview

You have applied for your CELTA (Certificate in Language Teaching to Adults) course and now you have been told by the school director that you will have to have a CELTA phone interview. What should you expect from the CELTA phone interview?

Study Pre-interview Task Well

As soon as you receive your pre-interview task, you should study it thoroughly. Set aside an hour or more each day to go over the grammar, exercises and other parts of the pre-interview task so that you have a good idea of what to expect once you start your course. Granted, it is a lot of work and will at times seem overwhelming. But the pre-interview task will do much to prepare you for the CELTA phone interview as well as the CELTA course. Have the pre-interview task with you while you are having your CELTA phone interview so that you can refer back to it if you need to.

Take a Moment to Answer Questions

The interviewer will know that you are not yet an expert ESL or EFL teacher. If you were, there would be no need to take the CELTA course. Allow the interviewer to ask each question and then ask for clarification if you did not understand any of the questions. Do not just jump in with the first thought that comes to mind. There is also no shame in admitting that you do not have the answer to a particular question you have been asked. It is unlikely that you will be turned down for the course just for making one wrong answer! The interviewer wants to hear of your willingness to learn and will therefore make some concessions to prospective CELTA candidates.

Prepare Some Questions in Advance

Not only should you be willing to answer questions posed to you about grammar and your views on effective teaching techniques, you should also spend time formulating a short list of questions in advance of the CELTA phone interview. You might want to ask how students are supported and how feedback is given, as well as the background of foreign language speakers that will receive the benefit of the CELTA students' teaching.