A complete list of CELTA Trainer-in-Training tasks

Here’s a list of all the tasks required of a CELTA Trainer-in-Training (or T-i-T, as you will be amusingly known for the duration of your training). You can click on the links below to see associated posts with a description of each task, and downloadable documents and templates you can use during your course.

1. Pre-Course Tasks
   • Task 1: Familiarization with CELTA documentation
   • Task 2: Familiarization with Course Programme
   • Task 3: TP Standardization
   • Task 4: Written Assignment Standardization
   • Task 5: Candidate Interviews
2. During Course Tasks
   • Task 1: Input log sheets
   • Task 2: Materials and Sessions Design
   • Task 3: Sessions Design
   • Task 4: Input sessions
   • Task 5: TP Observations
   • Task 6: TP Feedback
   • Task 7: Peer observations
   • Task 8: Written Assignments
   • Task 9: Trainee progress
   • Task 10: Tutorials
   • Task 11: End of course Trainee reports
   • SLP Notes: This was not one of the tasks but I created this folder in the first week of the course to keep track of notes I made and reflections on the Supervised Lesson Planning (SLP)
3. Post-Course Tasks
   • Evaluative essay

I wish someone had given me all of this to work with when I started the course because it took me a few days to wrap my head around the very dense handbook and organize all the tasks I needed to do. I decided to upload all of my material here so that future T-i-Ts (I’m guessing you are one or you wouldn’t have landed on this page) wouldn’t have to go through the heartache I did when I first started to get organized. Good luck!

CELTA Trainer-in-Training: Teaching Practice Observations

Here’s another one in the series of CELTA T-in-T preparation posts.

This task was the meat of the month long intensive course. This is where I had to observe trainees on their teaching practice (TP) along with the main course tutor and assistant course tutor (or tutors, as may be the case. On my course, due to unavoidable circumstances, we had three!), and shadow write the feedback.

According to the guidelines in the CELTA Trainer-in-training handbook, I only needed to make a note of 2-3 strengths and a similar number of points to focus on. The main course tutor, however, sent me a template of the feedback form (I’ve attached the template file below) she used and it was a lot more detailed – with a running commentary on the lesson. Later, I found out she was a shorthand specialist (she used shorthand for her Teaching Literacy input session) and was able to make very detailed notes in no time during the lessons. I guess it also helped she has more than ten years experience as a CELTA tutor.