CELTA Courses at LSI/IH Portsmouth
CELTA Courses at LSI/IH Portsmouth
Full-Time
CELTA is the most widely recognised qualification for English teachers around the world, and our previous students have gone on to exciting and rewarding teaching careers, in a wide variety of countries.
What is the CELTA Course?
Administered by the University of Cambridge, teachers with a CELTA qualification enjoy higher levels of employability than those who take less well-regarded TEFL courses.
The CELTA Course – Key Facts:
| English level required | C1+/ C2 |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Minimum course size | 8 |
| Maximum course size | 12 |
| Teacher to student ratio | 1 to 6 |
| Course length | 4 weeks for our full-time courses |
| Contact hours throughout the course | 120 hrs including teaching practice |
| Cost | £1,720 (Course fee £1550 + £170 Cambridge fee) |
| Deposit (non-refundable) | £300 |
Who is the Cambridge CELTA Course Suitable for?
Our course is suitable for native speakers or non-native speakers with a C1+/C2-level of English. Gaining a CELTA qualification is a popular career option for a range of students, including :
- Recent graduates seeking a career in teaching English as a Foreign Language,
- Current TEFL teachers without a formal qualification,
- Experienced teachers in other fields who would like to move into EFL teaching,
- Professionals who would like a career change.
What Are the Entry Requirements to Study CELTA?
No previous English language teaching experience is required to study for the CELTA qualification. Learners must be at least 18 and have a minimum English language level equivalent to CEFR level C1+/C2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Unlike other CELTA training programs, it is not necessary to hold a degree to study with LSI/IH Portsmouth. We require students to hold an education level equivalent to that required for entry into higher education, for example A Levels, or similar.
Upon successfully completing the 120-hour course, you will be ready to start working in a variety of EFL teaching contexts around the world.
Do I Need a Second Language to Find a Job After CELTA?
On receiving your CELTA certificate, you will be well placed to secure teaching positions around the world, with the most widely recognised TEFL qualification.
CELTA Course Dates at LSI/IH Portsmouth:
Full-time CELTA course dates (4 week course)
| Course Start Date | Course Finish Date |
|---|---|
| Monday 15th June 2026 | Friday 10th July 2026 |
| Monday 7th September 2026 | Friday 2nd October 2026 |
How to Prepare for CELTA
You will be given a reading list upon enrolment. If you are interested in finding out a bit more about what the course will entail, we recommend The CELTA Course Trainee Book by Scott Thornbury and Peter Watkins.
What Does the CELTA Program Involve?
Our course is designed to allow students with little or no experience to become fully competent and qualified English teachers. After studying CELTA with LSI/IH Portsmouth, students will be adept at core skills, including:
- Syllabus design,
- Classroom management,
- Presenting new language,
- Using resources and materials
- Assessing learners.
The CELTA is made up of face-to-face instruction, teaching practice and reflection. Our course contains the following components:
- Input sessions on language awareness, student awareness, classroom management and lesson planning,
- Daily small group teaching practice with students at different language levels,
- Detailed feedback and discussion sessions with tutors,
- Observation of qualified teachers and your peers.
The five main topics you will cover in the CELTA course are:
- Learners and teachers, and the teaching and learning context,
- Language analysis and awareness,
- Language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing,
- Planning and resources for different contexts,
- Developing teaching skills and professionalism.
CELTA Learning Outcomes
- Acquired an understanding of English teaching methodology, theory and principles,
- Developed classroom management skills,
- Understood the key principles of language testing and assessment,
- Become familiar with and assessed course books and tests,
- Designed syllabi, lesson plans and tests,
- Selected and designed appropriate teaching material,
- Become familiar with strategies for presenting new language and dealing with pronunciation,
- Acquired and practised strategies for teaching reading, speaking, listening and writing skills,
- Observed live lessons taught by experienced teachers,
- And put the accumulated knowledge in practice through teaching real students in an actual classroom.
How is CELTA Assessed?
Please note that your teaching practice is supervised and followed by detailed feedback, assessment and group evaluation. In addition to the assessed teaching practice, the course also includes written assignments.
You will be assessed regularly and kept up-to-date with your progress throughout the course during scheduled tutorial sessions. Final assessment is made on three main areas:
- Professional Development,
- Written Assignments and
- Teaching Practice.
Is CELTA Difficult?
Throughout the course you will need to spend a substantial amount of time on lesson preparation and written assignments. This means that in addition to the 120 contact hours, you will have to work at least a further 120 hours in your own time in order to pass.
100% attendance is expected. Due to the practical nature of the course there is little chance of making up time.
CELTA Course Key Information
Full-Time, Intensive CELTA Course
The full-time (4-week) course timetable is from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. In the mornings you will have input sessions from the tutors on different areas and aspects of teaching. In the afternoons you will be teaching volunteer students, followed by feedback on the teaching as a group, and time for guided lesson preparation.
As mentioned above, you will need to spend a significant amount of time outside of the timetabled hours working on lesson plans, assignments and so on.
Typical timetable:
9.00-10.20am: Input session 1: Presenting Vocabulary
10.20-10.40: Break
10.40-12.00: Input session 2: Introduction to Phonology
12.00-13.00: Lunch
13.00-15.00: Teaching Practice
15.00-15.20: Break
15.20-16.00: Feedback on teaching practice
16.00-17.00: Guided lesson planning
All sessions on the course take place at LSI/IH Portsmouth / IH Portsmouth. We have a well-equipped building in the centre of Portsmouth, with 10 classrooms, a lounge area, and extensive resources for teaching on site. All the input sessions and teaching practice will take place in our classrooms, and you will have access to rooms to prepare lessons and work in, as well WIFI access, photocopying and access to our library and resources throughout.
CELTA courses are regularly oversubscribed, so we strongly recommend applying as early as possible in order to avoid disappointment. Acceptance on to the CELTA is dependent on a successful application process which includes a language awareness task followed by an interview.
Application process: · Express your interest as soon as possible by contacting our Director of Studies, Lewis Richards, who will guide you through the application process and send you the application documents.
Once we receive your completed form and task, we will respond to you within five working days to advise you of the results, and whether you were selected for the interview or not. Interviews can last up to 1 hour.
If you are accepted on the course, you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place. The deposit is non-refundable.
£1,495 (Course fee £1,339 + £156 Cambridge fee). A non-refundable deposit of £300 must be paid in order to secure a place on the course. The deadline for payment will be sent in the email of confirmation.
The balance of the course fees is due two weeks prior to the start date. We cannot guarantee to hold your place on the course unless all fees are paid in full two weeks before the course starts.
Why Study CELTA at LSI/IH Portsmouth
We teach students from all over the world. Our range of courses includes teacher-training, such as the CELTA and the distance DELTA. Our tutors are all highly-experienced trainers, with a history of EFL publications, conference presentations, and hold DELTA and Masters’ qualifications in EFL.
In 2019, we joined the International House group of schools. International House World Organisation is a group of English language schools across the world whose focus is on teaching excellence, and teacher-training.
International House has been running CELTA courses for many decades. We are pleased to be part of such a high-quality teacher-training organisation. You can read more about the International House World Organisation here.
Interview with Peter Watkins
Testimonials
CELTA Course Frequently Asked Questions
CELTA courses are a minimum of 120 teaching hours. The full-time, intensive course takes 4 weeks.
The course is challenging and requires commitment and hard-work – but is very rewarding as well!
Our courses cost £1,720 (Course fee £1,550 + £170 Cambridge fee).
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is the name for the English Language teaching profession. If you work in the profession, you are a TEFL teacher. CELTA is the name of the qualification you will need to work as a TEFL teacher.
No, the certificate you receive at the end of your course is valid forever. However, if you have not practiced your teaching skills for a while, we would advise a refresher course.
There are many Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualifications but the CELTA is the most highly-regarded by good quality teaching institutions abroad, and is a minimum requirement for the majority of EFL schools abroad.
Absolutely. There are many English language schools in the UK (including LSI/IH Portsmouth!), and the CELTA is the entry-level qualification for working in these schools.
The course is both practical and theoretical, involving both academic input and instruction, as well as teaching practice and classroom management. See above for more detail.
Yes you can but you must have an education level equivalent to that required for entry into higher education.
The DELTA (Diploma in England Language Teaching to Adults) is the next level qualification up from a CELTA, and is recommended to teachers with a certain amount of direct EFL experience already. Generally speaking, EFL teachers tend to start thinking about doing a DELTA after anywhere between 2-5 years’ experience.
