Interview Tasks

CELTA course
Interview Tasks

You have 20 minutes to complete sections A and B before the interview. Please review the points in
Section C. You will be asked questions about this section during the interview.

The Cambridge CELTA is an intensive course and demanding, both physically and mentally. It
requires long hours of preparation, planning and research for the teaching practice and the written
assignments.

Please sign below to indicate that you understand this and are able and willing to undertake the course
if offered a place.

Name:

Signature:

© The British Council, New Delhi 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 Interview Tasks

Section A: Live Writing Task

Please write 3 paragraphs in answer to these questions. Please write in full sentences rather than in note form.

 What is it about language teaching that interests you?

 What strengths can you bring to this pre-service teacher training course?
 What do you think might be any possible weaknesses or areas for development?

© The British Council, New Delhi 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 Interview Tasks

Section B: Learner Errors

The following sentences are typical mistakes made by students. Can you identify the type of error and correct
them?

1 She’s having a brother.

2 You like Kerala, isn’t it?

3 The manager explained me the

problem.

4 Feedbacks should be detailed and

objective.

5 If you would have come early, we

would have got the tickets.

6 They went to airport to pick up

their guests.

© The British Council, New Delhi 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 Interview Tasks

Section C: Practical Teaching Ideas

Imagine you have to teach the following language items – grammar, vocabulary or functions - from
your pre-interview tasks. Be ready to demonstrate your ideas of how to teach any one of the items.

1. He stopped to call her back.

He stopped calling her back.

2. Any one of these pair of words:

assertive/aggressive
affect/effect
commonly confused words: lose and loose

3. I’m afraid I am not satisfied with the service, or

You could’ve fed the cat

Useful Tips:
- Think about how you would illustrate the meaning of the item in the classroom. eg matching
definition, example, visuals, situational context, mime, timelines, etc.
- What aspects of pronunciation will you need to highlight? eg any sounds, contractions, weak
forms, etc.
- What grammar points or rules of form will you need to cover? eg parts of speech, type of
structure, verb tense, etc.

Section D : Discussion Questions – Teaching and Learning Issues

a) We should not teach students a British (or any particular) accent, but only improve their
pronunciation. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Is there a difference between ‘accent’
and ‘pronunciation’?

b) Do you think it is important to correct students’ errors on the spot during a group discussion
activity?

c) What are the benefits of being observed by your tutors and by your fellow CELTA trainees? How
do you think you will feel being observed and receiving and giving feedback?

d) Should we use translation in the classroom to teach English? Why or why not?

e) What are the main differences between teaching adults and teaching children?

© The British Council, New Delhi 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.