Doing the CELTA (part-time option) and doing it at MTA specifically was one of the best career changing decisions I've made. I had a good hunch about the place and my experience there confirmed it. A small outfit but with a very good reputation in the Melbourne ESL/ELICOS scene. It had a nice casual atmosphere about it, largely attributed to the tutors we had who were all extremely approachable. The tutors were very generous with their knowledge and experience and had a good balance of effective and easy to grasp teaching input, and positive encouragement and critical evaluation on areas of improvement of our teaching practice sessions. The students we had to 'practice' on were great as well and understood we were all teachers in training. You will also find that your fellow classmates can make a big difference to your overall experience and I was fortunate to have a really good group who were all supportive of each other. I'd have no hesitation in recommending MTA to anyone considering doing CELTA. Work hard (and trust me you will!) and it will pay off. Many of us secured teaching roles right after completing the course.

The 4 week intensive CELTA course was packed with learning, practicing, assignments and new friends! The tutors methodically applied/ modeled consistently yet different in their styles. We know what good looks like! MTA was recommended to me and they have lived up to their reputation. Thank you all for your grace and patience in teaching novices like me in the education industry. The multi cultural mix of learners and trainees bring rich diversity and added spice into the teaching practices! Exhilarating and rewarding!!

My overall experience during the course was extremely positive. From the very beginning, we were given excellent support and guidance from our tutors Niki Walker and Barbara Munro. The teamwork and camaraderie fostered among the fellow trainees were superb, and all the staff at Melbourne Training Associates were very helpful. Moreover, the onsite input sessions and observed teaching practices were invaluable in obtaining constructive and beneficial feedback from tutors and fellow trainees. In my view, these aforementioned factors helped to overcome any drawbacks from the lack of weekly physical face-to-face contact. My one recommendation would be the extended use of technology to allow trainees to watch and observe actual MTA classroom lessons taught by course tutors. Overall, the CELTA course was highly rewarding as well as enriching, and it continues to be one of my life’s greatest achievements.

The tutors were great but I would have appreciated a bit more direction to link the texts recommended for the course with the actual teaching practice and strategies discussed each week, as well as being asked to reference the books in assignments.

Very professional