Cambridge CELTA Course in Riga

The abundant solitude, pristine environment and the colorful art nouveau that adorns Riga city are just a few of the features that make it an attractive town to take CELTA Course.

TEFL Certification in Riga, Latvia

Riga, Latvia's capital, is an embodiment of culture located at the mouth of River Daugava, on the Baltic Sea - making it the right city to earn a TEFL certification. This cosmopolitan city is made up of amazing wooden buildings, medieval old town, great foods, nightlife, and festivals attracting people from diverse backgrounds, making it a great place for CELTA students to enjoy an international atmosphere.

Our CELTA course in Riga incorporates alongside classes, peer observation of teaching practice, observation of experienced teaching professionals, and supervised lesson planning. Each trainee will undergo at least 6 hours of assessed teaching practice overseen by a course tutor as well as tutorial support and consultation.

In addition to these, our trainees are required to undertake written assignment and set out non-contact hours for reading and lesson preparation. The written assignments and teaching practice constitute the continuous assessment for the course since there will be no final examination.

A lot of our alumni affirm that taking a CELTA at the Riga center is quite an inspiring and enlightening adventure. We have teachers who come from different language backgrounds allowing you to work with mixed - language groups, thus making teaching practice more enjoyable. Furthermore, the center organizes trips to places of local interest that trainees may enjoy.

Riga Course Highlights - A Quick Glance

  • A minimum of 120 contact hours at our center, with additional hours spent outside class for self-study: background reading, lesson planning and assignment writing.
  • Trainees are involved in lesson planning, language analysis, observation of peers and experienced teachers, reflection on their teaching practice and feedback from trainers.
  • 6 hours of assessed teaching practice along with peer observation.
  • 6 hours of observation of live lessons taught by experienced ELT professionals.
  • On-going job support, suitable assistance and continous professional development services.

Riga Course Dates

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the CELTA courses continue to be delivered Online. However, both Mixed-mode and Face-to-face courses are being conducted depending on the interest. Please contact us to inquire about the specific course formats available.

Note that, an Online CELTA holds the same value as the Face-to-face course, and is equally recognized by ESL employers worldwide.

Riga Course Details

Entry Requirements

  • You should be 20 years old by the commencement date of the course (trainees can be accepted over 18 at the center’s discretion).
  • While the course itself does not require you to have a degree, you should have a standard of education equivalent to that required for an entry into primary or higher education.
  • Have a strong command, awareness of English language with equal skills over verbal and written English so as to follow the course and complete the assignments.

Course Syllabus

Some of the main units of learning 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
  • Classroom observation and management skills
  • Teaching practice and guidelines

Assessment

You will be continually assessed throughout the course and there is no final examination. The two types of assessment are:

  • Teaching Practice
  • Written Assignments

CELTA course trainees will always be kept informed of their progress during the course and an external assessor, appointed by Cambridge English, moderates each course.

Teaching Practice, Observation

Teaching practice is an integral part of the course where trainees work in groups to plan, observe and give feedback to each other.

  • Six hours of assessed teaching practice with real students in real classes.
  • Detailed oral and written feedback of your teaching practice.
  • Observation of both peer and qualified ELT teachers for six hours.

CELTA Training Center in Riga

Our TEFL center is located in the center of Riga city, not too far from Riga circus and the Latvian Museum of natural history. It is tactically sited within the town such that most of the tourist attraction sites are within a short distance.

The Riga center has ultra-modern learning facilities, including 21 comfortable classrooms, a standard common room, a management office, and a club that serves as students' relaxation spot. These amenities create a relaxed and conducive atmosphere for teachers and aid learning. Also, there is an extensive resource library with lots of ESL reference materials and TEFL resources.

To ease the burden of prospective trainees, especially those coming in from abroad, the center offers fully furnished accommodation (single/shared), which is within an easy commute to the school for the duration of the CELTA course.

Job Support and Placement: Riga, Latvia

We usually employ candidates who achieve an A or B pass in their CELTA course at the Riga center. The availability is based on the number of teachers we are recruiting for the start of each academic year.

In addition to this, the center has a World Human Resources department which continuously recruits hundreds of teachers every year to work in our affiliated schools across the world. Our CELTA graduates are encouraged to explore these opportunities even though most of the contracts with affiliated schools are for one year.

Salaries are locally appropriate and in addition to that, return air-fare, paid holidays and assistance with accommodation are also provided. Our Riga center is unique in offering an international career structure for its staff and dedicated to ensuring progressive career development for our TEFL graduates.

Why Choose CELTA in Riga?

With a TEFL certificate such as a CELTA, our teachers can find several opportunities in Riga and Latvia as a whole because of the country’s high employment rate.

The majority of the opportunities in the country can be found in public schools, international organizations, and language institutes. Universities in Latvia also offer English courses, so there is also increased demand for qualified teachers in the universities.

Private opportunities are usually available across the country, too, although the pay varies depending on the financial capacity of the student. Besides Riga, the majority of the teaching jobs in Latvia can be found in big cities like Daugavpils, and Jelgava.

The average pay for teachers in Latvia is about 800 USD per month with about 25 working hours per week. You can earn as much as 1,000 USD if you find high paying private tutoring opportunities. Salaries in international schools are usually higher than the ones in private and public language schools.

Some English teachers in Latvia enjoy benefits in addition to their salary depending on the institution. These could be in the form of medical insurance, free housing, and even free commute to work. The cost of living in Latvia is affordable irrespective of your lifestyle and can be as low as $300 per month, which means you can live comfortably and even save.

Things to do in Riga, Latvia while taking a CELTA

While taking your TEFL course in Riga, be confident that you will experience Riga's fascinating cultural history and flamboyant architecture. Visit at least one of the numerous museums, try some delicious local food and enjoy some cool vibes during or after your training.

Riga's old town at the mouth of the Daugava River, which dates back to 1201, is an excellent place to take a walking tour. There, you can have a visual feast of the most famous buildings and squares.

To enjoy seeing the city from its unique perspective, you can take a bird's-eye view from the peak of the bell tower at St Peter's Church located in the center of the Old town. The interior of the church also houses different art exhibits that you can enjoy viewing.

The next stop for a high-up view of the city is the Panorama Observation Deck, located on the top of the Latvian Academy of Science in the Old Soviet part of the town. The building holds a magnificent sight, and it is open every day from April to November.

Outside the historic Soviet-era building and arts, Riga has lots of parks and gardens. The Bastejkalna Park near the freedom monument is a relaxing green space that has a canal running through it. Find some time during your TEFL course to take a cruise along the canal in a little flat- bottomed boat.

Home to one of Europe's biggest food markets, some local food you should try in Riga includes Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is a Latvian staple you can eat as a side dish with pickles. Then try Grey peas, which the locals believe bring good luck and money and the traditional dark rye bread that must be picked and kissed if accidentally dropped.

Apply for your CELTA course in Riga for limitless opportunities to start your teaching career, and a chance to enjoy a lively, beautiful and safe-feeling city that has a unique character of its own.

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