CELTA Assessment & Grading

The mode of assessment for the CELTA course is continuous and integrated. There is no final evaluation or examination. Assessments take place throughout the course, and each the component combine to give the overall grade of the candidate.

Assessment Components

There are two essential components of the CELTA assessment:

• Planning and Teaching (Assessed Teaching Practice)
• Classroom related written assignments 

Planning and Teaching (Assessed Teaching Practice)

The planning and teaching component is made up of lesson planning and practice teaching. Classroom teaching practise is usually considered the most critical assessment of the CELTA. Lesson planning, classroom management and overall professionalism are also aspects of this component taken into consideration.

Each candidate is expected to take at least six hours of supervised and assessed teaching practice. This involves teaching adults on at least two levels of ability while being supervised by a course tutor.

After each teaching practice, candidates' are given oral and written feedback with constrictive criticism to ensure better performance on the next sessions of teaching practice.

Classroom Related Assignments

This component of the CELTA assessment consists of four written assignments, each one, usually between 750 - 1,000 words in length. The assignments should be designed to align with each module in the CELTA syllabus.

The four written assignments are based on:

• Analysing and responding to adult learners' needs
• Analysing language for teaching purposes
• Teaching language skills
• Reflecting on classroom teaching and identifying action points

Assessment Overview

The centre designs both components of the CELTA assessment to relate directly to the course programme. At least two of the assignments must be written in prose, and they may consist of different range of tasks. It is also possible to conflate two assignments into one while having distinct sections and ensuring that all criteria are met.

The overall assessment aim for each topic is that, candidates should be able to:

• Assess learners' needs, plan and teach lessons while taking account of learners' backgrounds, previous learning experiences, learning preferences and current needs.
• Demonstrate language knowledge and awareness and appropriate teaching strategies.
• Demonstrate knowledge about language skills and how they may be acquired.
• Plan and prepare lessons designed to develop their learners' overall language competence.
• Demonstrate a proper range of teaching skills at this level and show professional awareness and responsibility.

Assessment Requirements

To meet the assessment requirements as specified by the Cambridge Language Assessment, CELTA candidates are required to attend the course and:

• Engage in practice teaching involving classes of the relevant age group and size for a total of six hours.
• Observe experienced and professional teachers teaching classes of language learners for a total of six hours. Three hours out of this may be done on video.
• Keep and submit a portfolio of all their coursework, including components of assessments like the written assignments and materials related to teaching practice.

CELTA Grading

CELTA certificate is awarded to trainees who satisfies all the course requirements and meets or exceeds the assessment criteria in both components. The centre internally assesses your CELTA in Australia. However, a Cambridge English accredited assessor conducts external moderation. The assessor examines your portfolio and teaching practice, then regulates and approves your grades.

CELTA Certificate Grades: The certificate grades are determined by performance descriptors used by tutors and assessors to determine the overall grade of candidates. The Cambridge English Language Assesment designs the descriptors which are followed by all CELTA centres in Australia.

The grades of the certificate are:

• Pass - Lot of candidates finish the CELTA with a Pass grade which shows that they can effectively plan and teach lessons but may require some support from employers in the first few periods of entering the EFL industry.
• Pass B - The percentage of CELTA candidates who graduate with a Pass B is smaller than those of pass. These set of candidates are capable of planning lessons, utilising effective classroom management and teaching with little or no support.
• Pass A - This category accounts for the smallest percentage of CELTA graduates. Usually, pass A graduates can manage a classroom effectively without any support.
• Fail or "No Certificate Awarded" - In this case, the candidate's performance does not meet all of the pass descriptors or some of the assessment criteria.

Candidates are informed of their progress during the course by written commentary on their teaching practice and assignments, and by tutorial. The course trainer assesses candidates and an external assessor appointed by Cambridge University regulates the results to standardise grades.

Candidates who successfully complete the course, receive both the Cambridge CELTA and a report from the centre. The report describes the candidate's performance in some detail and serves as a useful reference for employment.

The Cambridge CELTA is awarded to candidates who satisfy all assessment criteria and complete all course requirements.