Category: News

Our B2 class recently worked on some reviews of their favourite places around Northern Ireland!  Here are their top tips…

CATHEDRAL QUARTER: THE HEART OF BELFAST by Marta G.

Never before have you seen such an amazing part of a city as you will see in the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast. It’s not only the pubs, the life and the historical monuments that you have there that make this part so amazing, also the fact that this area was once the heart of the city.

From the moment you arrive in this area you are going to fall in love with it. Here you can find St. Anne’s Cathedral and awesome places like The Duke of York which creates an amazing connection between these places and the tourists that are visiting this zone.

I’d definitely recommend you visit this area to anyone, here you can feel part of Belfast and know its oldest customs.

So, without a doubt, the next time you are thinking about visiting a new place, come on down to the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast because it couldn’t get any better!

THE GIANT’S CAUSEWAY by Katherina K.

If you are making a trip to the north coast, this is a place you should visit!

I have never seen anything like it before. Big stones in interesting shapes and all built by a giant? Even if you don’t believe in this legend, this place still has something magical, not knowing where the stones come from and how they got there.

The nature around is so beautiful and they is a nice trail up the cliff, where you have a nice view, so better wear comfortable clothes. It could also be a little bit windy but that’s definitely worth it!

But be warned: during good weather it can get very crowded, especially on weekends.

Enjoy!

TITANIC MUSEUM by Stefano G.

Titanic in Belfast is the world’s largest museum of Titanic.

It’s divided into different interactive galleries where you can experience its story.

From the moment you enter you are catapulted to the beginning of the 19^th century, when Belfast was living its economic boom thanks to the linen and tobacco production.

In the same years, Harland and Wolf, Belfast’s most important ship manufacturer, was realizing the biggest and most luxurious ship that had ever been built: RMS Titanic.

In the museum you can be taken through every step of Titanic’s creation: from the conception to the actual realization of the project, from the launch to its sinking, passing through the discovery of its equipment and interiors.

At the end of your journey you can also watch the video of the wreck , recorded in 1985 by Dr. Ballard and his team.

Never before have I seen such an interactive museum with so many attractions.

The most effective one is surely the possibility to take a wee “tour” in the Titanic`s shipyard.

To complete your experience, don’t forget to walk the decks of the last remaining White Star Line vessel: the “SS Nomadic”.

Anchors away!

THE MOURNE MOUNTAINS by Simona H.

The area of Mourne Mountains is worth seeing because of the incredible nature and view over the ocean.

You could go for a little hiking tour up the hill. On your way to the top, rise above networks of roots, walking along tiny rivers, which seem to have searched their own way through the nature over the years and smell the forest fragrance. The whole way up is already an experience. But once you’re at the summit you can literally feel the beauty of the nature.

I’d definitely recommend the Mourne Mountains to everyone. It offers you impressive landscapes and breath-taking moments.

Did I mention it is only one hour away from Belfast? So now you know what you’re going to be doing next weekend!

MADDENS BAR by Aris P.

Characteristic is definitely the main adjective to describe this wonderful experience. Never before have you felt like a typical Irish man. From the moment you enter this pub and you grab your pint downstairs surrounded by local people, you will soak up the mood of this place.

On the first floor indeed, you can learn how to Irish jig or simply watch other people attempt this particular and demanding dance.

You shouldn`t miss this magnificent opportunity to sip your Guinness in this fantastic place.

Mighty craic guaranteed – Sláinte!

PORTRUSH by Giulia S.

If you are wondering if it is worthwhile travelling for almost two hours from Belfast

to visit Portrush, the answer is 100%.Such a big beach that you wouldn’t expect to find in Northern Ireland,
extends to the Giants Causeway, giving you a suggestive and panoramic walk.

The cherry on top is Dunluce Castle, that dominates over the cliff.

The price to visit the ruins is more or less five pounds, justified by the poetic nature
of the place, the breath-taking view on the sea and brochures written
in your native language.

I’d definitely recommend this place to anyone who has the possibility to go.

On Saturday 30 March we hosted our first Teachers’ Conference. Our guest speakers Roger Hunt, Luke Meddings, Jonathan Dykes, Mary Grennan and our very own Sophie Cocault produced a series of motivating and inspiring talks on the theme of “Experiencing Learning” – how do we get people to realise just how much they’re learning in class?

Titles of talks on the day were:

• Experiencing Learning
• Peer Observations: Making the invisible in our Teaching Visible!
• The Reality of Virtual Reality
• Suck it and See: Building Content on Clove Rock
• Quality Classroom Interaction

and 

• Five Generic Approaches to Grammar

Luke tied everything together amazingly in his closing plenary referencing topics as diverse as clove rock, exams, How to speak Hip, having a stash for the man and his current obsession, ‘Derry Girls’ – we still can’t believe nobody’s called Luke a “big ride” before!

A free trip to the home of Game of Thrones, Titanic and world class hospitality – you have to be in it to win it!  Enter  our exclusive competition for your chance to win a trip to Belfast including a 4 week English course, flights and accommodation…

How do I enter?

Using our brand new EcoApp, submit a 3 minute video telling us all about your actions within the theme of social responsibility. This can include your actions regarding the environment, green living, how you make an effort in your local community, etc.

What is the ECOApp?

CELTA Ireland offers a once in a lifetime experience to explore the world-famous Emerald Isle while training to become a Cambridge Certified English Language Teacher.

Many people fly from all over the world to complete their CELTA training with us.

Here’s the most common feedback we hear of why they’re glad they did!

Check it out.

CELTA Ireland: “A once a lifetime experience.”

Our wee country is high-up on bucket lists, travel guides and Instagrammers most-sought after place to visit.

Ireland is known all over the world for its incredible natural beauty, great food and most of all… welcoming people!

Our CELTA Ireland Programme gives trainees the opportunity to live on-campus or in a homestay so you can make lifelong friends with fellow trainees and people you meet along the way on your Irish adventure.

Plus, our deep integration with the local community allows you to have a fully-immersed experience most tourists would dream of.

As you are aware, the CELTA is tough work, but the size of Ireland lends itself to weekend getaways and quick evening exploration.

Alongside our training, we run a jam-packed social programme to show you around our favourite bits and help you meet great people during your CELTA Ireland Course.

“My time throughout the CELTA Ireland Course was a once in a lifetime experience. The course was demanding and hard work – sure – but Ireland was such a fun place to explore and get away from the books and take in some amazing natural beauty. I loved being so close to the beach, mountains, cities and of course the pubs! It doesn’t take long to get around, and the staff at the school were great at organising fun experiences and giving us an insider scoop of where to check out next.” – Matthew Thompson

“I actually saved money by doing my training in Ireland.”

A lot of our international students are surprised at the low cost of living in Ireland and just how much they can get for their money.

With favourable exchange rates and affordable living expenses (including accommodation and food), some trainees actually end up saving money by doing the CELTA Ireland program versus doing it in their home countries.

Not to mention the experience of living in and experiencing a new country!

“When I was looking at various places to do my CELTA training I was surprised at how cost-effective the CELTA Ireland program was. The option to pay in British Pounds instead of Euros combined with the great cost of living in Ireland really helped me save a lot of money compared to if I had of studied in somewhere like New York. Plus it gave me an opportunity to explore an absolute hidden gem of a country which after all is what this travelling dream is all about” – CELTA Ireland Trainee, July 2017.

“The teaching team were absolutely world-class.”

As much as we love travelling, we understand that when it comes to developing a career as an English Teacher, you want to get access to the best training possible.

Well, we don’t mean to brag, but our teaching team has a combined 150 years of experience in a grand total of 50 different countries all over the world.

That combined with our passion for what we do and our 100% pass-rate allows us to say with confidence that the CELTA Ireland program is the ideal place to complete your teacher training.

We run course every single month and have a full team dedicated to walking you through each step of the process from finding out more information, arranging flights/transfers/accommodation and helping you in finding your first job anywhere in the world as a Cambridge Certified Teacher.

“Sophie and Valentina were absolute legends. Not only were they a lot of fun and easy to learn from, but their knowledge and expertise were absolutely breathtaking. I had a lot of concerns when it came to grammar and communicating with students at a level they understood, but not only did they give me the theory I needed, but sat in on my lessons to give me real-world feedback and suggestions to make me become the teacher I am today!” – Local CELTA Graduate from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Find out more about the CELTA Ireland program.

We’ve made it really easy for you to get all the info you need about our CELTA Ireland program…

Plus there are no strings attached so you can have a good think over before taking any action steps!

Click here to get sneak peek at a CELTA application form and receive all the info you need.

Thanks so much for reading.

We’re always on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Just reach out. 

Hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers!

– Paul McMullan, Director of International House Belfast

Becoming an English Language Teacher is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

But it’s also quite challenging.

There’s a lot of misinformation and confusion about the best jobs and qualifications to pursue.

We’ve created this short guide to go over the 3 most common routes to an exciting career that can take you anywhere in the world.

Let’s go.

Option 1: Just get a job with no qualifications

This is the most common option you often overhear people saying in the pub or on the train.

“Sure you can just get a job anywhere teaching English because you’re a native speaker.”

Not quite.

“While it’s true there are certainly opportunities to teach English overseas without any prior experience or qualifications; there are rarely paid placements or at least well-paid options.”

As with most things in life, there is no quick-fix and to become a legendary English language teacher takes training, hard work and experience.

That’s why most people end up getting qualified before they go out into the field.

Option 2: Take a TEFL course

The TEFL course is probably the most popular option people take.

That’s because they’re often advertised on sites like Groupon, Gumtree and local community centres.

TEFL is an umbrella term for any English Language Training Courses and stands for ‘Teaching English as a Foreign Language.’

“It’s not an actual certification or qualification, rather the term used to describe courses of a language teaching nature…”

Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of issues such as:

• Uncertified trainers running the courses
• People receiving useless certificates
• People wasting money on something they cannot use.

We think TEFL courses are ideal for hobbyists who want to learn a new skill or meet new people while learning something.

But for those looking to make an actual career (and make money while travelling the world,) we recommend the CELTA.

Option 3: Become CELTA certified (best option)

CELTA is an intensive English Language Teacher course run by Cambridge University.

It stands for ‘Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults’

This is the gold-standard when it comes to becoming an English Language Teacher and is the most recognised and sought-after qualification worldwide.

“Not only does the certificate carry weight globally, but it also equips trainees with the necessary skills and knowledge to become the best English Language Teachers they can be.”

What sets the CELTA apart from the TEFL is the fact that trainees teach real-life students while they are studying.

That way they can develop the actual practical teaching skills as they learn them.

It also means that all CELTA-qualified teachers have real-world experience before their first day on the job.

This is ultimately why we recommend all potential English Language Teachers to do the CELTA.

Because it’s simply the best.

Take the first step in your English Language teaching career today

Thanks very much for reading. We hope you found it helpful.

To find out more information about the CELTA course (including prices and study options) click here.

Alternatively, please feel to contact us if you have any questions.

Cheers!

– Paul McMullan, Director of International House Belfast

If you’re thinking about doing a weekend TEFL course, you may want to reconsider. 

There are countless numbers of ‘TEFL-certified language teachers’ unable to get employment because their ‘qualifcation’ isn’t enough. 

Or in some cases, it’s not even real at all.

Here’s the thing, we will be very upfront with you.

We are one of the best well-known language schools here in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Our small team has a combined 150+ years of language teaching experience in over 50 different countries.

We want you to come and do our course instead, but not because it makes a quick quid for us, but because it’s the best decision for your career.

If you give us a couple of minutes, we’ll explain what we mean and hopefully show why you should never do a weekend TEFL course.

Why you should stay away from a weekend TEFL Course

Here are a few quickfire reasons to bring you up to speed.

1. Qualifications could be bogus

TEFL stands for ‘Teaching English as a Foreign Language’ and is the name of the industry itself rather than a qualification.

This means that ‘TEFL qualifications’ can be unaccredited and generic.

Anyone can decide to run a TEFL weekend course, hire a room in a hotel and charge whatever they want.

Unfortunately, many people end up spending time and money on qualifications that are just made up and not really worth anything.

2. Trainers could be unaccountable and unreliable

Because there’s no governing body in the world of TEFL qualifications, just about anyone can put an ad on Gumtree and declare themselves as language experts.

Unlike a college, university or registered language school, there’s no accountability and no guarantee that the person who is delivering the training is actually qualified.

3. Content could be low-quality

This means that there’s no consistency in the quality of the teaching.

Sure, there are probably good courses out there, but you’ve no way of knowing if you’ve picked a good one or a bad one.

4. There’s no real-life teaching experience

Unlike other properly certified language teaching courses, there usually isn’t any real-life teaching involved in a TEFL weekend course beyond group exercises.

But these group exercises typically take place with OTHER English speakers and provide no real-life experience of what it’s like to teach someone who doesn’t know English in the real world.

5. They’re too short to make a difference

Even the most talented trainee in the world can’t learn all the essentials to language teaching in just one weekend.

Plus no international school would ever employ someone as a paid teacher because they ‘did a TEFL weekend course a few years ago.’

Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.

What to do instead: introducing the CELTA course

CELTA stands for ‘Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages’ and is issued by Cambridge: the prestigious, worldwide renowned university in the UK.

Schools all over the world require a CELTA to even apply for a job. 

That’s because a CELTA is the world-class qualification when it comes to a teaching English and is the most recognised all over the world.

So before you even think about applying for a weekend TEFL course, it’s vital that you understand the difference between a CELTA and a TEFL course.

The fate of your teaching career could depend on it.

Click here to keep reading.

Ok, so maybe you’ve decided you want to travel the world as an English Language Teacher, checked out all the courses and are left with one question: is a CELTA course worth it?

You see the CELTA course is the ultimate TEFL qualification. (See another post: CELTA vs TEFL.)

It’s the most globally recognised qualification, it’s run by Cambridge University AND is hands down the best course out there…

But it’s also the most expensive.

When choosing any academic course or job training program, the question of money eventually has to come up.

That’s why we’ve written this article, to help you decide if the CELTA course makes sense financially for you.

Check it out.

How much is a CELTA anyway?

Good question!

While the prices vary on the CELTA course depending on where you do it, they usually come in around the same amount by around £100.

This is because Cambridge takes a certain amount of fees as they are the university that accredits your qualification and provides you with the certificate etc.

So when applying for where to do your CELTA, it’s crucial to choose a school that you trust will deliver the best training possible (it’s worth it for the sake of £100.)

As an example, if you were to do the course with us here in Belfast, Northern Ireland it would cost £1295.

So is a CELTA course worth the money?

Short answer: absolutely.

One of the reasons we love running the CELTA course is because it is a course that delivers such high-value to the trainees for the price.

It’s really unlike any other academic course or job training program we’ve ever come across… of course, we’re biased, but here are a few reasons to show you WHY.

1. The CELTA is one of the most affordable ways to an incredible career.

If you were to try and become an English Teacher in a high-school, it would usually require you to go and do a three-year English course at a university AND a one-year teacher training course at a college.

Four years of university-level education does not come cheap and depending on where you study will set you back 10,000-100k+

Unfortunately, it can also be incredibly hard to get a job as a high-school teacher, and it breaks out heart to see qualified teachers working jobs they are overqualified for.

2. The CELTA is one of the most flexible academic courses out there

What we mean is that you can do it ANY time you want.

We run courses every single month of the year meaning that if you’re already in a full-time job all you need to do is get one month off to study rather than a full academic year.

The other drawback of a university is that there is little flexible when it comes to studying times. Most places require you to start around September and finish around June.

As we all know, sometimes life is a little hard to organise to try and match our free-time to study up with an academic year, whereas doing a CELTA helps you pick the month that works for you.

3. The CELTA is one of the fastest ways to an incredible career

We offer a 30-days CELTA crash course that will get you fully qualified and trained in just one month.

This is incredible because it makes a career change or a first-time job so accessible to anybody who has the passion and desire to teach English anywhere in the world.

You don’t have to waste four years of your life training for a specific job; you can do a CELTA course and start work the next month.

(Plus the skills are incredibly valuable and transferable to all kinds of careers.)

4. You make your money back after your first month of teaching

We think this is probably the best one on our list.

Because the CELTA course is so affordable, many trainees actually end up making their money back after their first month of teaching.

Forget about student loans and paying back tuition debt for the next 20 years.

5. Job satisfaction is worth every penny

We know this is a post about finances, but at the end of the day, there are things that money can’t buy… one of them being job satisfaction.

Teaching isn’t for everyone, but if you want to make a difference in the lives of people AND see the world while you’re doing it, then we think that you’ll find your CELTA course worth every single penny.

No other course gives you access to jobs almost anywhere in the world. In fact, we often say that your CELTA certificate is like a passport!

Plus it’s a course that means you are delivering value to your students from your very first day on the job and that after all, is what it’s all about.

6. CELTA gives you real life experience teaching English

While studying CELTA, you’ll be required to undertake 6 hours of supervised teaching practice. As a new EFL  teacher, this is invaluable. Language schools abroad are unlikely to want to hire teachers with no experience.

Even if you could find a job, would you really want to stand up in from of a class of students having never managed a classroom before?

At International House Belfast, our CELTA students are given the opportunity to lead sessions with our in-house English courses. During these sessions, you’ll be observed and assisted by one of our experienced EFL teachers.

Obviously, this is far better than being thrown in the deep end at a new job halfway across the world.

What can you do with CELTA?

CELTA is the most prestigious TEFL certificate in the world. As such, it’s the best way to ensure you can find high quality TEFL jobs anywhere in the world.

Because of this, CELTA is the most popular certification for new English teachers who want to make a permanent move abroad, as well as those who want to make money by teaching while travelling.

Many people choose to teach English abroad as a gap year or a career break. When they return to their day jobs, they often find they’ve learned valuable skills without even realising it.

Teaching English as a foreign language gives you important skills like communication, organisation, cultural awareness, and leadership.

These are invaluable in for all kinds of jobs after CELTA.

Where should you study CELTA?

One of the great things about CELTA is you’ll receive the same qualification, whether you study in Bangkok or Birmingham. Schools offering CELTA courses are heavily audited by Cambridge University, so you can be confident of the teaching quality you’ll receive.

Still, it’s important to consider the experience you’ like to have when choosing between CELTA centres.

After all, you’re committing to at least 4 weeks in a new city, you want to know you’ll enjoy it.

In many ways, Belfast is the perfect place to study CELTA, given its low cost of living, vibrant cultural scene and compact size. You’re already investing a lot of money in your CELTA course, you don’t want to spend it with no extra cash to have fun outside the classroom.

International House Belfast also offer a range of short-term accommodation options for CELTA students. This makes the experience of settling in a lot smoother. That way, you can focus on enjoying your time in Belfast.

Interested in doing a CELTA or finding out more?

We hope this post helped give you some extra information as you considering doing the CELTA program.

If we can be of any help in any way please feel to contact us.

Also, if you’d like to take a sneak peek at a CELTA application form or find out more information about doing a course with us, click here.

Thanks for very much for reading and we wish you every success in your English Language Teaching career!

– Paul McMullan, Director of International House Belfast

Studying languages is one of the most exciting and worthwhile ways to travel the world, but have you ever thought of why Belfast is the best place to study English?

When thinking of studying abroad, many people automatically think of clique destinations like Barcelona or New York… but if you’re curious about exploring somewhere unique while improving your English skills or training to become a language teacher then this post is you.

The city of Belfast in Northern Ireland is one of the world’s best-kept secrets…

Don’t believe us? Check out these 10 reasons of why Belfast is the best place to study English and see if we can change your mind.

Let’s get to it!

1. Belfast is the place to be right now

Of course, you may think that we are just being biased, but you don’t have to take our word for it.

World-renowned travel guide Lonely Planet announced this year that Belfast is the number 1 place to visit in 2018.

See for yourself in this video below:

2. We have some of the best food in the world

Irish food is served in pubs, bars and restaurants all over the world as hearty, comfort food.

But the truth is, it’s nothing like ‘the real stuff you get at home.’

If you have never had potato bread, soda bread, proper stew, or a pint of Guinness in Ireland, you are missing out.

The quality of our food is world-class and many high-end restaurants in the likes of London and France import ingredients from Northern Ireland to use in their kitchens.

In Belfast, there’s a strong community of local market traders, chefs and bakers in St. Georges Market who create some of the tastiest food you can get, plus if fine dining is your thing we have our own selection of Michelin star restaurants and swanky places to eat.

That way you will have plenty of energy when you study English!

3. We made the Titanic

And as we always say: “she was fine when she left us!”

A lot of Belfast’s history is deeply rooted in shipbuilding… a big part of this is, of course, the Titanic.

Made famous by its tragic sinking and the James Cameron movie, the world has been captivated by the story of this magnificent ship.