Overall, I found the ITI DELTA course to be a highly valuable and intellectually stimulating professional experience. The course challenged me to rethink familiar areas of language teaching at a much deeper level and significantly strengthened my analytical skills, particularly in relation to assessment, methodology and language awareness. Although demanding, the structure and academic rigour of the programme encouraged independent thinking and professional growth, and I feel more confident and better equipped to approach both classroom practice and exam preparation in a principled and informed way.

The CELTA course was intense but highly rewarding. It strengthened my lesson planning, classroom management, and student-centred teaching skills. Despite the demanding workload, the course greatly increased my confidence and provided a strong foundation for my future teaching.

I came to the course with no experience of teaching English and could not imagine how to conduct a lesson in English - where to start, how to develop it, or how to bring it to a close. During the course, I learned how to structure different types of lessons and clearly understood the difference between teacher-centred and student-centred approaches. I became familiar with lesson aims and lesson shapes, as well as practical classroom techniques such as finger coding, on-the-spot correction, and delayed error correction. Most importantly, I stopped following the coursebook blindly and began experimenting with tasks and adapting lesson procedures to suit my aims and my students’ needs. A few months ago, I would not have imagined creating my own lessons or teaching adult learners. I also learned how to write effective lesson plans, anticipate potential problems, and minimise risks during lessons. I am very proud of the progress I have made and truly grateful to everyone involved in the course. In particular, I am deeply grateful to my tutors, Elizabeth Aykanat and Zahra Kermani, who supported me throughout the entire course. Their guidance, constant encouragement, and detailed feedback on lesson planning, classroom management, and lesson delivery were invaluable. Thanks to their clear explanations and constructive advice, I gained confidence in my teaching and successfully delivered eight lessons. Their professionalism, patience, and belief in my potential played a crucial role in my development as a teacher, and I am sincerely thankful for their support. Lala Ismailova