CELTA Sofia - TEFL Course in Sofia, Bulgaria

TEFL Certification in Sofia, Bulgaria

The capital city of Bulgaria is considered less popular amongst tourists as people head to the more famous coastal areas or the ski slopes. However, this amazingly calm city is abundant with opportunities, brimming with history, and an exceptional choice for TEFL teachers willing to obtain a CELTA certification. The park culture, delicious pastries, friendly populace and of course free mineral water are just a few of the reasons why visitors find Sofia fascinating.

Our TEFL training center is located in the heart of the relaxed yet fascinating beautiful city. Our tutors are highly experienced, and offer you the most helpful teaching methods while training you to become an effective teacher with valuable skills recognized across the world.

We employ a communicative and inclusive approach to learning as we believe sharing tips and ideas and practicing with your peers is the best way to learn. Consequently, we organize our trainees into small groups guided by experienced tutors. Each group comes together to work on lesson plans and exchange their knowledge and skills to be utilized in real-life practice teaching.

Our CELTA training offers an excellent balance of theory and practice. The early periods of your daily schedule are dedicated to theoretical lessons on teaching techniques and methods, evaluating learners' progress, lesson planning, and selection of materials. Then you put these theories into practice during teaching practice sessions to model students from different difficulty levels.

There are feedback and evaluation sessions that come immediately after each teaching practice period. Tutors are always available to give you a useful critical analysis of your performance and support you to improve.

Sofia 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.

Dates, Fees Apply Now

Sofia 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.

Sofia 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

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 Sofia

Our TEFL training center was founded in the year 1990 and has maintained a reputation for quality teacher training over the years. The center is located at Dondukov Blv, Sofia with spacious classrooms, and a specialized CELTA library that is exclusive to all teachers.

Our low trainees to tutor ratio allows us to focus on every trainee's development and ensure they are all carried along. There is a park behind the center where students can relax and have fun or even do some self-study in a calm atmosphere.

As a means of ensuring that you have a hitch-free study during the course, we offer accommodation options that are available for the duration of your CELTA certification course.

Job Support and Placement: Sofia, Bulgaria

We offer continued support to our trainees form their first day at the institute till they graduate and even in the future as they settle in their various professional positions.

Usually, there is a session towards the end of your CELTA training, which is based on professional development. During this session, you will receive advice and career guidance as regards building a career in ELT anywhere in the world.

Also, we encourage our trainees to put us down as their reference in their CV or whenever they are applying for positions. This way, we can easily provide prospective employers with details of your abilities which can help boost your chances of getting a TEFL job.

Why Choose CELTA in Sofia?

Bulgaria has one of the fastest-growing ESL markets in Eastern Europe which is now part of the European Union. Being the capital and one of its most important cities, Sofia has established itself politically and economically, and as a result, there is a growing need for English teachers in many sectors.

At a time when the demand for English is rising every day, you can be part of that development. Becoming a TEFL teacher here gives you a feeling of contentment where you are sure of making a difference to your student’s futures.

There are plenty of teaching opportunities after you become certified, not only in English schools but also in summer camps and international institutes. Native teachers are well sought after, and with your CELTA qualification, you will be more than prepared to enter the classroom and begin your teaching career.

If you choose to stay in Sofia after your course, it is useful to know that you will earn around 650 USD - 1,500 USD a month on average. To supplement your income, you can choose to offer private tutoring services too, which will earn you about 10 USD to 25 USD extra per hour.

The most popular time for applying for teaching positions in Sofia is in September and January. Most institutions offer an average contract length of 12 months, and summer camps allow you some intermittent breaks in between. Remember to check the visa requirements for longer-term stays.

Things to do in Sofia, Bulgaria while taking a CELTA

Despite being a fairly small city, Sofia is full of activities to suit all CELTA trainees with different kinds of taste. The city is engorged with rich cultural history and a scenic traditional setting with cuisines, and friendly locals to smoothen your adventurous trips as you explore.

Sofia is a city that embodies religious tolerance and is the only country in Europe said to have the highest number of places of worship of different religions very close to one another. Visit the Square of Religious Tolerance at the city center, where you will find a mosque, an orthodox church, a synagogue, and a cathedral just a few minutes away from one another.

The Aleksander Nevski Cathedral is a site you shouldn’t miss with its incredible architecture. Then there is the Sofia Synagogue where you can learn more about Judaism and its relevance to the Sofia culture.

If you’re more interested in museums and galleries, Sofia leaves you spoilt for choice. Try the Archaeological Museum which is in a former mosque, offering Thracian, Roman and medieval artifacts. You can even visit the National Art Gallery and Museum of Socialist Art on a warmer day and wander around the beautiful botanical gardens.

Sofia’s National Palace of Culture is also worth a visit as is the Vitosha Nature Park where you will be amazed by the Zlatnite Mostove, a ‘river’ made of stone which winds down the hill from around 1700m down to 1350m. Just as the locals do, relax and take a picnic along the stone river, also a good sight to people-watch.

Bulgarian food is also not to be missed while you are in Sofia. The traditional Bulgarian cuisine is usually mixed with a bit of Greek, French and Italian influence. Mekista, a deep-fried breakfast meal, Banista, a traditional pastry found in bakeries around and the Bulgarian salad, shopska salata, are common among the locals and can be found in pubs called mehana or the high-class restaurants. In the evening after a TEFL class, you can relax with the national alcoholic drink called rakia.

Since Sofia has easy access to other parts of the country, you can take a day trips on a weekend or after your training. Enjoy interesting stops at some attractive places like Macedonia, a Bulgarian Orthodox Monastery and some amazing scenery in the Osogovo Mountain.

Begin your CELTA course in Sofia. Enjoy the city’s backdrop, youthful feel, and easily walkable sights while you study for a certificate that will set you on the path to a successful teaching career.

Dates, Fees Apply Now