Trainees’ Challenges in English Teacher Development Courses

CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL are the two English teacher training programmes receiving growing popularity worldwide. The two programmes are characterised by onerous workloads and rigorous training. However, very few attempts have been made to explore how trainee teachers are challenged and how they address the challenges in these programmes. Therefore, the research aimed to explore how trainee teachers perceive their challenges in CELTA/CertTESOL programmes. The research has recruited six trainee teachers who have received CELTA/CertTESOL training. They were given interviews that focused on their experience of being challenged in CELTA/CertTESOL courses. Following interpretative phenomenological analysis of interview data, the study has identified various challenges encountered by CELTA/CertTESOL trainees, potential ways of overcoming these challenges, as well as the benefits of undergoing such challenges. The research has empirical implications for prospective trainee teachers who are concerned about potential challenges in CELTA/CertTESOL programmes and need suggestions to address such challenges.