Giga International House Catania |
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Catania, Italy |
Giga International House is an English as a foreign language teacher training centre accredited by the University of Cambridge and the first centre in Italy authorized in 2010 to offer the online version of the course recognized CELTA worldwide. At Giga IH, high educational standards and the professional development of our staff are at the heart of our mission .
We are the only teacher training centre in Eastern Sicily and also the headquarters of AISLi (Italian Association of Language Schools - AISLi) and so we regularly receive requests for information on teachers who have completed the course with us and who would be interested in working for an AISLi school. The Academic Manager sends these job adds to all our CELTA graduates so that whoever is interested can contact the schools directly.
Accommodation can be arranged upon request. We offer our own accommodation, a fully furnished flat which can accommodate up to 5 people in self catering single rooms with shared bathrooms. We can also help find alternative arrangements. Please let us know which type of accommodation you would prefer while doing the course with us by clearly stating your preference in the application form.
Cancellations
In the case of cancellation six weeks or more before the course starting date, 20% of the total fee will be retained. With less than six weeks' notice, 50% of our total fee will be retained. If cancellation occurs in the final ten days before the starting date the total fee will be retained. However, in certain exceptional circumstances we will consider transferring the fees to another course. No transfer is made if notice is insufficient to allow for the finding of a substitute candidate. Please note that in all cases of cancellation we will retain 20% of fees paid, to cover administrative costs. Please ensure you have all the necessary visas/permits, where applicable, as no refund will be made should you not be able to attend the course because of visa applications being rejected.
In the event that GIGA International House Catania is forced to cancel a course, the full fees will be refunded. GIGA ih cannot however be held responsible for other costs incurred as a result of registering for the course such as travel, accommodation or the like so you are strongly advised to take out insurance.
Late Cancellations
Once the course has started, there is no possible refund. For this reason, you might consider taking out an insurance policy in order to be covered in case anything happens and you need to leave the course.
Catania is represented by three main characteristics: its charming architecture, magnificent coastline, and the one spectator who has observed Catania's centuries of changes, Mount Etna.
Catania lies in a delightful geographical position between the Ionian Sea and the slopes of Mount Etna. Sicily's second city has always had a close relationship with the volcano. Subjected to Mt. Etna's temperament, much of Catania's history is linked to its volcanic neighbor. The city was built by natural and geophysical elements, and most of the city's buildings are made from Etna's black lava.
The city was repeatedly destroyed over the centuries by eruptions and earthquakes. In 1669, the worst eruption in Catania's history occurred when Etna buried much of the city under lava that literally ran through the streets. Catania had hardly recovered when a massive earthquake leveled much of the city in 1693, creating an economic crisis.
But the people of Catania bounced back, creating an even better city, rebuilding in the Baroque style. Catania contains some of the most imaginative lava-built Baroque buildings in Sicily. The principal architects involved in the reconstruction of the city were G.B. Vaccarini, F. Battaglia, and S. Ittar. They transported the city from its medieval roots and created wide avenues and squares with splendid churches, monasteries, and imaginative buildings, all built by combining lava stone with the white calcareous stone from Siracusa, thus creating the concept of a city in "black and white". An aura of the 18th century still lingers over much of the heart of Catania as a direct result of the city's rebuilding program.
Catania is a city, both fascinating and full of surprises, for visitors who will never forget their time spent in the city. With one of the richest repositories of Baroque architecture in Europe, Catania has art treasures, church museums, and Roman ruins, well worth seeking out. The city also offers excellent year-round sporting facilities from skiing on Etna to numerous nautical activities.
Catania's excellent geographical location allows visitors easy access to the main tourist resorts on the island such as Taormina, Mount Etna, and Syracuse (Siracusa).
It is also well connected to the archaeological sites of Agrigento, Piazza Armerina, as well as Acireale and Noto, where you'll find outstanding Baroque architecture.
In order to provide you with the best service possible, Giga International House Catania needs to know a little about your specific situation. If you have questions, please first select a course from the list on the this page. You can always change course dates later.
VIALE MARIO RAPISARDI 23, 95123
CATANIA
ITALY
It's been the most challenging and overwhelming experience of my life and yet the best decision I've ever made! The tutors were incredibly good and made me enjoy every single session. It was definitely worth all the stress!
A very intense and hard experience, but it is totally worth it.
I went in knowing practically nothing about teaching English and, after just two weeks, I suddenly realized how much I had already learned thanks to the course. It was very tough and my group had to work non-stop for five weeks, but I got the impression that the tutors had to work as hard as us, as they provided us every day with individual feedback and quality guidance. In general, nothing on this course seemed to be left to chance, everything was meticulously planned. I feel that it has given me exactly what I needed to start my TEFL career confidently. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a high quality experience and tutors of the utmost professionality.
Despite having prior experience as an EFL teacher, I learned a lot during my 5-week CELTA course at GIGA. It has been a really enlightening experience for me. I am grateful to my tutors, Robert and Andrew, for their efforts in organising the course, for their constant feedback and support throughout all the stages of the course. Both tutors are extremely professional and knowledgeable. The CELTA course is tough and demanding, yet, it is indeed a challenging and a rewarding experience. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Professional and knowledgeable staff, beautiful setting, and an overall rewarding learning amd teaching experience.
The delivery of this course was first class. Everything was organised in minute detail which made it easier for us students to navigate all the challenges that lay within this an intense course.
I thoroughly enjoyed the course. The tutors were excellent - experienced, knowledgeable, professional and inspiring. They both maintained very high standards, so the course was extremely challenging. However, throughout the course, they practiced what they preached, and delivered input, course planning and feedback sessions with fairness, encouragement and humour. All of this contributed to the course being an excellent experience. The course runs over five weeks - Monday to Thursday. The additional weekend day made all the difference, providing time to reflect and plan for the following week. I cannot recommend Giga International House enough, and am so grateful that I could start my ELT journey there.
Extremely dedicated staff supporting you every step of the way. A demanding course but a very satisfying one, and a centre I'd recommend very highly to anyone who wants to be pushed hard and get the best possible value for their time and money.
A well organised course with supportive and knowledgeable tutors and appropriate facilities and resources available.
The fact that the tutors were always willing to answer any questions and clarify any doubts while sharing their own knowledge and expertise means that I've come away with so much more than just a CELTA qualification.
The nature of the CELTA course is very tough but the tutors at Giga were really supportive and friendly which made the experience much less stressful.
The precourse work and all of the documents and videos sent before the course prepared me well for celta. The course and the tutors were very well organized. I have nothing to say about the course in itself. However, I found that four weeks are too short for so much input.
I had a wonderful time and learnt so much. I would recommend this school to anyone thinking of taking a celta or a celtayl course. The tutors were helpful and extremely knowledgeable teachers. Their doors were always open if you needed a few pointers on how to plan and carry out your lessons or to supply articles, book titles or even podcasts on every aspect of teaching at the drop of a hat. Catania is a great location - stay on for a couple of days after the course and go up etna, or go to the beach. The school is not far from the city centre and surrounded by good reasonably priced cafès, and baker's for those who don't want to cook, for those who do want to cook there is a supermarket within walking distance and seasonal fresh fruit and veg available on every corner. There are also some good bars within walking distance if you manage to get your coursework sorted in time to allow yourself to let your hair down a little.
I had a great experience doing my CELTA at Giga, rich and fulfilling ! It was a tough course, but if you follow Robert's advice everything will run smoothly. I was lucky to do the part-time CELTA, which enabled me to have the time to study and rest as well. Challenging but great satisfaction at the end!
I can only say positive things about the course: good tutors, good staff and location. Tutors were prepared and avilable. The same for the staff. It was an unforgettable experience for me.
The course was excellent: Pre course material and organisation superb. During the course the teaching staff were professional, knowledgeable and supportive. I returned without hesitation to take the young learner extension
Impressively organised and delivered, with a most professional and knowledgeable team. It's hard to imagine any other school being able to do it better.
My experience at Giga was very positive. The course was conducted to the highest standards, with very knowledgeable and helpful tutors who gave clear lessons and productive feedback after teaching. Classroom material (including interactive white board) were fantastic. 4 stars given due to only one photocopier/computer for printing but not a great problem. Overall, I would definitely recommend Giga.
It was a really valuable professional development experience in many ways. The tutors were absolutely great ! I gained expertise in new areas, a greater appreciation for what my students must experience when they are learning a language and was stimulated to try different approaches to teaching. I highly recommend the course to any colleagues.
The course was all I expected it to be, a wonderful and challenging experience at the same time. The tutors were very supportive and always did what was expected of them. I am completely sincere when I say that I have no flaw to report about the centre and its staff (both tutors and admin).
This course has been a unique experience. It was great, well organized and the tutors are simply amazing and irreplaceable. I have to say that the course is the way it is because of them. My experience might have been way different if I had had tutors less interseting, less knowledgeable, and less motivating. .
Robert had an amazing organization and support for our learning. I have heard about other schools where students are not supported and not prepared for what they will encounter. He did a wonderful job with his pre-course materials, forms to use, lectures/activities, and so on. He is detailed to a fault. I took an intensive course and it was extremely challenging, but I would not have had it any other way. I would highly recommend others to take the course at Giga. I learned so much and felt confident about what I learned because of Robert's high standards and commitment to quality.
It really was one of the best experiences of my life. Not only did I learn new skills in teaching English, I also met amazing people who I am still friends with! I definitely recommend the CELTA course at Giga! ;) Claudia
The course was very solidly, sensibly and carefully planned. It ran smoothly and we could all see the reasons behind its being organised the way it was. After the first week, I also realised that the methodology by which we were being taught was the very same we were learning to use ourselves. All induction classes were effective and tough: it felt as if it were us, the students who were doing all the work. Learning that way was challenging and a true intellectual pleasure if, indeed, there was no time to enjoy that pleasure. The course's pace was mercilessly unrelenting and I can certainly not remember a time when I studied that hard, not even at university. It was clear that even the pressure we were under was pedagogical: we were being shown the reality of being a teacher that aspires to and inspires excellence. I wish particularly to praise one of our tutors, Robert Martinez, who embodies all that a teacher ought to be. In a few words, someone whose gift, passion and example brings out the best from a student. I consider myself fortunate to have been one of his students. Giga's Director, Palmina La Rosa, has been able to attract the very best tutors to her school. She is another person without whom the excellence found on the CELTA course and generally in the school would not have existed. Her acumen and leadership are much to be admired and I thank her once again on having made it all happen. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and what it has given me. I got onto it with the highest expectations and for once these were all consistently fulfilled.
It has been a physically exhausting but very useful experience. It was worth all the efforts and time invested. The tutors really tried to get us on a higher track, stimulating us to go beyond our comfort zone. As a participant, you do need to be very motivated and eager to learn from others though.
The knowledge I attained at Giga regarding lesson planning and classroom management has been invaluable. Robert was far from an easy teacher, however, I learned a great deal from his advice and his scrutiny of my lesson plans. Overall, the experience has made me a much more confident and effective teacher.
My experience at GIGA was unforgettable! Despite being a rigorous and demanding course, the CELTA was enjoyable and very rewarding. The course tutors definitely 'made' the course for me. As well as working hard, we had a lot of laughs! I would definitely return to GIGA if I decided to take another course and I will continue to recommend the school to others.
One of the toughest experience I have ever done, study wise, but it was well worth it. Great practical and usefull teachings and materials.
The CELTA course is very demanding and stressful but well worth it. The tutors at Giga made it enjoyable and were very supportive. It's well worth the time, stress and money.
The course was well-organized, compelling, and challenging. The tutors were excellent although there was some discrepancy between the level of knowledge and presentation skills. Overall, a 5-star course without a doubt!
I absolutely loved this course: very superb tutors, well appropriate contents, well organised and structured sessions, great interaction, a supportive atmosphere! I would definetely recommend it to anyone who wants to become a professional and reliable teacher of English. Now as then...thank you Giga!
It was definitely one of the best experiences I have ever had. The course was tough but very interesting and rewarding.
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