When we think about the role of a CELTA tutor, certain words immediately spring to mind: trainer, teacher, assessor, observer. These are all accurate and important descriptors.
But one role that often goes unspoken, and perhaps undervalued, is that of advocate. The CELTA tutor is not only someone who assesses a trainee’s performance against a set of criteria, but someone who actively roots for their progress, believes in their potential, and, crucially, helps them see what they’re capable of becoming.
This may seem like a soft sentiment in a course known for its intensity and high standards, but in fact, advocacy is central to what makes CELTA such a powerful experience, for both tutors and trainees.
A Course That Demands Courage
For many trainees, CELTA is their first foray into classroom teaching. For others, it’s a return to teaching after years away, or a stepping stone toward a new career. No matter their background, CELTA places everyone on a steep learning curve. The sheer volume of new terminology, methodology, planning structures, classroom management strategies, not to mention the pressure of being observed every second lesson, can feel overwhelming. Add to that the demand to reflect, adapt, and improve at speed, and you begin to see why even the most confident individuals can feel wobbly during the course.
This is why tutors must do more than teach. We must advocate. We must see not only what our trainees are doing, but what they’re trying to do, and who they’re trying to become.
The Difference Between Progress and Perfection
In CELTA, we mark against clear criteria. That’s non-negotiable. But progress is not always linear, and it’s certainly not always visible in a single lesson. The trainee who struggles through an early teaching practice may be laying the foundation for a genuine breakthrough. As tutors, we must hold onto that long view.
Being an advocate means pushing trainees not toward perfection, but toward growth. It means recognising the quiet victories: when a trainee finally gives instructions clearly, monitors with purpose, or adapts spontaneously based on learner needs. These may not always earn a top grade on paper, but they are signs of significant professional development.
It also means tempering feedback with empathy. Not softening standards, but offering support that recognises how much a trainee is already holding: nerves, imposter syndrome, exhaustion. Advocacy is not hand-holding. It’s championing. It’s showing someone that you see where they are and where they can go.
Balancing Roles: Assessor and Ally
Of course, being an advocate doesn’t mean we stop being assessors. One of the greatest challenges of CELTA tutoring is balancing these roles: trainer and examiner, supporter and gatekeeper. But advocacy is not at odds with assessment. In fact, the best tutors use their understanding of the assessment criteria to empower trainees: clarifying expectations, demystifying standards, and identifying clear, achievable next steps.
We advocate through our feedback. When we say, “This stage was successful because…” or “The next step for you is…” we’re not just commenting on performance. We’re lighting the path forward.
We also advocate behind the scenes: during standardisation, progress meetings, and grade discussions. We bring to those spaces not just our observations but our insights into the trainee as a whole: their effort, their self-awareness, their rate of progress. We speak up for what we’ve seen in their growth, even when it’s subtle. We fight for fair outcomes, but also for honest ones, ones that reflect the trainee’s trajectory and potential.
Creating a Culture of Trust
Trainees thrive in environments where they feel believed in. One of the most powerful things a tutor can do is to expect progress. When we treat a trainee as someone capable of more, they often rise to that expectation.
This starts with the small things: how we frame our feedback, how we greet them in the morning, how we respond when they take risks. Do we praise effort as well as outcomes? Do we listen when they express doubt? Do we model resilience ourselves?
Advocacy is about creating a culture where trainees feel safe to fail, and supported to learn from that failure. It means making space for the messy middle, when a trainee is trying something new and it doesn’t quite land, but the intention is right. It’s about seeing not just errors, but growth edges.
Advocacy doesn’t end at the final TP or the provisional grades meeting. Part of our role is helping trainees see themselves as professionals-in-the-making. That means introducing them to communities of practice, encouraging them to keep developing, and reminding them that CELTA is not the end, but the beginning.
Beyond the Course: Advocacy for the Profession
It also means recognising the wider context: the job market, visa pressures, financial constraints, cultural expectations. Many of our trainees face barriers that we don’t always see unless we ask. Being an advocate sometimes means writing a thoughtful reference, or staying a few minutes after a session to offer reassurance, or helping a trainee find their first job in a new country. These are small acts, but they can make a big difference.
Advocacy Makes Us Better Tutors
When we approach the role of CELTA tutor as an advocate, it changes how we see our work. It brings purpose to the tough days, the late-night marking, the difficult conversations. It reminds us that we’re not just ticking boxes. We’re helping shape futures.
And when we push a trainee to dig deeper, reflect more honestly, or try again after a knock, we’re not just helping them pass. We’re helping them transform.
Because ultimately, CELTA isn’t just about teaching techniques. It’s about becoming the kind of teacher who believes in learners. And that starts with us.
Images from canva.com
Author
Angelos Bollas is based in Dublin, Ireland and works as Learning Experience Designer at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Previously, he worked as Lecturer and Assistant Professor of Social and Cultural Studies at Maynooth University and Dublin City University and as Academic Skills Tutor at University College Dublin and The University of Manchester. He has authored and edited academic books for Routledge, Palgrave Macmillan, Emerald, and Springer. Continue reading here
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