So you Want to Teach English in Japan?
Hey, kids! Welcome to our web site all about riding the gravy train in Japan. What's that you say? I can make money just by existing, by simply showing up and speaking English?! Yep, you sure can! Our site is dedicated to all you carbon blobs out there. Learn how to tie a tie and nod your head thoughtfully and you're in!
Seriously though, before you go for that inexhaustible teat, you need to know a few things. What we are talking about here is the poop, the goods, the news, the rumors, the gossip, the truth and the utterly unsubstantiated tales of eikaiwa (English conversation to you newbies).
Why? As an English teacher, contrary to what you may believe or have been told, you are an entertainer and salesman. You are the official English-speaking person. You are the Norman Rockwell, rosy-cheeked, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, apple-pie eating, product of the suburbs;a pet gaijin to some Japanese.
You may think you are a shoe-in with your TESL or RSA certificate but the fact is you don't really need it (well, Immigration wants to see it so they can keep riff-raff out but that's another story). Any person who can speak English clearly and wear a suit properly can teach English in Japan. In fact, most Japanese figure that if you are a native speaker of English, you are qualified to teach.
We are not out to criticize English language learning; learning a second language is a noble and worthy pursuit. If anything, we wish there was a lot more communication between people all over the world. Our beef is with the large schools such as GEOS, AEON and NOVA where more entertaining than educating is going on. English is being taught professionally and being taught well in Japan. However, such institutions are few and far between; eikaiwa simply rules the landscape the way fast food rules North America. Keep this in mind as you read on: eikaiwa is a McJob.
Read our stuff. Learn. Laugh. Cry. Shout. Get angry. Agree with us. Curse us. Just promise to keep an open mind and respond.
Cheers,
Chris and Shawn
Comments
I want to learn them
I want to learn them someday..
Facebook
You should add a "share on facebook" link to all those pretty icons in the post footers.
Facebook
Stupid me, it was there all along. I just never activated the link.
The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them. -Albert Einstein
The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them. -Albert Einstein
"just by existing" ?????
"I can make money just by existing, by simply showing up and speaking English?! Yep, you sure can! " without study in a university? without graduation? without experience? Yes you can.. you English native speakers and latin speakers.. Thats why NOVA and others courses are not courses but just it..nothing related with real education.. sorry for Japanese people. sorry for whom study in unviersities for years..
"The Group" is meeting - Annuncement
Well, if you are considering coming here to teach English, listen to this:
"The Group" to investigate lawsuits against G.Com/G.Ed is meeting 30 Jan. If you have previously contacted The Group but have not heard about the meeting, please contact us again, immediately, at:
danton1284@yahoo.co.uk
We'll try to get back to you tonight.
(Sorry, for budgetary reasons we donot do keitais, only skype and land lines).
also you ALT's
Also you ALT's don't think you are so high and mighty now, proudly claiming you are not eikaiwa beacause you think you are better. You guys are losers too!
...oh and to all the freaks in my japanese class who masterbate to everything that is japanese and copy everything that is japanese even if it's total crap, try to speak in 'kawaii' voices all the time and copy phrases from japanese cartoons, think they are so cool because they visited japan for all of 2 weeks and now are suddenly the worlds no.1 expert on japan who all the other freaks who havn't visited yet worship like a demi-god, have visited anime conventions and are memebers of an anime society, have a token 'cool' japanese penpal who if they knew what a total freak and outcast you really are in your home country would vomit and then consider attempting one of those mix of household chemicals producing poisonous gas suicide attempts because of the humiliation of ever being associated with you, are in any-way-shape-or-form asian looking but think that somehow makes you more 'japanese' than the rest of us (when actually, if you had any clue about japan you would know that they will think you are scum, more so than caucasians), try and copy japanese lolita/gothic/etc. which just makes you look like a pathetic mess when step outside to inflict your visual holocaust upon the rest of us, have blonde hair and/or blue eyes and think that this will automatically elevate you to superstar status if you land that place on the JET scheme (god, i hope not) and go to japan when in reality you are an 3 out of 10 in the looks dept. at best , ..uuhh the list could go on, you know the kind of people i'm talking about. you are losers too! japan doesn't like you, japan doesn't want you, don't embarrass the rest of western society by inflicting yourself on the people of japan.
Sayonara
..just wondering... did any of you English (ahem) 'teachers' ever think about getting a real job?, i mean actually studying towards something where you are not considered to be an embarrassment to the teaching industry.
I can imagine all you 'charisma men' sweating profusely now that your once meager wages are no more. oh no! charisma man is penniless, even the power of 'looking foreign' won't be enough to hide that you are losers now.
I think those 'oh so cute' former students you had worked your 'magic' on are all suddenly going to be wise to the situation that you aren't exactly what mum and dad would consider marriage material and that you certainly won't be able to provide them with a secure future.
And so, I guess it's time you scuttled off back to your respective home countries and headed for the nearest mcdonalds, where your years spent as an eikaiwa 'teacher' have helped you become no more qualified than to earn you a living flipping burgers alongside students who are there for pocket money while they study for a real career (i.e. not eikaiwa teachers).
Sayonara losers.
Ha. ol'bitter guy. Take it
Ha. ol'bitter guy.
Take it easy bud, did you have a fall out with a jap chick that you fell in love with and she realized the same things of you??
:)
What bitter guy forgets is...
Some charisma men actually make it, find a nice girl, maybe start their own school, or do well, in other fields.
It depends which circles you move in, but among my friends, alongside precisely ONE guy, who is having a hard time, I know countless people who've done well, in English teaching, and continue to do well. Personally, I don't know any charisma guys, although I've met one or two, in passing.
I didn't ideally set up NOVA so people who weren't planning ahead would get stuck in the company, but that's what they chose to do, and I needed docile, and willing loo tenants. The vast majority though, used NOVA as a gap year, or two, or a stepping stone, to something better - just ask my buddies Eddie Norton and Jero.
Cheers, every baddie, and thanks to my letsjapan bro's for changing the CAPTCHA
Nozzo
Your spot on but your
Your spot on but your attitude is juvenile at best. Good luck in life with that eloquent way in which you speak.
Teaching English in Japan: To School or Eikaiwa?
I used to teach teach English in Japan, though not at an eikaiwa. Rather, I taught at a private junior high and high school in Okinawa, and have always been interested in knowing what it is like to teach at an eikaiwa or juku.
I currently teach English in the EPIK Program, which is South Korea's response to JET. Once again, I found myself in a school with classes of 36+ students, wondering what it is like for people teaching at the hagwons (juku) with classes of 6-10 students.
Is this just a case of 'The grass is always greener on the other side' or are class conditions better in eikaiwas? Anyone have experience teaching at both schools and eikaiwas?
teaching language is not easy
When I find that like you guys say Eikaiwa is so easy drives me crazy. If you consider so I'd like to yell to that people " Don't come to Japan".
The market is changing these days. The dimands is getting more strict because customers(students) getting smarter. Besides the business model like GEOS, AEON and NOVA supposed be old fashion. The sales is drastically dropping.
Maybe writing language isn't
Maybe writing language isn't that easy either.
Despite his feeble grasp of English, Foolio here almost has a point. It is difficult to teach language. However, "teaching" eikaiwa isn't all that difficult. After all, look at the entry requirements....
No offense but your English
No offense but your English skills in that comment you submitted were truly shocking ! I don't wonder you found it hard when your grammar is that bad. Also, I don't rate my English top notch by any means even though I come from the UK.
If you speak english as bad
If you speak english as bad as you write, you REALLY should not be teaching english. I can see how you'd have a hard time at an Eikaiwa, or anywhere else.
The comment is obviously by
The comment is obviously by a Japanese guy (I'm pretty sure about the gender) who is pissed off that people are coming or thinking of coming to his country to teach because the standards demanded are so low. He has a good point, one which criticizing his English skills is hardly an argument against. If any of the people who replied are English teachers, you really should be able to tell the difference between a native speaker with bad or lazy grammar and a non-native speaker.
He also seems to have been proved right about the Nova business model...
TEFLtastic blog- "All the truth that's fit to teach"- www.tefl.net/alexcase
What is the purpose of
What is the purpose of comments like this? You are a dick.
Non native English teachers
I was just trying to answer a question Anonymous. I think crapping someone as Anonymous is being a dick since there is no way to tell who said what.
Maybe you felt I didn't answer the question well enough? You would be right since I don't know alot aboout job prospects for non native english speakers. Also I believe that I did comment on the question very quickly and moved on. Sorry.
If anyone has any info about work in japan for non native english speakers could you let us know. I only know that Gaba has hired non notive english apeakers except for some companies that have hired japanese english instructors.
Huh?
Where do you see the requirements?
Im sure teaching a language could be easy, especially for me.
A dude who is studying french, japanese, chinese, and other languages.
I'm only 16.
And I'm totally native-speaking on french. And Chinese is getting on it's way to fluent.
So yeah, where's the requirements?
Help. :O
Oh yeah, me again. Pete.
But if someone knows really how to go to Japan and teach.
Can someone tell me the real whole deal behind this university degree thing?
Like is it just a degree?
Could be in anything, like a year degree in the Japanese Language level 1 or anything?
And what does the 6month TESL Certificate do?
etc
Eikawa is, a McJob, like stated.
Which is bull.
You can't really live off that. It's just mostly liek a last resort type of thing.
So is anyone willign to answer, and can maybe I email one of you and like, keep in touch and exchange information and all?
Thanks in advance dudes, see ya.
Learn how to speak English
Learn how to speak English first. Then we'll talk about you being an English teacher. So...I figure I'll hear from you in about 10 more years.
you do need a degree and yes
you do need a degree and yes it can be in anything, as long as it's a degree. the company i work for doesn't require tefl certificates because they train you the way they want you to teach, pretty decent training too...but you have to be able to pass the grammar test, it's kinda hard so study up.
www.japanbound.com
Can that really be the
Can that really be the official ECC site you gave a link to? VERY dated design!
Degree
Actually you don`t need a degree,
You only need a degree if you want a working visa, but it's not really necessary. My Aussie girlfriend came to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa and she doesn`t have a university degree. She was able to get a job with a Eikaiwa School. The one stipulation is that you have to renew your visa. After the 6 months is up, you are allowed to apply for two more 6 month extensions for a total of 1 and a half years in Japan. The working holiday visa program is available to Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Germans, South Koreans and Britons. There are also quite a few other things which you must know when applying for this type of visa. First, you can apply for this type of visa at your local Japanese consulate or embassy and fill out the application. Second, you need an onward ticket to another country, which of course can be refunded with a flight with no ristrictions. And third, get your resume ready, get some sharp clean clothes, shave (for the guys) and look sharp ( as this is a very important aspect in Japan) and start getting ready to line up some interviews when you arrive.
my daughter curently teaches
my daughter curently teaches in japan, in the okinawan islands. she and her partner have been on miyako jima island for abut two and a half years now. her placement was thru JET. i suggest you check them out. A degree is requirred, but thas a degree in anything.
TEFL
Immigration on Japan are not the slightest bit interested in your CELTA or what have you- all you need is a degree. Some countries, such as Turkey, do demand a certificate and even occasionally try to get tough and not accept ones by dodgy online training schools- then realise they won't get enough cheap teachers and give up.
TEFLtastic blog- All the truth that's fit to teach- www.tefl.net/alexcase
teaching abroad
I want to teach abroad.How can I get a job without the TESOL/TEFL degree.Please e-mail me with any information you might have.www.fasohosp1618@yahoo.com
Hi, I would love to try
Hi,
I would love to try something new and move to Japan to work for a years or so. I am 33 years old and have been working in an insurance job in Ireland for the last couple of years. I am educated to a diploma level in business and haven't done a TEFL course ..... what would the situation be in i travelled over looking for a job?
Thanks,
Tom
Teaching in Japan
Hi Tom,
Just read your post, if you want to try for a English teaching job in Japan try the JET Program or try applying through NOVA. You don't need TEFL if you have a degree.
Dan
In Okinawa
Tom: Please stay away from
Tom:
Please stay away from NOVA!!! The company is going Bankrupt. Teacher's are being paid late and students are leaving the school. As far as JET, they have an age cut off, so you might want to check on that.
All the best,
Tokyo teacher
yea stay away from NOVA they
yea stay away from NOVA they are having a lot of problems and I hear teachers and staff aren't getting paid. Jett...I don't know much about them but try ECC or GEOS or AEON
NOVA NOVA NOVA
Absolutely 100% stay away from Nova. They rip off their customers, are shutting down schools and not paying teachers.
Teach English in Japan
Hi, I am from Philippines, 21 years old and presently employed in a Software Company in our country. I am interested on having my application as an ALT on JET. However, I learned that I had been late for the deadline which had been set last March, I will be having inquiries at the Japanese Embassy in our place soon..
Getting a job with JET is
Getting a job with JET is very difficult. I am from the U.S., have an education degree and 5 years experience in teaching English, yet I didn't make it. From reading your message, I am sorry to say that your English grammar is poor and JET would pick up on that. To be frank, the best positions for Teaching English are ones that are found after arriving in the country. In addition, most situations want someone from a Western culture. I don't mean to seem rude, but I think it is important for you to understand the situation. Good Luck though...something can always open up!
"Getting a job with JET is
"Getting a job with JET is very difficult."
Well... yes and no. I think it's more a matter of first-come, first-serve with JET. I've known more than a few people who got jobs with JET right out of college with no education training whatsoever.
Or maybe it's because they felt you were overqualified? Also, don't forget that JET has an age cut-off. They want young teachers. I'm not sure what the cut-off was, but perhaps you were past it?
JET
Having also failed to get into the JET program, it seems from what I've seen of the people who got hired that yes, they are usually straight out of college, and have little or no Japanese ability. I made the mistake of thinking that would be a plus for me... I showed them my 1-kyu JLPT certificate at my interview and they basically said "Okay, that's nice" and didn't note it down. I also thought having lived in Japan for 3 years, and having worked part time as an ALT in a high school would have helped.
My suspicion (I have no proof, of course) is that as much as possible they want people who will be WOWed by Japan. They want someone who will be genuinely interested when students make a presentation about KENDAMA or TANABATA.
I think it also helps when applying not to be a white male.
Interac, although the wages are BARE MINIMUM, will hire anyone with a pulse (you need not even be a native speaker! Just from a country with English as an official language) and as an added bonus you'll probably be able to work in the urban areas of the country.
JET
I suppose it's human nature to blame others or look for reasons outside ourselves when we fail at something. I wasn't at your interview, but I can sense a few things from this post that would have raised a red flag or two for me had I been there. I don't mean this in an unkind way, and of course, I don't know you at all, but judging only from your post, you seem a tad full of yourself. If you presented yourself this way, or I should say, if you were perceived this way during your interview, that may have been why you were rejected. I was a JET many years ago, and granted things may have changed, but many of my fellow JETs had prior experience of living in Japan and/or could speak Japanese, some quite fluently. For those who could speak Japanese, there were a couple of positions available as CIRs, where their language ability was an asset. (I don't know if the CIR option still exists.) In addition, white males were well represented. In our group of 36, 14 were white males, 1 Japanese-American male, 19 white females, 1 Japanese-American female, and 1 female of Indian descent. I think you'd agree, in this case anyway, being a white male male doesn't appear to have been a handicap. In fact, it was, and probably still is, much more difficult for people of color to be accepted. In regard to age, we were also somewhat diverse: from 23 to 33, with most in the 23 - 26 range. Many of us had teaching experience of some kind, but not necessarily in K- 12.
Also, I was a little troubled by your comment, "They want someone who will be genuinely interested when students make a presentaton about KENDAMA or TANABATA." Perhaps you just expressed yourself badly, but I hope you don't mean that you feel you are above taking a genuine interest in your students. Unfortunately, it reads like you think you are too "cool" to be impressed by such mundane matters. You are a worldly sophisticate, wise in the ways of Japan. You will not be "WOWed" by Japan. Perhaps it would have been better during your interview to have expressed a desire to learn more about the country and its people, or shown a little more "modesty" about your achievements. You profess a knowledge of Japanese culture, so surely you know that modesty, even when it's false, makes a good impression.
I hope you won't be too offended by my comments here, but perhaps you will.
Finally, I think it's commendable that you have learned Japanese well enough to pass the JLPT 1-kyu. Good luck with your teaching.
I forget the Japanese word
I forget the Japanese word for it, but there is a focus on 'internationalisation'. I believe that one of the reasons the Japanese government sponsors this teaching program (JET) is not just to do with language proficiency, but cultural exchange. You may be a wonderful and qualified teacher, but having lived in Japan already, you have already experienced much of the cultural milieu. In a way, you said it yourself - the fresh-out-of-college candidates are going to be the ones challenged more immediately by a different culture and its ensuing learning experiences - and of course the idea is that this experience is mutual for the students and teachers you will work with. This is not to say you don't have more to learn or contribute, but they may feel fresh blood is what they want to sponsor.
Or it may just be they felt with your experience/qualifications that you could easily get such a job via another route, and thus they choose to put their funding where that would not be the case for someone else.
I am a current JET candidate, don't know if I'll be going yet. I have a Diploma of Japanese, although I don't expect that to be relevant, as they specifically state Japanese language skills are not factored in (they wouldn't be, for an organisation that specifically takes people with no Japanese language knowledge whatsoever). I just hope my motivation and enthusiasm for language learning, and to experience another culture I'm fascinated with, will help me through the rest of the selection process.
You might have a chance with
You might have a chance with a private ALT dispatch company if JET is not possible.
TEFLtastic blog from Tokyo- www.tefl.net/alexcase
Seriously, if you want a job
Seriously, if you want a job with JET check out their home page to see what the requirements are.
http://www.jetprogramme.org/
I want all the Details!
Can Someone tell me all the Details about Teaching in Japan do I need to go to college for it do I need to know any Japanese, it it good Money..YoUR Bad and Good Experiences! Please I would sosososososos appreciate this!
Teaching in JPN
Teaching at an English conversation school in Japan, or any kind of school at all, is really, really easy. However, teaching well is not. That's the biggest point, I think. The majority of people who come to Japan can't teach all that well. They may be a good entertainers, or they may be a good conversationalists, but they aren't good teachers. It takes time to become a good teacher, more time than the one, two, or three years most people spend here.
On a different topic, spelling and grammar do not really count for much on JET applications. Of course you should make sure that your application is perfect, but I've seen applications that contained spelling errors. I remember seeing one where the (successful) applicant has misspelled the title of his previous job. He still got hired, and fortunately, he turned out to be more than his application made him out to be. It is amazing that he was hired, though; surely back in his home country, his application would've been thrown in the garbage bin. In any case, the JET Programme is not about hiring people who will be good assistant teachers, it is about hiring people who (hopefully) can "promote internationalization" at a local level.
If you're looking for a good
If you're looking for a good alternative to the above-mentioned schools, try this: http://www.japanbound.com/
It's wonderful, and I laugh at the poor fools at NOVA. Meanwhile, I've just enjoyed three PAID vacations in as many weeks. Seriously, JET is too difficult (and unpredictable) to get into and NOVA's a running joke here. ECC is the way to go.
Don`t be so quick to laugh.
It could happen to any one of the major language schools. One foot wrong and the whole house of cards can fall.
I find this site to be very
I find this site to be very helpful. I am looking into teaching abroad in Japan and have recently interviewed with Nova. It has seriously been an eye-opening experience reading all of the information that is going on with Nova---and to think they are still interviewing for next quarter!
Anyways...with Nova looking like a bust, I would like to know about the other programs from actual teachers. Please let me know (sell yourself!)
Thank You!
Sincerely, Jazzi
Coming from Korea
Hi, everyone. I am teaching English at an academy in Daegu, the 3rd largest city in Korea, in the south near Busan. I just got back from a week in Kyoto and am not happy to be in Korea at the moment, would much rather be in Japan. So my question is, I am nearly 60, but I am very active and am in very good health and shape for a woman my age (so I hear) and want to find an English teaching job, preferably in Kyoto within 6 months to a year. I'm interested in feedback on the age factor and if anyone has experience working for ECC? — their website looks good. Thanks, Angela
Dear Angliu............
Ma'am right now is a really bad time to come look for work in Japan as an ESL teacher. With Nova falling apart and with thousands of Nova teachers looking far and wide for another job. Its going to be real tough for anybody coming here looking for a ESL job for awhile.
Your age...I dont know if its a factor or not, but I can say at my Nova branch we have a one male instructor who is in his late 50's....but thats pretty rare to see instructors over 40. Im not saying it doesnt happen I just dont see it, with the exception of the gentleman at my branch.
Japan is a Great place to live for a while....but my advice is to stay where You are now and wait until sometime next year, and hopefully this situation while have cleared up a little.
Kyoto is a real popular place for westerners and its tough getting a ESL job there during "normal" conditions.
Nova and the older teacher
Angliu, I am the same age as you and probably in similar condition :-) I applied to work at Nova when I was 47 and they did take me on, but the culture shock of being the oldest foreign woman the students had ever seen was a lot worse than the culture shock of being in Japan (that was fun). In the event I realized on day 1 what Nova was really all about and escaped to a proper job within 4 months of my arrival. I can't speak for the other schools but please be aware that what the students want above all is young, sexy, preferably male teachers (and by young I mean definitely under 30) so you may find it hard to get a place. But if you do make it you will have a wonderful time. I may still retire to Japan ... it was the best time of my life once I got out of the nightmare world of eikaiwa.
Good luck !
Trying out eikaiwa
I'm interested in applying to one of eikaiwa schools but am also concerned if this is the right move for me. I would rather have a job lined up in the states instead of going directly to Japan to try my luck (I am in my 40's, and not willing to take the chance of not finding a job). But I've heard so many horror stories regarding the conversation schools, so I'm not sure what other avenues I can pursue. I would like the experience of becoming immersed in the Japanese culture, but what would you consider to be a "proper job"?
coming from Korea
I started teaching English in Japan seven years ago, and I'm in my late 50s. I haven't found Japan ageist at all, and I love it here. Better to secure a job before you arrive as there's so many looking for work at the moment because of Nova's financial problems. I met an eikaiwa teacher yesterday who seemed old enough to be my mother and she was doing fine, and she teaches both in the branch and in elementary schools. It may be difficult to get Kyoto, but you could nominate it as a first option. If you lived somewhere in Osaka, it'd take you 40 minutes to get to Kyoto on your day off. Transfers are usually possible from one branch to another.
No degree?
Hi there,
I come from Quebec, Canada, and our education system is somewhat different. I studied in an institution called "cegep" and currently have what we refer to a a "DEC" which is essentially a college-level degree. I am currently in second year of university and working towards getting a BA, but I really wanted to take some time to experience what it's like to teach English abroad. I am not currently ESL certified, but am going to take the Oxford seminar in November. My ponders are as follows:
1) Is the ESL certification all that helpful in terms of actually GETTING a job? I know that it does in some cases equate to a salary increase, but as for getting the job, I've also heard it's pretty irrelevant... Because it is costing an arm and a leg. (the course I want to take is around 1000$ CAD)
2) I DO have a degree, but will it be recognized if it doesn't say "BA" on it? And if generally not, does anyone know any alternatives for me? I had applied for NOVA a while back and they were going to hire me, but due to their bad record which I then found out about, I refused. However, I don't know of any other companies that would recognize my diploma. I was thinking maybe smaller scale, or something like that.
3) (this is somewhat unrelated) I was also wondering if there are any good places with short-term contracts, say 3-6 months. Ideally, I would like to leave soon, and come back for next September.
Anyway, I appreciate any feedback I could get on these issues. Going to Asia to teach has always seemed like a wonderful experience, and I'm just in the process of information hunting. Thank you very much!! Great site you've got going here. ^_^
Look into a working holiday
Look into a working holiday visa. I am pretty sure Canada and Japan have a reciprocal relationship on them. That might be the ticket for you.
Teaching qualifications will
Teaching qualifications will count for nought in most schools.They dont value them at all except the best schools.The other crappy eikaiwas will hire anyone.The most important characteristic is that you arent a wallflower and can talk the drawers off a model.If you can entertain in some especially by making them laugh, this will hold you in good stead.ABC language center which closed thank God was using French, Spanish, German natives to teach English.Most students just want the experience.
If u wanna move up in the fake eikaiwa world, bring your kneepads and pucker up because these people are skanks of the lowest order.
uhm...
Ok.
Thanks for that colorful advice, heheh.
Teaching at 18 ???
Hi,
I'm an English 17 year old and currently in my second year of college. After completing my A levels, I'm considering taking a gap year in Japan which I hope to fund by teaching English. I was just wondering whether there is any chance of me doing so as an 18 year old with my only relevant qualifications being an A and A* in English Language and Literature respectively ?
P.S - I know that it doesn't come across in this comment, but I've been told throughout school/college that I write exceptionally well and as though I were older. I could produce a number of examples at interview or something if this would help at all ?
Thanks a lot,
Billy
Wishful thinking I'm afraid.
Billy,
You sound like a very together 18 year old and I'm sure your English ability is better than most of the people currently working in Japan. Unfortunately for you the fact that you are 18 and don't have a complete university degree is going to prevent you from getting many 'proper' jobs in Japan. You may be able to get private students, which could provide some decent spending money for you. However, many schools want a university degree and with some there are age restrictions. I would do more research before I come if I were you. Also, as I'm sure you're aware of, now is not the best time to come seeking a job. I wouldn't recommend that anyone come to Japan seeking a job as an English instructor right now. But, coming to Japan as an 18 year old student, is not a bad idea at all. It's a great way to expand your horizons and it's a fairly target rich environment for a young man with a strong libido. Again, if you're not too concerned about how much money you make as an English instructor, you could do fairly well with private students, charging 3,000 to 4,000 yen per hour.
Onwards to Tokyo
Hello all,
I am taking a TESOL Certificate via the Australian Training Academy, a Cert III in TESOL. I also have completed a 3 year degree in International Relations, I would like to continue my career in education and in social development.
What would be the best type of schools for me to teach in, in order to get the best experience in cross cultural communication or more to the point, something for my CV?
Thanks!
-Lourdes
Try the ALT route (Assistant
Try the ALT route (Assistant Language Teacher) and go for a country side posting. Most of the eikaiwa aren't really about teaching and REAL ESOL's will snicker at seeing one of those on your resume.
ALT positions CAN be total monkey work too, but a good school with good teachers and students will be a very rewarding experience for you. Be careful when you look into who you work for, and don't forget the whole language industry in Japan is soon to be plunged into turmoil with the imminent collapse of NOVA.
Good luck!
so ALT stands for Assistant
so ALT stands for Assistant Language Teacher!!
all this time I thought it meant Arse Licking Tool
Second Question
If there is anyone from Australia, what are the best organisations to go through to get a TESOL Cert that is well recognised?
Is Seek a good idea?
Thanks again!
Lou- Try universities such
Lou- Try universities such as Macquarie, University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, etc, if you're interested in TESOL.
Japan isn't the language teacher's paradise that it once was. I wouldn't recommend coming here as a career move right now unless you have post-graduate qualifications in teaching, good long-term jobs are very competitive. If you just want to travel and pay your way, a working holiday visa and an eikaiwa job are a good foot in the door.
Eikaiwa teachers go home
I hope Nova goes under and all the "college educated" eikaiwa teachers who came to Japan for their Japan fix, who are too stupid to know that they've been taken advantage of, who lowered the conditions and salaries in the eikaiwa business by accepting bad conditions, who screwed up the lives of people who are serious about living here and have no recourse but to take the eikaiwa jobs that have been screwed up by the new crop of eikiawa teachers who came and went after the bubble. Yeah I hope all of you dumb shits go back to where you came from. You are all so stupid believing that your 3 million yen a year income is good. You compare your measly 250,000 yen a month salaries to that of young Japanese salary men who get maybe 180,000 yen a month and think you're doing well. You losers! Don't you realize that a salary man's twice a year bonuses adds 50% to his salary. You need at least 6 million yen a year to be average in this country. An article in the newspaper mentioned that anyone making less than 4 million a year is considered poor. I think any foreigner making less that 6 or 7 million yen a year in Japan is a loser.
"You need at least 6 million
"You need at least 6 million yen a year to be average in this country."
Is that so?
Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007
Private-sector wages continue to fall
Kyodo News
The average annual wage in Japan's private sector in 2006 fell 0.4 percent from the previous year to ¥4.35 million for the ninth straight year of decline, according to the National Tax Administration Agency.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20070930a2.html
6 million yen
The 4.35 million average includes freeters who work low paying wages at Lawsons, McDonalds, etc.
The 6 million I'm talking about is for college educated people who work in normal jobs, not the freeter type of jobs.
Also the 4.35 million just covers the take-home pay before income taxes.
And when you consider all the benefits that normal employees of normal companies get, such as health/unemployment insurance being partly paid, low interest subsidized housing loans, etc. It'd take about 6 million yen to equal it (if you're an eikaiwa teacher with little to no benefits).
If you are an eikaiwa teacher, don't ever let yourself believe that you are making an average to above average living over here. If you think you are, then try to pay a loan on a house, a car; get all the life/health insurance, and raise a kid or two, and try putting away a little for your kids' college. The average Japanese is doing that. I don't see many loser Eikaiwa teachers doing that. And if they are, they are working more than one job and probably teaching private lessons too. Really struggling!
But then average eikaiwa teaching losers don't care about committing to or leading stable lives over here. They just want to get their "Japan experience", have fun, and then leave after a few years.
I speak from experience as I've also done the eikaiwa thing here. And I never felt like such a loser then when I was doing that. And the Japanese don't respect you either. They know what you are.
Now I'm generalizing to make a point. There are eikaiwa teachers who know the score and are trying to better their situation and get out of that racket. But as I like to say, If the shoe fits, put it on, and then stick it up your a**.
It is possible.
I see where you are coming from now. Still, you said, "If you think you are, then try to pay a loan on a house, a car; get all the life/health insurance, and raise a kid or two, and try putting away a little for your kids' college." Not only is that possible, I have done it. Granted, it`s not easy on a language instructor`s salary, but not being spendthrift I found it can be done.
Done! Not only am I
Done! Not only am I surviving, I spend roughly 1 million yen a year on travel, and I still am paying down my debts and putting away a bunch of money for retirement. My girlfriend has a similar job and makes about 1.5 times what I do. It's not our fault you're too dumb to manage your money properly.
Oh, and I average 1 hour of private lessons a week, but only for the 39 weeks a year that I actually work.
So cry for me and my struggles, then stick it up your own damn ass! Loser!
You know what? I'm honestly
You know what? I'm honestly pretty damn sick of all these mental cases who think you can't have a very good life on an English teacher's salary. What do you critics do, drink all of your money away? Damn, you must be bad with finances!
I and my friends are proof that if you have even a little bit of intelligence in your head and aren't a complete alcoholic, you can get by quite easily on an English-teacher-in-Japan's salary.
No need to get so
No need to get so huffy!
Both sides are at least partially correct. 250,000 or so a month is far from any great salary in Japan. However, while it certainly should be nothing to be at all proud of, it is more than survivable. However, I sure would not want to support a family on it. Also, as you notice every time you go home, your material standard of living is obviously much lower here. That helps keep more money in your pocket.
I do not think most Japanese have any real respect for the job, but it certainly perks them up for some free English practice if they hear the job title.
I was fighting fire with
I was fighting fire with fire. That works, doesn't it?
Seriously though, that poster is far from the first person to post something like that on these forums, and it's almost always written with intent to insult and degrade. I don't usually let it go unanswered anymore.
A week ago, I met a guy who was advising me on how to "get out of the teaching thing". After a few minutes, I discovered that he works more hours a day, more days a week, more weeks a year, and makes less money than I do.
But you're also right when you say that life in Japan is less materially dependent than one in a typical Western country. The biggest plus is the total lack of need for a car, if you live in a town with a reasonably large population. Low taxes also help.
"250,000 or so a month is
"250,000 or so a month is far from any great salary in Japan."
By the way, who said 250,000 a month? I made a little more than that, even at Nova. Now I'm still in the English teaching business, but I make somewhat more.
money
while the average teacher earns only 250,000 yen a month, you must remember they are working considerably less hours than the average japanese businessman.
35 hours a week will get you 250,000 a month.
thats working 7 hours a day 5 days a week.
Include 4 weeks of paid vacation per year and all public holidays off.
Ask a Japanese businessman the ammount of times he works up to 12 or 14 hours a day as 'service' to his company.You will find its a common occurance
Most Japanese businessmen work 5.5 0r 6 days a week, find it difficult to take an extended vacation beyond a week, and often spend their day off sleeping because of being overworked.
250,000 is a base salary that can be increased quite easily if your willing to work as long as the average japanese business man earning 6 mill a year.
Who's the looser?
"The 4.35 million average includes freeters who work low paying wages at Lawsons, McDonalds, etc."
It also includes highly paid professionals such as doctors, lawyers and stock brokers. So, if you have a medical license or passed the bar back in the US, then I completely agree that you are wasting your time by teaching eikaiwa. Other than that, there are plenty of Japanese doing worse than eikaiwa teachers.
"try to pay a loan on a house, a car; get all the life/health insurance, and raise a kid or two, and try putting away a little for your kids' college..."
Done it! Don't have kids yet, so that has to wait. But my wife and I own a nice two-story house in the suburbs, we have 2 cars, investments, working on savings for retirement. And for most of my 13 years in Japan I've been nothing more than a lowly English teacher. Most of that time was spent in eikaiwa. If you don't have it so well, that's only proof that you don't know how to manage your own money.
A lot of eikaiwa teachers are young, just out of college, looking for some adventure before going home to their regular life. I don't see anything wrong with that. But of the ones who stay in Japan I've noticed two distinct groups; people who adjust to living here and find a way to succeed at whatever they choose to do; and embittered loosers who are forever angry at everything, angry at Japan for being a bad place, angry at other teachers for 'stealing' their livelihood, angry at the economy, angry at the government. These angry people never seem to take any responsibility for their own predicament. I wonder which group you're in?
Stop your bitching and moaning and do something constructive with your life. If Japan is so miserable for you, why do stay?
Agree
You are absolutely correct about the two distinct groups. I was also in Japan for 10+ years and made a very good go of it. I had to return to my home country for family reasons, otherwise I'd still be living and working in the lovely countryside of Japan. I hope to go back some day, too. (I suspect that people like us probably do well wherever we live. It's just in our character and work ethic.)
teaching English
I agree with the comment that there are alot of teachers who come to Japan and whine about their jobs and about Japan. I have had a great 8 and 1/2 years experience in Japan. My first two years were difficult, not because Japan was a was a bad country but that I had to adapt to my new life, and a large portion of adapting to that new life was getting along with fellow Canadians! I also had to overcome the language. I have travelled extensively around this country and have nothing but praise for the people and the culture (notice I exclude history, as some of their history has been violent). I find that expats who complain have virtually been whiny people who don't want to put any effort into anything or don't want to adapt or see the reasons why things are different from their own country. However, I have found a small percentage of people who have valid criticisms of Japan and they are married to Japanese women. So yes Japan has it's flaws, but no doubt so does the country from which these people compain. In summary, Japan has been awesome and even Nova has been very good to me. It has delivered on all it's promises and allowed me to transfer to 3 different parts of this great land. I have met many great people and I feel I have helped alot of people learn a new language and a new culture.
Money
I personally get pissed off if I have any money left at the end of the month. I can't get rid of th estuff fast enough!
Not many
I`ve taught Eikawa for a while now. Have a new Condo bought just 2 years ago, along with new furnishings, a new car 2008 Mitsubishi outlander. I don`t own a yacht or a plane. But I`d say have done well.
Some entertaining podcasts about the Eikaiwa industry in Japan
Some entertaining podcasts about the Eikaiwa industry in Japan:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhatsHappeningInTokyo/~3/6216093/WHIT-Q2-...
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhatsHappeningInTokyo/~3/109699452/WHIT-0...
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhatsHappeningInTokyo/~3/112081920/WHIT-0...
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=15466&cmd=tc
the spoiled gaigin
I think in terms of the actual skill and experience required to teach conversational english the wage is very good. Jobs that require no experience usually pay minimum wage or a little above it. I know people with degrees think they are entitled to a wage well above the poverty line/minimum wage but thats not reality for most people with B.A s. Gaigins always assume that they are better than other gaijins, or they are different than other gaijins and I believe this stems from not being able to fully accept that being a gaigin has undeserved perks that most people are not used to.
What is the difference
What is the difference between a "gaigin" and a "gaijin"?
Lol
gaijin is a word, gaigin is a typo. hehe ^^
? ok ?
What on earth are you talking about?
I`m living in Hokkaido
Hey guys I`m just another Nova employee who has been screwed big time by the masterful acts of Nova`s illustrious management team. I`m currently living in Asahikawa, Hokkaido looking for a job. However I`ve been unsuccessful so far. Does anybody have an idea on how best to get an english speaking job here? Thankyou for any help that you could give me.
AEON Japan Corporation (www.aeonet.com)
Go to AEON Japan Corporation, and search for required requirements for EFL Teachers and possible assistance for job placement.
Getting a Job
I think the best way for you to get a job is to write speculative e-mails with your CV, to all the major language schools. If you access gaijinpot online you will find a whole list of schools advertising vacancies, although they won`t all have branches in Hokkaido I`m sure it will give you some leads.
You also need to register with Hello Work if you already haven`t.
Good Luck Mate.
Screw Nova! I Started Teaching English on Skype!
Hey English Teachers,
Nova had a good idea by teaching English over the "Internet" but they gave me the idea to do it for the world. I've been teaching English online (by using Skype.com) for the past year, and my best month I made about $1,500 while I was working full-time at Nova's MM Center. Let's face it, we all want to make money to eat sushi. So let's help each other. Check out my blog, and I will take you on my journey of teaching English online. If you like what I have to say, feel free to visit my Google ad sponsors. Any way, click here:
http://HowToTeachEnglishOnline.com
And if you want to see my site that prospective students see:
http://EnglishKitty.com
If you have any questions I have plenty of free-time as Nova screwed me too: verycoolwinter@yahoo.com
Warm Regards,
John
Do you really need to be a native speaker?
I am from Sweden and my question is very simpel. If you would like to teach english in Japan, is it vital that you are a native speaker in the english language?
I am not a native speaker, but I think that I would do jsut fine as a english teacher in Japan. What do you think?
And I would be happy if someone could give me a list of jobs that is suited for a foreiger.
It would help alot if someone could answer quickley as possible!
//A Swede who loves Japan
Native english speakers needed?
Most companies hire native speakers only but Gaba I have heard also hire non native speakers depending on your level and command of english.
Here is their site http://careers.gaba.co.jp/
A Message for Sweden, and the World
GABA is the place for you. When I worked there, I'd hear teachers giving feedback at the end of lessons:
"You English ist good, yah, but you heff doo be careful viss de grammaaah"
Or "Meeester Tanaka, you are beery berry good stoodent, but you must study much possible".
GABA says (official training blurb) "English language no longer belongs to Native English speakers. It is now primarily the language for international communication, and therefore must incorporate international cultural ideas and inflections"
Hidden meaning: If we hire Non Native speakers, we can keep the wage bill down. F***ING GENIUS!!!
Hey, second/third/fourth class, Gaijinz (foreigners)!
This site is; ENGLISH, ONLY.
You can type in your own native tongue, but....it's probably like talking to a wall.
(To be able to work for us, you have to be able to talk to "student posters" on the wall, in ENGLISH.)
You will only get replies, from your "own-kind", if not none at all!
Must be difficult to find work with a language/tongue of little/no value, on this earth. Ha Ha Ha!
It's in plain english
G Comm. Director or EC Eikaiwa G Communication whatever name you like if you notice the swede posted his question in english and is interested in teaching english.
Post new comment