Teaching (jobs)
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What is Teaching?
To get an idea of why teaching is a popular job, and Japan a popular destination for people wanting to work and teach in Japan one should have a good understanding of the education system in japan and why there exists a demand for native speakers of English.
Japanese study English for six years from junior and senior high school but the classes they learn in, the English is not intended to be communicative in nature but rather is taught as a rather dry, grammar based lesson in order to pass a written examination to enter university. English is taught using the Grammar Translation Method, and is taught in much the same way Latin is taught in western countries. Students are taught by a native Japanese teacher, in their native language, and the teacher explains grammar to students. Actual English is rarely spoken during a high school lesson and the emphasis is on developing reading skills, memorising vocabulary and grammar rules. as a result students spend the best part of six years studying English but can not introduce themselves or tell the time in English. they have a passive knowledge of English, can read and write but know next to no communicative strategies nor have they developed listening skills.
Since 1987 the The JET program has been introduced to get around this problem, and so now in Japan (over 5000 foreigners, mainly university graduates on JET) are working as teaching assistants at Japanese junior high schools and elementary schools. For a majority of foreigners coming to Japan for the first time it counts among their first experiences of living in Japan.
Many Japanese are keen to learn to speak English, meet with foreigners, need English for their jobs etc so they will enrol in a language school. many of these schools such as ECC , AEON. GEOS will hire these foreigners and market them to potential students. Students sign up because they believe the best and only way is from the horse's mouth i.e a native speaker. The native speaker for his part, usually doesnt need formal teaching experience or qualifications, but simply needs to be presentable, preferable have a valid work visa and be interested in Japan, Japanese culture and the development of his students.
A good site with info on teaching at a large school is one on a site about the (now bankrupt) NOVA but offers good insights on working here
http://vocaro.com/trevor/japan/nova/level_up.html
Students want to learn not only about spoken language and communication but also about their teachers' culture, customs and about foreigners' personal lives in Japan. The object of the lesson should be to get students to open their mouths and speak- the best way is to get them talking about Japan IN English as they are usually quite keen on introducing Japanese culture to foreigners.
What is special about teaching in Japan?
Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to work and live in Japan and on many forums such as Gaijinpot people say they have had 'lifelong' dreams of working in japan- this can be due to active interest in such things as anime, cosplay, manga, bonsai, martial arts, taiko, or other aspects of Japanese culture. They want experience or find out more about the origins of their interest, or develop their knowledge further.
Apart from the cultural aspects, japan is a technologically advanced modern country of 127 million people. Tokyo is a thriving metropolis of over 10 million people. People come to Tokyo and are blown away by the size of the Tokyo, the infrastructure and the number of people, and one can do almost anything one wants to do while living there.
So what is special about teaching in Japan? Teaching per se is not that much different than teaching anywhere else but combined with the culture and mindset of japanese people it can be a rewarding person experience. Some of my own thoughts on the pros and cons of working and living here.
Tokyo and most large cities, though vast in area have very good transportation and its easy to get around by train. A car is not usually needed living in Tokyo. Japanese as students are in the surface keen to learn English and are receptive to learning English, especially from native speakers. Students are rather passive and in that respect it can be hard getting students to open up and express themselves.
Japanese food is quite delicious and varied and its possible to go to a different place every night and still not try everything. Its safe to drink the water from the tap too.
If you get out of the cities. throw on a backpack and go hiking its possible to see the real hospitality of Japanese people as well as see some incredible scenery. Japanese generally dont hitchhike but they do know foreigners do and its possible to get rides. Several people have ridden or walked around japan and several books have been written about such experiences. I myself have hitchhiked in Shikoku and Kyushu in my early days in japan.
What are the different kinds of Teaching jobs available?
Teaching jobs in Japan run the full gamut from teaching toddlers, kindergarten kids to senior citizens. what kind of job is best for you depends a lot depends on the teacher's personal preferences as to which age group or groups he or she would like to teach. Here are some of the main types of students:
Eikaiwa: Teaching conversation to Joe Public who walks in off the street and is willing to buy as many lessons as his or her wallet can afford. Teaching children. Anything from toddlers, to junior high school and elementary school students. ALT. Assistant Language teacher, mostly works assisting Japanese teachers in Japanese public schools Company classes. teaching Japanese business men and women and office workers in their companies, classes are mostly held after they have knocked off work or before they have begun for the day. Private lessons. Individual Man to man lessons or small groups. teachers may find their own students wiling to pay for lessons or work with a company that will introduce teachers to students, and lessons are taught out of the teacher's home or in a coffee shop or restaurant. University classes, Juku or cram schools. these are considered the 'shadow education of japanese high schoolers and they learn what they dont have time to learn in regular classes and this can include classes in grammar or conversation.
How to get your self hired?
Searching for work in Japan
The best ways of searching for work are through English language newspapers such as japan Times and the Daily Yomiuri. JT has job advertisments in its Monday morning edition. Job applicants can also search for jobs on onling job forums such as Ohayo Sensei.com. ELT news or Daves ESL page. Some teachers also place ads on bulletin boards at foreign pubs if they are looking for private students. There are also several online sites that match potential teachers and students such as FindaTeacher.net.
Searching for work from abroad
When seeking jobs from outside Japan, job applicants are at a distinct disadvantage as they are not )in-country', can not kick the tires of each job they apply to and have no idea what the job or company will be like until they get here, What the employer tells them in a job interview and what they experience on the ground may be two entirely different creatures. The employer wants to get a warm body in a seat, will sometimes have trouble employing someone in japan (who may be more knowledgeable about working conditions and what each area is like. A person outside the country may also be at a disadvantage as an employer plays on a non-residents ignorance or naivete about working in japan, dangle a job carrot in front of them and try and get them to come to japan to work in their school.
That said the job applicant can make life easier on themselves by thorough preparation and knowing EXACTLY what they are looking for in a job in Japan without feeling the need to jump at every nibble that comes their way.
1. What kind of job exactly are you looking for? Working in a conversation school? becoming an ALT or joining the JET program? Teaching kids? or are you not fussy what you do, as loing as your body is in Japan and soaking up the culture?
2. Where do you want to work? many say they want to work in Tokyo, which is a huge sprawling city of 14 million people but its also expensive to get set up in and you have 50 other people chasing after the same jobs. LOTs of competition for those scarce jobs. Are you prepared to work out in the provinces or in the backblocks of Japan?
3. Give an employer an indication of when you can be in Japan or be prepared to work. Remember a visa takes from 6-8 weeks to process so allow three monts from time of interview to when you actually arrive in Japan.
4. Ask to see a copy of the work contract. Do NOT agree to any job or position in Japan without seeing what the employer provides or you may end up on the losing end of an agreement and not enough money to extract yourself or pay your way home. Avoid any employers who do not agree to show you a contract- Its not as if it s trade secret. You want to be sure the employer is not hiding anything either. Also get someone knowledgeable to look over the contract. Always get a second opinion.
5. In Japan it is not the general custom for employers to pay your passage to Japan. Expect to pay your own way here as well as any set up expenses before you see a paycheck. Some will pay a return airfare at the end of your cpntract but you will usually have to work for a year before you see any money from an employer for airfares.
Qualifications
No formal qualifications are required to get an entry teaching job though in this day and age of stiff competition and falling numbers of students, employers are raising the bar on qualifications they require from people wanting to find work.
Language Schools
At the very least, one needs to obtain a valid working visa that allows them to work in Japan. For the majority that means one must be a university graduate and possess a minimum of a bachelors degree. this a MINIMUM requirement set by immigration and an employer asks for one so he can sponsor your visa. Ideally the teacher is a native speaker of English or have close to native fluency. That said, one may not look 'foreign' enough and students may doubt your English ability of you are not a native speaker. Would you learn to speak Japanese from someone who is not Japanese? Same diff.
Universities
Qualifications differ from school to school but by and large a masters degree will get you an interview and have the school return your phone calls. Schools may ask for other things such as publications. previous college teaching experience. Japanese ability is usually a plus when seeking university jobs. The higher up jobs you aim for the more qualifications they will ask for, including PhDs, a track record of research. Business level Japanese is usually a pre-requesite. For more information on getting a Masters degree more info here
http://www.teachinginjapan.com/continuinged.html
If one doesnt have a degree, various other visas allow foreigners to work in Japan, on either a full time or part time basis.
Spouse Visa. Married to a Japanese national. Can do any job in Japan that a Japanese person can as long as the employer deems you qualified. Student visa. Students can work part time up to 20 hours a week while they study, with permssion granted from immigration Working Holiday visa. Not available to Americans, it allows nationals of certain countries to come to Japan on a 6-month visa and experience Japan and work to fund their stay. WHV does NOT replace a full time sponsored work visa and very few employers nowadays employ WHV jobs for entry level or low paying jobs. Permanent Resident status. Not a visa per se but the Holy Grail of most lifers in japan as it means you have finally 'made it' in Japan.
More on getting the right visa to work in Japan
http://wiki.gaijinpot.com/wiki/Visas
Language teaching certificates. CELTA etc
Teaching certificates are by and large not required by a majority of employers but a person who has done one will be better prepared for what to expect when they land in a classroom and start teaching. There are literally hundreds of different courses and this is not the place to debate the ins and outs of individual courses. A lot will depend on your own individual preferences, the depth of your pockets and your willingness to out lay significant cash to acquire proper professional training as a language teacher.
The typical working week
Some content adapted from Wikipedia.org.
