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Teaching English in Japan

  • 22-06-2009 4:34pm
    #1
    irishpacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 84 ✭✭


    Le Background: I'm determined on heading to Japan for at least 6months on the Working Holiday Visa. I have just finished Uni' and I have no Japanese.

    Right, so basically I would like to hear what your opinions are about working in Japan? As far as I can see, the only kind of work I would be able to do because of the lanuage barrier is Teach English. Is this true?

    With regard to teaching english, my main problem is that there are quite a lot of English schools (Aeon, ECC, Geos etc...) and I have no idea which ones have a good reputation and which don't. Have you any experience/knowledge of this?

    Appreciate the input guys!


Comments

  • #2
    clartharlear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 489 ✭✭clartharlear


    irishpacker wrote: »
    Le Background: I'm determined on heading to Japan for at least 6months on the Working Holiday Visa. I have just finished Uni' and I have no Japanese.

    Right, so basically I would like to hear what your opinions are about working in Japan? As far as I can see, the only kind of work I would be able to do because of the lanuage barrier is Teach English. Is this true?

    With regard to teaching english, my main problem is that there are quite a lot of English schools (Aeon, ECC, Geos etc...) and I have no idea which ones have a good reputation and which don't. Have you any experience/knowledge of this?

    Appreciate the input guys!
    Realistically, yes, all you could do is teach English. There are few other opportunities.
    The big English schools are all very similar, and none of them have great reputations. But if you can imagine yourself as a super-smilie customer service desk worker in Dunnes Stores for 6 months, then the work isn't terrible. Be aware of yourself at the very bottom of the food chain though.
    Most schools also have 12 month contracts. If you tell them you're only staying for 6 months, then that is likely to count against you. If you tell them that you're staying for 12, then you'll make it ok for them to lie to and cheat you too, of course.
    I believe job opportunities in Japan aren't great at the moment, so be sure to have a contract before you go!
    ganbatte


  • #3
    irishpacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 84 ✭✭irishpacker


    clartharlear wrote: »
    Realistically, yes, all you could do is teach English. There are few other opportunities.
    The big English schools are all very similar, and none of them have great reputations. But if you can imagine yourself as a super-smilie customer service desk worker in Dunnes Stores for 6 months, then the work isn't terrible. Be aware of yourself at the very bottom of the food chain though.
    Most schools also have 12 month contracts. If you tell them you're only staying for 6 months, then that is likely to count against you. If you tell them that you're staying for 12, then you'll make it ok for them to lie to and cheat you too, of course.
    I believe job opportunities in Japan aren't great at the moment, so be sure to have a contract before you go!
    ganbatte

    Thanks for the Reply. Yeah from the research I've done the general consensus seems to be rather negative with regard to these Language companies. Ideally, if I had the time, I would apply for the JET programme but that's not really an option for me.

    I basically just want to see Japan and experience the country, whilst earning some mulah to keep me alive and able to travel about and see the place.

    But yeah, these companies just strike me as dodgy, it all seems too good to be true with a lot of them. It's just frustrating that I don't know anyone who has done this before and thus I can't get any advice. I don't even know what the cities/towns are like, for all I know I could get shipped off to the bad side of town as it were.

    The one company I've heard reasonably good things about is Interac, have you heard of them?


  • #4
    edeldonlon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 191 ✭✭edeldonlon


    I spent the last year in japan.

    there are loads of good schools to teach in and loads of bad ones too.

    I would advise you to look at a site call www.ithinkimlost.com it is mainly for JETS but has loads of info about other schools.

    Also most JETs have a Yahoo group or website and quiet often jobs are posted on that.

    My best advice would be to get out of the main cities and see as much as you can.

    Have any other questions just pm me


  • #5
    clartharlear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 489 ✭✭clartharlear


    irishpacker wrote: »

    But yeah, these companies just strike me as dodgy, it all seems too good to be true with a lot of them. It's just frustrating that I don't know anyone who has done this before and thus I can't get any advice. I don't even know what the cities/towns are like, for all I know I could get shipped off to the bad side of town as it were.
    Well, there's a considerable difference between cities and then the country, but there aren't really bad sides of town. The crime is all tightly organised and you'd be unlikely to see any of it.
    The one company I've heard reasonably good things about is Interac, have you heard of them?
    I worked a year for them. I had a few problems, but overall a good experience.
    The thing is it depends on the school they contract you out to, and you can never know that in advance.


  • #6
    Kazzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭Kazzo


    irishpacker wrote: »
    Le Background: I'm determined on heading to Japan for at least 6months on the Working Holiday Visa. I have just finished Uni' and I have no Japanese.

    Right, so basically I would like to hear what your opinions are about working in Japan? As far as I can see, the only kind of work I would be able to do because of the lanuage barrier is Teach English. Is this true?

    With regard to teaching english, my main problem is that there are quite a lot of English schools (Aeon, ECC, Geos etc...) and I have no idea which ones have a good reputation and which don't. Have you any experience/knowledge of this?

    Appreciate the input guys!

    Hi,

    If you are just looking for a casual job for 6months, why don't you try Irish pubs or restaurants? There are a lot of them in Japan.
    I am sure the people there would be very friendly and helpful.
    Also you could have some individual students to teach English as your extra earning!

    This is the link for a list of Irish pubs in Japan.
    http://www.inj.or.jp/link/pub_e.html

    Good Luck!


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  • #7
    osarusan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,706 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    I spent 7 years teaching in Japan, and loved every minute of it.

    I'd agree with the idea of having a job before you go, as it will make it much easier to get a visa.

    I wouldn't worry about only staying six months, loads of people get a job with a big school just as a way to get into the country, then quit as soon as they find a better job.

    As somebody above said, you will be at the bottom of the food chain, but it is still a pretty enjoyable job, and I thought there was a great lifestyle over there. And unlike a previous poster, from what I saw and heard, Interac is the worst of the lot. I'd head for a company like Aeon to start with.

    You can easily earn 20 or so Euro an hour teaching privately anyway.


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