Teaching English in Japan

johnny_ultimate

Hey, looking maybe for some practical advise here

I'm heavily considering teaching English in Japan at the moment for various reasons. Have been to the country twice and loved it, and also have a University degree. I have spent the last few days looking into various options. I found the CELT / CELTA thread on here particularly useful, and definitely something I'd like to look into.

But other places seem to suggest that TEFL is not by any stretch a necessity, although usually a benefit. I've seen Interac mentioned a good few times, wondering it they're as reputable as people seem to suggest?

As for JET, I think it sounds great but given that the application timeline doesn't kick off until September, and even if I get through there wouldn't be any movement until next July, I'd like to do something sooner.

Anyway, there's conflicting reports, and while I'm grounded in the basics at this point (and leaning towards CELT / CELTA, perhaps) any practical advise or feedback from anyone with experience on the matter would be greatly appreciated Thanks in advance!

RadioClash

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Hey, looking maybe for some practical advise here

I'm heavily considering teaching English in Japan at the moment for various reasons. Have been to the country twice and loved it, and also have a University degree. I have spent the last few days looking into various options. I found the CELT / CELTA thread on here particularly useful, and definitely something I'd like to look into.

But other places seem to suggest that TEFL is not by any stretch a necessity, although usually a benefit. I've seen Interac mentioned a good few times, wondering it they're as reputable as people seem to suggest?

As for JET, I think it sounds great but given that the application timeline doesn't kick off until September, and even if I get through there wouldn't be any movement until next July, I'd like to do something sooner.

Anyway, there's conflicting reports, and while I'm grounded in the basics at this point (and leaning towards CELT / CELTA, perhaps) any practical advise or feedback from anyone with experience on the matter would be greatly appreciated Thanks in advance!

I do know the Japanese zeal for English education has declined in recent years, but there's still a high demand to teach there from otaku's and the like. As such it's a more crowded job market than say China or Korea, and a CELTA is well respected and would put you ahead of the pack. Basically it will make you look like you actually want to teach as opposed to someone who's interested in Japanese culture and is using teaching as a means to live in Japan.

dapto1

I've heard there are quite a few more opportunities now than there were 6 months ago, as a lot of teachers have left/are put off going due to (unfounded) worries about all that nuclear stuff.

Edit: Also: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/mar/08/japan-launches-primary-english-push

KRose18

It's probably a bit late to reply but anyway.
Do not apply Interac, Nova, Jalss or any of those big ALT/ English teacher corporations. They hire people of the bat and will place you somewhere thats impossible for you travel to. The pay is meager, if you even get it at all. They will find a lot of reasons not to pay you.
The will also tempt you with work visas, needless to say they do it illegally sometimes.

If you really want to find a job in Japan, look for a private English conversation school (eikaiwa) and join websites to get private students. If your really dedicated you could even set up your own language group and do events, like cooking, hiking or even having a movie night in English. I'm sure you would have a lot more fun yourself that way

Good Luck.

Also I did the TEFL course, it worked for me, but it depends on the place you apply so make sure to check the job requirement However, I would advise to do the CELT/CELTA as it seems to be more recognised and seems to be a bigger requirement in a lot of job postings.

livinginkorea

Didn't Nova go bust a couple of years ago?

DonkyDonk

Hi there

My brother went to Japan teaching for 2 years with JET and loved it. They treat you very well (financially and otherwise) and have an excellent infrastructure so you don't feel alone in a strange country.

He then returned to Japan with a private company and had a horrible experience. They would book you into 20 different schools so you would end up traveling (by car which you have to buy yourself) for hours just to be told that you weren't needed anymore -very sloppy organising on their part. He also found it difficult to make friends in this job as he was always in new schools, giving the same lesson every week. Eventually he packed it in and got a job elsewhere.

My advice would be to wait for the JET program to come around: it will take that long to sort your life out for the move anyway. Sure, it would be ideal to be offered a job in a private school, but the chances of that are low.

By the way, most Japanese students find English extremely difficult and you will be facing quite a challenge to teach them: they're too embarrassed by their bad English to ever speak it!

KRose18

Nova did go bust, but there are still some small schools around
and there are still hiring, I think.

Tombigbee

HI, I just accepted a job with Interac. Was very sudden and am flying to Tokyo for orientation at the weekend. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has worked with them. I don't know what they're like as a crowd to work for, but they seem legit enough. JET application was just too far away for me, need to get off the dole now!

nailatron

Hey tombigbee, how is it all going so far?? im thinking of doing the same..

getz

every other weekend i meet coach loads of japanese english speaking students in the village of haworth[home of the bronte family].with my small smattering of japanese,and their english,we always have a lot to talk about.it seems the japanese are crazy about the brontes,not shakespeare,so brush up on your brontes,before you go.

Tombigbee

Heya Nailatron,

I've been in Japan for about 3 weeks now. I got really lucky in my placement, I'm in an urban area and I love my school which is only a 5 min walk from my (ridiculously massive) unfurnished apartment. Shame really because I'm planning on only staying until March and I have no stuff to fill it with. If you have any q's, please feel free to mail me about any of the whole process.

Besta luck to ya

number10a

Is there anyone heading away on the JET programme this year? When is the departure date? I'm definitely applying for next year's cohort in September and I just want to get an idea of when I would be heading off if I got a place.

Also, what's the story with partners coming with you? My boyfriend would not be the English-teaching type - he says he wouldn't like it anyway. But how difficult would it be for him to get a job and visa over there does anyone know, or would it be close to impossible?

mrngorickets

Hi,

I agreed with you. Any way, your points of view make me thinking about some thing for my project.

Pls try to keep posting. Tks and best regards


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Best rgs

121channel

It would be extremely difficult for your partner to get any job there, unless he was willing to take some casual english tuition. When we went to Japan, my partner could not find anything as he didn't have the language. The JET is the best way to go as you can both live comfortably on the salary..even enjoying some great holidays around Asia. Best of luck!:)

Mr. Loverman

Do any of you know if you have to get your visa in Ireland, or can you go to Japan on a holiday and sort out all the paperwork over there?

Cheers