Teaching English in Japan

TEACHING ENGLISH IN JAPAN

Teaching English in Japan TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW Job Overview….……………..1 CHAPTER 1 Public vs. Private…………..2 CHAPTER 2 Job Search….………….……..4 CHAPTER 3 Experiences….….…….……..7 CHAPTER 4 Resources…..……….……..17

OVERVIEW

The Asian market is one of the largest in throughout the U.S., U.K., and Canada. the world for English teachers, and Japan Instructors are usually responsible for air- has one of the longest traditions of em- fare and housing costs, although schools ploying English instructors. The Japanese do assist in finding housing and some- have mandated that English be taught in times provide accommodations. Most all of their public schools, beginning at age teachers live in apartments recently va- 5 and lasting through the completion of cated by previous teachers, and many high school. This broad base of child room with coworkers. learners has opened a large market for A solid hourly wage allows English teach- teaching English in Japan. Adults are ers to live a comfortable lifestyle, while taking English language classes in the saving up to 800 USD per month. English millions as well, and it often seems that teachers need a bachelor’s degree, and language schools, known as jukus, are on TEFL certification is required. Major cities every corner of a city block much like for English teaching jobs include Tokyo, Starbucks coffee shops in the USA. Fukuoka, Kobe, Kyoto, and Osaka. English teachers can find jobs year around, and in-person interviews are con- ducted 3 to 6 months in advance

CHAPTER 1 PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE

Working in public schools throughout Ja- pan is very common for English teachers. Teachers –and are classroom assistants to Unlike language schools in Japan, public Japanese Teachers of English. schools typically have very strict application deadlines and start times. From There are a number of government pro- time to time a teacher may be able to find grams teachers can apply to, including the a public-school position outside of these world famous JET program. Another is In- times but these positions are typically terac. To get into these programs, you filled quickly by teachers already living in must begin the application process almost Japan. a year before you want to arrive. The most common public school positions The other option for teaching English in are found through the Jet Program. Eng- Japan is as private language centers, such lish teachers are more commonly known as Gaba, Berlitz, or AEON. Below is a chart as ALTs –Assistant Language comparing teaching for public schools versus private schools.

Public Schools vs. Language Schools Public School (JET) Private Language School Location Can be placed throughout Japan The teacher chooses the city or town

Teaching 1 or 2 ESL teachers per school Many ESL teachers per school Environment

Type of Student Children (elementary to high Children or adults school)

Work hours and Normal school day Mornings, afternoons, and/or Schedule evenings

Airfare & Provided by JET Varies; Typically, not provided Housing by employer

Type of Job Assistant English teacher Lead English teacher

Hiring Times One major time each year (early Year-round (may need to attend start dates can be available) an interview in your home country) Timeline Info session: Varies depending on the school September – you are working for. Can take November anywhere between 1 and 6 Application Available: months. October – November Application Deadline: December Interview: January – February Results: April Placements: May – June Departures: July – August

CHAPTER 2 JOB SEARCH

public schools through the JET program, there is a different process to gain a posi- The application for the JET program is a tion. long process that begins nearly a year before the expected arrival date. The pro- When applying to private language gram application is only available in the schools, or jukus, it is possible to begin fall. If you submit all the documents (tran- the scripts, personal essay, proof of citizenship, and two letters of rec.), pass the interview process, and are selected by a process prior to arriving in Japan. This will Japanese school, you can expect to begin make it possible to obtain your work visa in late July and arrive in Japan with your prior to arriving in Japan, instead of enter- teaching job already secure. For English ing on a tourist visa and upgrading it teachers who are not applying to work in there. To get a work visa, you will need

4 your passport, Certificate of eligibility While most prefer the security of arriving (provided by the school employing you to in the country with a teaching contract prove that you have been hired), Interna- already signed, it is still possible to find a tional resume and cover letter, TEFL cer- job on the ground in Japan. There are tificate, Bachelor’s degree, and in some many language school chains that operate cases a criminal record check. throughout the country, and hire a large number of English teachers. It is possible Many teaching jobs are posted on job to secure a job at any time throughout the boards, so begin the application process year. Below are some of the largest lan- as soon as you can. Some schools will guage school chains: conduct interviews over skype, or even in your home country. Getting a job through  Gaba – Provides one-on-one les- a recruiter is also a great way to smooth sons to clients of all ages and the process. Below are some of the most backgrounds throughout Japan - useful recruiting resources: http://teaching-injapan.gaba.co.jp/   Teach Away – Recruits for public and Berlitz – Employs more than 1200 private language schools in Japan - English teachers a year in Japan - http://www.teachaway.com/teach- http://teach.berlitz.co.jp/ english-japan/  ECC – Has 164 language schools  Ittti – Recruits for language school Pep- throughout Japan and has different py Kids Club - http://www.ittti.com/ educational branches listed below-  Footprints Recruiting - http://www.ecc.co.jp/htm/english http://footprintsrecruiting.com/learn- /index.html#01 about-teachingabroad/country-  AEON – Teach English to infants up guides/country/japan to adults in locations throughout Japan - http://www.aeonet.com/englished ucation/  Amity – Teach English to all ages in schools mainly located in the cities, suburbs and rural areas of Honshu and Kyushu - http://www.amityteachers.com/te aching/  Westgate – Teach young learners, university students, or online students (must reside in Japan) throughout Japan. Contracts are usually signed per semester from 3

to 5 months and flights are reim-  Recruit.net - bursed to Japan - http://japan.recruit.net/search.ht http://www.westgate.co.jp/applica ml?query=english+teacher tion/  Heart – Hires teachers to work mainly in public schools but also has positions working in private language schools - http://www.heart-school.jp/en/

Job boards are another good method for finding a job. Positions may be found on websites such as:

 Ajarn Recruit - http://ajarnrecruit.com/  O Hayo Sensei - http://www.ohayosensei.com/  Gaijin Pot - https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/  Jobs in Japan - http://www.jobsinjapan.com/  Career Cross - http://www.careercross.com/en/  Teacher Gig - http://www.teachergig.com/jobs/j apan

CHAPTER 3 EXPERIENCES

Nagoya, Japan English What is your education level and back- ground? Teaching Q&A with Thomas Master's Degree or Higher Paeme Have you traveled abroad in the past? What is your citizenship? Taught English abroad previously Belgium If you have traveled abroad in the past, What city and state are you from? where have you been? Leuven Thailand, Cambodia

How old are you? What sparked your interest in going to 25 teach English in Japan? I volunteered in Thailand and Cambodia as an English teacher for about 3 months. This inspired me to chase my dream of

7 becoming an English teacher. After com- were intelligent, constructive and very ing back to Belgium, I took an online TEFL useful. course and at the moment I'm teaching English in Nagoya, Japan. The tasks we got were extremely useful; they started off fairly easy but while our TEFL CLASS INFORMATION course progressed, the level of difficulty Why did you decide to get TEFL certified gradually went up as well. and choose International TEFL Academy? I browsed the Internet and some online Finally, the practicum (student teaching) is TEFL forums to find a good and renowned so important because you really get the TEFL company. It didn't take long before chance to put to use the skills and meth- noticing that International TEFL Academy ods you studied during the course. was the best pick. It sure isn't the cheap- est one, but it was definitely worth every How has your TEFL training helped you in penny. your current teaching position in Japan? First of all, it helped me enormously in Which TEFL certification course did you finding a teaching position because as a take? non-native speaker it is harder to find a Online TEFL Class job.

How did you like the course? Secondly I had the chance to study a lot of The quality of the course was very high; I my peers' work; this gave me a lot of in- am very happy about the level of the syl- spiration and I still use a lot of the games, labus, the teachers and the co-students. activities and teaching methods that I The fact that students have to comment learned during my online teaching course. on their peers' assignments adds to the high level of this course; you learn a lot TEACHING ENGLISH IN NAGOYA, JAPAN from each other. Besides this I am very Which country did you decide to teach English in and why? I choose to teach abroad in Japan.

positive about my teacher. His comments

How long have you been teaching English Tell us about your English teaching job in in Japan and how long do you plan to Japan! stay? Full time position: I have been in Japan for about 3 months and I'm planning to stay for 2 or 3 years. Hours: 40 working hours per week (about 20 hours of lessons and 20 hours of office How did you secure your English teaching work). job? I applied to a job opening on Gaijinpot. Salary: I earn 260,000 Yen per month (first year, increases next year depending on How did you get your work visa? If you your efforts) didn't get a work visa, please elaborate on working under the table without a School Type: Private school work visa. Students: From 15 year-olds until 50 year- I came to Japan on a Tourist visa and olds found a school that wanted to hire me; they sponsored my working visa. I just had Vacation: One week in the winter and 1 to file in a lot of documents at the Immi- week in summer. gration office of Nagoya and they changed my Tourist visa to a working visa. How did you find somewhere to live and what is it like? Do you have roommates? I found a company that deals with shared housing in Nagoya (http://s-h- nagoya.com/en/). I lived together with people from the Philippines, Germany, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.

COUNTRY INFORMATION - FUN! Please explain the cultural aspects, public transportation, nightlife, social activities, food, expat community, dating scene, travel opportunities, etc. about your country: Culture: Japan has an enormous culture; here are some aspects I like very much. Japan's nature is astonishing and I still have a lot to discover. In Spring, everyone awaits the come of the cherry blossoms

(sakura). People gather around the trees they hang out. Bars close rather early here and share picnics together. In Autumn, a (around midnight); clubs are another al- lot of people like to travel to the country- ternative. Most clubs have different sto- side to enjoy the wonderful colors of the ries where they'll play different music trees. Besides this, Japan has so many dif- styles. Usually girls can get in for free be- ferent climates. In Okinawa one can enjoy fore 8PM plus 2 free drinks. Guys have to subtropical temperatures, while in Hokai- pay around 2000 Yen and can get 4 free do people can enjoy snowfall from as ear- drinks. ly as Autumn. Travel: When your full time, traveling is Food: Japanese food is amazing. One of hard since you have to work most of time. the first things I tried when coming to Ja- Your free days will usually fall on Sunday pan was Sushi and now I'm addicted to it; and Monday, so making two day trips to it's truly amazing. Besides Sushi here are other cities, taking a hike into the moun- some of my favorite dishes: Ramen, fried tains or going to one of the many hot rice and Japanese curry rice. springs in Japan is easily doable.

Public transportation: Subways in Japan COUNTRY INFORMATION - MONEY are rather expensive, however when you What are your monthly expenses? find a job, your school will pay for all trav- Rent: Rent is rather expensive in Nagoya el expenses. Although very expense, sub- and in Japan in general. In a shared house, ways are extremely efficient. On most I paid 52,000 Yen/month. This included lines subways ride every 5 minutes. buses electricity, gas and water charges. Besides are a cheaper way of transport but they this the house lord also covered garbage are so slow. There are a million red lights disposal, cleaning materials and the house in Japan so you want to avoid using motor was fully equipped (two refrigerators, two vehicles. washing machines, space to dry your clothes, oven, all kitchen materials, etc.). Nightlife: If you want to go out in Nagoya, Another advantage was the fact that you Sakae is the place to be. You'll find a lot of had to pay only one month's rent as guar- bars and if u want to meet other foreign antee instead of three months like when people, Sakae is usually the place where you want to rent an apartment. Besides the contract allows you to rent month per month, so you can basically leave when- ever you want.

The disadvantage is that the room is in- credibly small; around 7 square meters. There was a big kitchen, however only

10 one stove with two spaces to put your fry- drink. You can also just invite people to ing pans on. your house/apartment and make pizza and drink beers together! Food: When buying food, I definitely recommend going to the cheap supermar- Transport: As mentioned before subway is kets. You can save an enormous amount expensive, however the school will pay for of money by doing this. It's also really im- all the travel expenses you make while portant to compare prices; the brand working. Other than that, buses are 'Greatvalue', as the name implies, is the cheaper but way slower. Taxi's are afford- best in regards to price/quality. If you able so what I would suggest is to buy a want to dine out, there are a lot of cheap- bicycle and start using your legs. er bar/restaurants where you can enjoy a great meal for around 2000 Yen or you Communication: Since Japan has its own can go to the special deal restaurants cellphone network, you are obliged to buy where you can eat a certain meal and a phone unless you have a Smartphone. In drink as much as you want for 3000 Yen that case a new Sim Card will do. In Japan, during 2 hours. almost everyone has a subscription, so Prepaid is not very big in Japan. Buying a Social activities: Bars are rather expensive monthly subscription would be the best in Japan so if you want to drink I would plan. suggest going to the bar/restaurants where you can find many nice deals as I described above. Besides this clubs are a How would you describe your standard good alternative. You can enter for 2000 of living? Yen before 8PM plus get 4 drink tickets Medium to high (value 2000 Yen). However, after that it gets pretty expensive with 500 Yen per In your opinion, how much does someone need to earn in order to live com- fortably? 170,000 Yen

ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN NAGOYA, JAPAN What advice would you give someone planning or considering teaching abroad? Would you recommend teaching English in Japan?

 Contact as many schools as possible and choose the one that fits What is your citizenship? you best. United States

 Learn the language, take some What city and state are you from? language courses. Chicago, Illinois How old are you?  Try to be engaged in social activi- 26 ties so you can make some local/foreign friends. What is your education level and back- ground?  Find ways to save money (Exam- Bachelor's Degree ple: I try to avoid buying small drinks in the vending machines, Have you traveled abroad in the past? they are so expensive! Buy big Some international travel with friends, bottles in the supermarket.) family, business, etc.

 Travel as much as you can! If you have traveled abroad in the past, where have you been? Toronto, Canada

What sparked your interest in going to teach English abroad? I have always had a fascination with different cultures. I also wanted the inde- pendence and sense of accomplishment that comes with the experience of living abroad. I didn't just want to visit a foreign country as a tourist, I wanted to com- pletely immerse myself in a different cul- ITA alum Gustavo Olivares taught in Nara ture and form relationships with new through a language chain school called people. It is truly a once in a lifetime ex- iTTTi. Below is an interview about his experience. periences in Japan. What were some of your concerns before Nara, Japan English Teaching teaching abroad? Not knowing the language, I was also un- Q&A with Gustavo Olivares sure of how I would cope.

classroom and ways to best communicate What did your friends and family think with my students. I also learned how to about you moving and teaching abroad? structure my lessons so that the students They were understandably concerned, but can learn more effectively. at the same time excited that I was living out one of my dreams. They were very How has your TEFL training helped you in supportive. your current teaching position? TEFL CLASS INFORMATION Everything that I mentioned in question Why did you decide to get TEFL certified number 3 comes into play. I think that and choose International TEFL Academy? everything I learned when I obtained my Being an English teacher is one of the TEFL certification gave me an advantage more effective ways of finding employ- when I first started teaching. It gave me ment abroad. I chose to get TEFL certified my own structure to effectively imple- because it would provide me with much ment in the classroom. I think the result needed experience and make many more was better lessons early in my employ- employment opportunities available to ment. me. I chose the International TEFL Acad- emy because it was affordable and has a TEACHING ABROAD IN NARA, JAPAN good reputation. Which city and country did you decide to teach English in and why? Which TEFL certification course did you I am currently based in the city of Nara in take? Japan. I decided on teaching English in Ja- The Chicago TEFL Class pan because I have had a keen interest in Japanese culture longer than any other. How did you like the course? I'm living in the Kansai area because that It was definitely one of the most challeng- is the region that my company assigned ing courses I've taken in my life. me to.

There was absolutely no shortage of work How long have you been in this country for me to do over the entire month that I was there. The instructors were obviously very experienced and well qualified, hav- ing both earned PHDs in their fields. The practicum and the tasks were a real learn- ing experience. I learned how to manage a

and how long do you plan to stay?

I have been living in Japan since Septem- iTTTi sponsored my work visa. The process ber 2013. My current contract expires in took a few months, but it was well worth March 2015, but I may extend it. it. How did you secure your English teaching job? Tell us about your English teaching job! I filled out an online application for iTTTi - I'm usually scheduled to work five days a Japan, did a couple of phone interviews week with 20-22 teaching hours a week. and had a final face to face interview in My schedule may change occasionally to Toronto. include staff meetings and special lessons, such as summer school. What school, company, or program are - About ¥250,000 a month, minus ¥50,000 you working for? for rent if you decide to go with company I work for a company called iTTTi. They housing. The company reimburses all run multiple eikaiwa around Japan. computing expenses and refunds pay- ments for National Health Insurance. Also, How did you get your work visa? If you employees receive an ¥80,000 after their didn't get a work visa, please elaborate first year and ¥130,000 in the years after. on working under the table without a - I am able to save a fair amount each work visa. month, ¥6,000-8,000, but I often find myself spending much of it on travel during my time off. - I'm working for the third largest eikawa chain in Japan. Teachers are assigned 3-4 classrooms and teach at a different classroom per week. - My students range from young children to seniors in high school. - There is a decent amount of vacation time. Teachers get most national holidays off, including a week off in April, a week off in July or August, and two weeks off for Christmas and New Years. Teachers receive five paid vacation days after the first six months, with the number of vacation days increasing for each subsequent year.

- iTTTi actually has a pretty a good system of support for its teachers when com-

14 pared to other eikawa chains. They pro- Japan can be a little pricey, but its fine as vide two weeks of training, help you get long as you stick to a budget and make settled, tax assistance, and assistance in any plans for travel and fun ahead of time. returning home once you decide to leave. Like I said before, the Kansai region is very convenient to get around. It is a hub for How did you find somewhere to live and multiple rail companies that can take you what is it like? Do you have roommates? anywhere. Travel by bus is also efficient. The company asks for placement requests during the application period and at- The people of the Kansai region are very tempts to get you as close to your re- down to earth and friendly. You'll find no quested placement as possible. I request- shortage of people wanting to have a ed Osaka or the general Kansai area be- friendly conversation. As a result there a cause a number of Japan's major cities multiple social groups, and international and historical sites are located in that re- parties are frequently held. The big cities gion. It is also a convenient travel hub. of Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto give plenty of opportunities to hang out with locals and I'm exactly where I want to be. The com- other expats. These cities also have the pany provided me a decent apartment. best nightlife in the region. More than Also, no roommates except during the enough bars, clubs and other entertain- two week training period. ment venues to hang out with friends, go

COUNTRY INFORMATION - FUN! Please explain the cultural aspects, public transportation, nightlife, social activities, food, expat community, dating scene, travel opportunities, etc. about your country: I was lucky to have been placed in Nara, Japan's original permanent capital. There is a lot to see and travel to Osaka and Kyo- to takes less than 40 minutes by train. My apartment is literally within walking dis- tance of a palace, shrines, and multiple royal tombs. An Emperor is buried across the street from where I do my groceries. This region has a ton of history and is in many ways the cradle of Japanese civiliza- tion.

15 on dates or perhaps meet a potential to plan the exact amount I'm going to date. spend. I've saved a decent amount. There have also been unexpected expenses such as doctor's visits, which were affordable I love the food here. Japan seems to be a due to Japan's National Health Insurance. nation of foodies. The big cities, Osaka especially, not only offer some of the best How would you describe your standard local cuisine, but also many ethnic restau- of living? rants. This includes many Chinese, Thai, I'd say just as good as it was in the US, and Indian establishments. Culinary maybe a little healthier. choices are not limited to just Asia. You'll also find good Italian, Mexican, American In your opinion, how much does some- and German eateries. You can also get one need to earn in order to live com- good, freshly made meals from conven- fortably? ience stores, oddly enough. No shortage I'd say ¥200,000-250,000 a month can of selections. give you a fairly comfortable lifestyle.

Traveling outside of Kasai is convenient as ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS IN well. Aside from the trains that can get JAPAN you to most places in the country, there is What advice would you give someone also the Kansai International airport that planning or considering teaching abroad? makes both international and domestic Would you recommend teaching in your flights a convenient choice. I understand country? there are also some ferries that can take I would definitely recommend living in Ja- you to places like South Korea, China and pan. It has a good standard of living and Russia. effective social welfare programs. You can expect a decent amount of culture shock COUNTRY INFORMATION - MONEY due to the language barrier and cultural What are your monthly expenses? differences, but you'll still find it to be I spend a little over half my check on rent, very accommodating to English speakers. utilities, food, phone and commuting. My commutes to work are always reim- Before deciding to pack up everything and bursed. My utility and phone bills usually leave, give yourself plenty of time to plan come around to ¥250,000 a month. Foods ahead and save enough money for the varies from month to month depending move and the first couple of months of on how much I decide to eat out or cook living expenses, $5,000-8,000 is my rec- for myself. Going out with friends or just ommendation. Also, determine if you're to see the sites can also put a dent in your more comfortable teaching adults or kids. wallet if you're not careful, so I always try

CHAPTER 4 RESOURCES

 Job Search Guidance Manual –  Watch ITA Alum Jaclyne Johnson’s https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/673 Q&A video on teaching in Japan 69/file-12934485-pdf/job-search- https://www.internationalteflacad guidance/international-job-search- emy.com/alumni-videos-teaching- guidance-manual.pdf english-in-asia

 For more alumni interviews and ar- ticles, check out the Alumni Expe- riences section on the ITA website – https://www.internationalteflacad emy.com/alumni-stories-teaching- english-in-asia#Japan

 ITA’s Japan School Finder –

http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/6736 9/file-243995019-pdf/job-search- guidance/Japan-School-Finder.pdf