Teaching English in non-English speaking countries is a popular gateway into a foreign country to start a new life abroad, if you are thinking of a longer stay. As English is pretty much the most commonly used language around the world, people come to realise the importance and practicality of knowing English to be able to participate in an array of international exchanges, be it business, travel or to connect on common interests. As such, there is a demand in such countries for native English speakers to impart their knowledge to the locals and hopefully develop the once primarily monolingual society into one that is multilingual and can immerse themselves in the international community competently. Not only is it an economically beneficial change for the country, it can also be a personal achievement for the hobbyists and travel enthusiasts.
There are many countries to choose from for someone who wishes to take advantage of this opportunity to live and work overseas. Most common countries that require English teachers are primarily in Asia, for instance, the Far East like China, Japan and South Korea, or Southeast Asia like Thailand or Indonesia, or even the Middle East like the UAE, Qatar or Oman. The African continent is also a viable option for the adventurous. Also, one can consider Central or Eastern Europe, although opportunities may not be as abundant compared to Asia or Africa. Worth a look regardless if you are interested in Europe.
As for me, I decided to shop around for possible opportunities in Asia, somewhere that is not t0o insanely far. About a 6 or 7-hours flight home max. So, it is a good option to have a clear idea of how far are you willing to go and be away from your loved ones at home. It would contribute to how often you could potentially travel back home as the longer the flight, of course, the more expensive it gets. With that in mind, I narrowed it down to the Middle East and East Asia. After much research, countless enquiries and resumes sent, I ended with an offer in Osaka, Japan. Hence, I will share with you my experience so far ( I have been teaching English here for more than 1.5 years) teaching English in Japan.*
*Do note that my personal experience does not account for all teaching jobs in Japan though it is a general description of what most English teachers may experience.
TYPES OF ENGLISH TEACHING JOBS IN JAPAN
There are primarily four categories of English teaching jobs in Japan - international schools, public schools (JET Programme), ALTs and language schools, or commonly known as ‘eikawa’ in Japanese. First off, one can try to apply for a teaching position at an international school where English lessons are in demand considering the international background of the students. It can range from nursery school to high school. Such teaching opportunities are the hardest to come by due to the low number of international schools and the high desirability of the job positions.
Secondly, a popular option to get a teaching job in Japan is via the JET Programme, which stands for the Japan Exchange and Teach Programme. Applicants have to send in their applications during the stipulated period and if accepted, they will be placed in public schools across Japan as ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers). You will be assisting alongside local teachers during English lessons and assisting them with the curriculum or class preparations. The benefits of the job are great and there is a lot of support from the programme committee. However, it is highly competitive as people from all over the world will be interested and on top of that, you may be sent to a rural part of Japan, depending on the demand.
Similar to the JET programme, is also to work as an ALT but with other private companies. The job roles are similar to those of ALTs from the JET programme, with the additional benefit that is less competitive and you may have more flexibility in choosing the area you would like to be based in.
Finally, you can apply for an English teaching job at a language school (eikawa). English language schools are gaining popularity all over Japan as more people, young and old, seek to learn and improve on their English for a variety of reasons. As such, many language schools have popped up to tap on this business opportunity. Therefore, there is an abundance of language schools you can apply to for a job, some even accepting overseas applications. Generally, the benefits are adequate in my opinion. However, some job positions at these language schools are contractual or freelance-based, hence it may be either a positive or negative aspect of the job, depending on how you feel about it. On the bright side, you do not have to commit for a long time if you wish to move elsewhere, but on the downside, your salary is not fixed. It really depends on what your priorities are. Personally, I appreciate the flexibility of the freelance nature of my job at a language school as it allows me to take long vacations whenever I want or to set my working hours. Most time, I can easily earn as much as an ALT or even more. Hence, it is not as bad as it sounds.
TEACHING AT MY EIKAWA
I teach at one of the major language schools, or known as “eikawa” in Japanese, that has branches all across Japan. My branch is located in a busy downtown with access to many major train lines and close to a popular shopping street. Hence, my branch has a lot of students who are school students, from elementary to university level, company employees, business owners and even retirees. Hence, I meet all kind of personalities and it is always an interesting lesson each time. On top of that, the lesson format at my language school is one-to-one, instead of a group or classroom setting. However, this varies from language school to language school.
Because of this one-to-one lesson structure, there are pros and cons to it. One of the advantages of this structure is that you can build a relationship with each student, which would result in them coming back to have lessons with you more often. You also will be able to understand their learning needs better, allowing you to customise the lessons to help them learn English more easily. Also, as you would most likely share common interests with your regular students, you can exchange a lot of interesting information with each other. For instance, I have received so many awesome recommendations for places to visit, things to eat and do around Japan from many of my students that I would not have known otherwise. You get a local’s insight into the Japanese culture, customs and other hidden gems. Besides that, this one-to-one setting is easier to manage and does not require much preparation compared to a group setting, where you have to consider different temperaments and learning capabilities sometimes.
On the flip side, because I get to meet different people each time, it can be overwhelming customising lessons for individual students. This is because different students may have different requests or needs, for example, they may need help with a presentation, or a student may need help with homework, or a businessman may want to practice having a conversation with a foreign client. Once in a blue moon, students may want some help with work-related issues, however, it may be from an industry you are unfamiliar with. Hence, you have to be on your tippy-toes at times but honestly, it gets easier with experience and practice. You can recycle materials for students with similar needs most of the time and you have ample time to prepare anyway as the students usually inform the language school of their requests in advance.
WHAT WILL I BE TEACHING?
In my language school, our primary focus in communication skills, as opposed to grammaticality. As such, the lessons are structured around conversation topics related around two primary needs - business or casual conversation related. We assist students going down the business route to help them formulate their opinions in a business setting and how to handle business or formal conversations naturally. On the other hand, other students might want to practice common conversations that they may encounter while travelling or talking to foreign coworkers in a casual setting. Hence, as long as the message is communicated across clearly, grammatical accuracy is not the main concern most of the time, unless necessary in some situations.
As such, I teach a lot of natural phrases, idioms, expressions both colloquial and formal to all of my students that they can use either at work or when on a holiday abroad. It helps them be more confident in communicating the right message to the intended party. Besides that, I occasionally help students with presentations for work or school. Another popular request is to help with their preparation for TOEIC tests, which is a popular international standardised English test that undergraduates and employees take to improve their employability.
However, it differs between language schools and even public schools. Public schools would require English teachers to use a more traditional approach to teaching English - grammar, vocabulary and sentence formation. Other language schools may also have a similar approach to reflect the government school’s teaching philosophy. This might attract school students and even adults due to the familiarity of the language schools’ teaching methodologies. Schools would most likely have lessons in a group setting and some language schools may have options of private lessons or group lessons, which will differ in price point.
With both approaches in mind, most language schools and public schools have some sort of curriculum in place that you are expected to use and follow. They may have a set of textbooks that you will use to teach. In my situation, my language school had designed a series of textbooks that students purchase, so we are expected to use those unless the students have other special requests. Alternatively, you might be required to prepare some learning materials for your students with certain learning points in mind, maybe vocabulary or grammar practice. This is usually the case for ALTs in public schools. Regardless, you will not have to work from scratch, so do not worry.
DO I NEED JAPANESE?
Is knowing Japanese a necessity to teach in Japan? The short answer: No. Most of the time you are encouraged by the institution to solely use English as much as possible during the lesson so that you can maximise the learning opportunities for the students. Personally, I did not know an ounce of Japanese when I moved to Osaka, other than the basic words like ‘arigato gozaimasu’ (thank you) and ‘sumimasen’ (sorry/excuse me). However, over time, you will come across Japanese words and expressions that students commonly use and wish to express in English, so you will naturally learn about these and you can teach the English equivalent in future lessons after a few rounds of hearing it. Despite not knowing Japanese well, I still have students wanting to take lessons with me because they expect to use and listen to English only. If something gets lost in translation, Google Translate is my saviour or I will follow up with them next time.
Having said that, it would be helpful if you do have some kind of background knowledge of the Japanese language, and even the culture. Sometimes it helps you to teach new English vocabulary smoothly if you know the Japanese equivalent, especially abstract concepts like emotions or even basic things like ingredients in food. I know it has helped me countless times in my lessons as it allows me to move on with the lesson quicker rather than give a lengthy, and sometimes unnecessary, explanation of something that is otherwise simple. You need to consider that time is essentially money as these English lessons can be quite costly. Hence, I would encourage you to know some basics if you have the time and resources, but do not sweat. You will learn more along the way as you teach. Like I have mentioned, I have learnt so many Japanese expressions from my students themselves which I have reused every time the same question pops up.
SHOULD I APPLY FOR A TEACHING JOB IN JAPAN?
My question is: why not? There are boundless new experiences and adventures that are waiting for you in Japan. Steeped in tradition and blessed with lush nature, there are so many things you can do and see during your days-off. Not only that, the people are genuinely friendly (speaking from experience here) and living expenses here are not exorbitantly crazy. You can enjoy the best seafood that this world has to offer. If we are being realistic about finances, the starting salary here for an English teacher is pretty competitive compared to other countries, considering that is a first-world country. So you can live comfortably (as I write this sipping on my cup of coffee in a quaint cafe in downtown Osaka).
I would say, if you are looking for an adventure or a change to a mundane routine, it would not a bad idea to try teaching here in Japan. It does not have to be a permanent change, though it may happen when you fall in love with Japan, but it is an opportunity you might not want to miss in this lifetime. I know that I do not regret one bit having taken the plunge and I can not count my blessings enough.
So I hope this article helps you have a general idea of what an English teacher does here in beautiful Japan and hey, just do it if you are already considering it!