Teaching English in Japan (for Beginners)
The most common job for English-speaking foreigners in Japan is teaching English. It’s ideal for those with very little job experience but want to work in Japan because the two basic (and possibly only) requirements are being a native English speaker and having a university degree.
While there are many jobs for teaching English in Japan, today I’ll talk about the types of jobs that require the least amount of actual teaching experience. In other words, I won’t be going over how to teach English at business companies or at the university level.
The easiest English-teaching jobs to acquire can be grouped into two categories: teaching as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) and teaching at an Eikaiwa (conversational English school).
BECOMING AN ALT
ESID, or every situation is different, is a very common phrase used by Assistant Language Teachers, or ALTs, in Japan. Just as every school has a different set of staff and teaching styles, every ALT job will different. As the job title suggests, you will generally have a Japanese English teacher (JTE) in the classroom with you, and it’s possible to find a job at any grade level, from preschool/kindergarten to high school.
There are a few ways to find an ALT job.
The JET Programme
The Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme is a government-sponsored programme that places native english speakers in public schools across Japan. As such, this job probably offers the best benefits out of all ALT jobs in Japan. Participants will work on weekdays for about 8 hours a day and teach about 20-25 classes per week. The salary for first-year JETs is ¥3,360,000 and increases in subsequent years. The contract can only be renewed for up to five year. The program also provides health insurance and provides you with assistance in settling into Japan (finding housing, commuting to work, etc.).
For all these reasons, JET programme positions are coveted, and the application process can be very long and difficult. You’ll even have to apply through an embassy/consulate in your home country and go there for interviews and information sessions prior to leaving. However, most participants have an amazing experience doing this program so it is well worth it.
Participants are usually placed at a high school or at a municipal board of education (BOE) that serves local elementary and junior high schools. While most high school ALTS have 1-3 schools, ALTs at municipal BOEs can have many more schools. Classes average about 20-40 students, and your participation in the class will vary by teacher and school.
For more information, check out http://jetprogramme.org/en/
Private Companies
Just as the JET programme scouts and hires ALTs to work in schools across Japan, there are also many private companies that do the same. Companies include Interac, Altia Central, Borderlink, and many others.
Unlike the JET programme, these companies take a part of your salary to cover their placement costs so although your starting salary may be similar to that of a JET programme participant, the money that you actually receive will be lower. In addition, these companies tend to provide less assistance for settling into Japan (i.e. not always offering health insurance or help finding a house) so keep that in mind. Do keep in mind though that this is a generalization, so it is possible to find positions that do offer high salaries and benefits, especially in rural areas that aren’t as popular with foreigners.
Good points about finding a job through these private companies are that the application process is much faster and less competitive. If you’re looking to work in a rural area, it may also be easier for you to find a job. If you’re looking for work in Japan in the near future, this may be a good choice for you.
Direct Hire
Many ALT jobs are also offered directly by a school or through a local BOE. Many of these job listings can be found on job boards or search engines so these job listings are easily accessible and plentiful.
The requirements for these jobs can also vary so make sure to read through the listings carefully. Some (not all) may require prior teaching experience, a teaching certification and/or Japanese proficiency. These job listings tend to be immediate hire jobs so if you are short on time, looking at these jobs are a good option.
The salary and benefits will depend on each school and position. Private schools and international schools tend to offer higher salaries and better benefits, but may also require more credentials. Direct hire jobs may also be part-time instead of full-time.
TEACHING AT AN EIKAIWA
Eikaiwas (conversational English schools) are private companies that offer English language courses. Students at Eikawas pay for classes so they tend to be more motivated to learn English, and their ages and language levels have a large range as well.
At an Eikaiwa, you will be teaching on your own and your classes will have an average of 1-9 students. Because you will be teaching by yourself, you may be given a teaching template but most of the curriculum and materials will have to be made on your own. In addition, since most customers are students or full-time workers, Eikawa teachers will have different hours from ALTs. They work primarily from the afternoon to night and may also work on the weekends.
Many Eikaiwas will ask that you do not speak Japanese with your students, so Japanese proficiency is not required in most cases.
For those looking for more responsibility and a closer relationship with their students, becoming an Eikawa teacher may be a great opportunity to work in Japan. Examples of Eikawa companies include ECC, Berlitz, and Aeon.
Sources:
https://zoomingjapan.com/life-in-japan/teach-english-in-japan-alt-vs-eikaiwa/
The most common job for English-speaking foreigners in Japan is teaching English. It’s ideal for those with very little job experience but want to work in Japan because the two basic (and possibly only) requirements are being a native English speaker and having a university degree.
While there are many jobs for teaching English in Japan, today I’ll talk about the types of jobs that require the least amount of actual teaching experience. In other words, I won’t be going over how to teach English at business companies or at the university level.
The easiest English-teaching jobs to acquire can be grouped into two categories: teaching as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) and teaching at an Eikaiwa (conversational English school).
BECOMING AN ALT
ESID, or every situation is different, is a very common phrase used by Assistant Language Teachers, or ALTs, in Japan. Just as every school has a different set of staff and teaching styles, every ALT job will different. As the job title suggests, you will generally have a Japanese English teacher (JTE) in the classroom with you, and it’s possible to find a job at any grade level, from preschool/kindergarten to high school.
There are a few ways to find an ALT job.
The JET Programme
The Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme is a government-sponsored programme that places native english speakers in public schools across Japan. As such, this job probably offers the best benefits out of all ALT jobs in Japan. Participants will work on weekdays for about 8 hours a day and teach about 20-25 classes per week. The salary for first-year JETs is ¥3,360,000 and increases in subsequent years. The contract can only be renewed for up to five year. The program also provides health insurance and provides you with assistance in settling into Japan (finding housing, commuting to work, etc.).
For all these reasons, JET programme positions are coveted, and the application process can be very long and difficult. You’ll even have to apply through an embassy/consulate in your home country and go there for interviews and information sessions prior to leaving. However, most participants have an amazing experience doing this program so it is well worth it.
Participants are usually placed at a high school or at a municipal board of education (BOE) that serves local elementary and junior high schools. While most high school ALTS have 1-3 schools, ALTs at municipal BOEs can have many more schools. Classes average about 20-40 students, and your participation in the class will vary by teacher and school.
For more information, check out http://jetprogramme.org/en/
Private Companies
Just as the JET programme scouts and hires ALTs to work in schools across Japan, there are also many private companies that do the same. Companies include Interac, Altia Central, Borderlink, and many others.
Unlike the JET programme, these companies take a part of your salary to cover their placement costs so although your starting salary may be similar to that of a JET programme participant, the money that you actually receive will be lower. In addition, these companies tend to provide less assistance for settling into Japan (i.e. not always offering health insurance or help finding a house) so keep that in mind. Do keep in mind though that this is a generalization, so it is possible to find positions that do offer high salaries and benefits, especially in rural areas that aren’t as popular with foreigners.
Good points about finding a job through these private companies are that the application process is much faster and less competitive. If you’re looking to work in a rural area, it may also be easier for you to find a job. If you’re looking for work in Japan in the near future, this may be a good choice for you.
Direct Hire
Many ALT jobs are also offered directly by a school or through a local BOE. Many of these job listings can be found on job boards or search engines so these job listings are easily accessible and plentiful.
The requirements for these jobs can also vary so make sure to read through the listings carefully. Some (not all) may require prior teaching experience, a teaching certification and/or Japanese proficiency. These job listings tend to be immediate hire jobs so if you are short on time, looking at these jobs are a good option.
The salary and benefits will depend on each school and position. Private schools and international schools tend to offer higher salaries and better benefits, but may also require more credentials. Direct hire jobs may also be part-time instead of full-time.
TEACHING AT AN EIKAIWA
Eikaiwas (conversational English schools) are private companies that offer English language courses. Students at Eikawas pay for classes so they tend to be more motivated to learn English, and their ages and language levels have a large range as well.
At an Eikaiwa, you will be teaching on your own and your classes will have an average of 1-9 students. Because you will be teaching by yourself, you may be given a teaching template but most of the curriculum and materials will have to be made on your own. In addition, since most customers are students or full-time workers, Eikawa teachers will have different hours from ALTs. They work primarily from the afternoon to night and may also work on the weekends.
Many Eikaiwas will ask that you do not speak Japanese with your students, so Japanese proficiency is not required in most cases.
For those looking for more responsibility and a closer relationship with their students, becoming an Eikawa teacher may be a great opportunity to work in Japan. Examples of Eikawa companies include ECC, Berlitz, and Aeon.
Sources:
https://zoomingjapan.com/life-in-japan/teach-english-in-japan-alt-vs-eikaiwa/
