Teaching English in Japan
 An overview
Japan has been utilizing fluent English speakers to teach English at schools since the 1950s and the market boomed during the 1980s. After a recession in the 1990s it is once again booming and there is a great desire for the Japanese to learn English.
Types of English teaching in Japan
Eikaiwa (Conversation classes): These are specific schools where students of all ages go to learn English. The schools usually have a mixture of foreigners and local Japanese working in them, and are usually located in busy areas such as shopping streets and department stores.
Public Schools: The best example of this is the JET programme. Teachers are hired through the government or private companies and sent to teach at schools throughout Japan. Teachers teach at Elementary, Junior or Senior High Schools and help teach the school curriculum usually with a Japanese teacher to aid them. Usually there is only one foreign teacher per school.
Private Lessons: These are lessons where the teacher finds their own students and teach them at home or elsewhere. Usually private lessons are not done as a full-time job, but as an add-on to Eikaiwa or public school work.
Pros and cons of each type of teaching
Eikaiwa: Hours are usually Mon-Fri or Tues-Sat from about 1pm-9pm. This gives you time to do tasks such as banking etc in the morning before work. The wide range of ages of students allows for more variation and a good chance to make friends of a similar age. Usually there are set texts to teach. Holiday allowances are typically about three weeks per year.
Public Schools: Hours are typically 9am-5pm Mon-Fri. This suits people who want free weekends but sometimes makes it difficult for people to do tasks such as doing banking, going to the doctor etc. Sometimes teachers are asked to participate in school events on weekend and weeknights. Teachers will almost always be teaching children from 6-18 years old. The curriculum is set by the board of education and teachers are asked to make up activities for certain grammar points. The big advantage in working through a public school is the holiday allowance which can range from 3-9 weeks paid vacation.
Private Lessons: Can provide good remuneration but work is always uncertain. There is although, a lot of flexibility in working hours, holidays etc.
General information
- In almost all cases a Bachelors degree or higher is necessary to obtain employment. In some cases a TESOL/ESL certificate is also appropriate.
For your own benefit, we would recommend that you obtain a qualification before applying for teaching English jobs as the prospects will be higher. Information on qualifications available can be found below.
- Knowledge of Japanese is not necessary as it is not used in the classroom and basic English is understood by the public. Often there are free community Japanese classes in most areas and it is simple to learn basic phrases and appropriate words.
- Contracts are usually for one year with the option to extend for longer at the end of the contract term.
- Public schools usually take an intake of new teachers before the start of the school year in Japan in April. To apply for JET on the other hand you have to send your application in by December each year, to leave the following August. Eikaiwa schools tend to hire year-round.
- A New Zealand passport (or most other foreign countries) is necessary to obtain a working visa which takes at least one week to obtain. Sometimes teachers can be sent over to Japan on a tourist visa and after working three months will be sent to a close country such as Korea for a brief visit and return trip and the visa will be changed to a working visa.
- Interviews for employment are often held in New Zealand in person, by telephone, or in some cases an overseas interview is held.
- Accommodation, Insurance and the setting up of facilities such as phone, electricity etc are in most cases provided for by the employers. Usually these are paid monthly by the teacher.
Qualification Options
If you are interested in gaining a qualification to prepare you to teach English overseas, we would recommend the following:
CELTA - Cambridge Certificate in English Lanuage Teaching to Adults.
This is run through the Language Institute at The University of Waikato. More information on this course can be found here.
Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching (PGDipSLT)
This is run through the General and Applied Linguistics Department at The University of Waikato. More information on this course can be found here.
Master of Arts (Applied Linguistics)
This is run through the General and Applied Linguistics Department at The University of Waikato and is most suitable for those who are interested in Teaching English as a Career. More information on this course can be found here.
Other institutions also offer qualifications including Certificates and Graduate Certificates. For more information on other courses available, visit Careers Services website at www.careers.govt.nz, or to go directly to the page, click here.
How to find employment
The most efficient way of finding employment in Japan is by use of the internet. It is best and least stressful to find a job in Japan before leaving for Japan.
Major Eikaiwa companies in Japan all have English websites and some of these companies include; NOVA, AEON, GEOS and ECC. Major public school companies include; The JET programme, ALTIA Central and Interac. These company’s websites give further details on job descriptions, application criteria, remuneration etc.
- www.gaijinpot.com is a great source that can be used to find employment throughout Japan in private companies and smaller companies.
- ESL Cafe is a great resource for feedback on companies from others who have taught English as a second language in Asia. It is an excellent resource to find safe jobs and provides discussion boards for everyday people to discuss their experiences. It is highly recommended that you look at this website before beginning your job search.
Other sites include:
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