Teaching English in Japan?

[Sumire]

Any news? 

[tikibirds]

No but I had another interview, this time with GABA but the guy:
1) had a impossible to understand Scottish accent and
2) was patronizing as hell

He told me that since I had no Japanese friends that I should either stay in the USA or aim for China or South Korea. I was like If I WANTED to go to CHINA then dont you think I would of applied to go there instead of Japan? Why not stay closer to home? I spent the last 12 years 5,000 miles away in Alaska, obviously I dont WANT to be anywhere near NY or my family. 


Maybe I'll just go on my own. I can stay for 3 months without a visa. In wish there was someone who could go with me though.

[Sumire]

I am completely baffled by the suggestion to aim for China or South Korea if you don't have Japanese friends. Is he under the impression that it's easier to be alone in China and South Korea? I would think it was pretty much the same in all three countries.

I suppose some people don't have a particular interest in any country and just want to go somewhere really different from home or just "somewhere in Asia" and thus all three countries would be just fine but I don't think wanting to go to a particular country is all that rare. It strikes me as just a very strange thing to say.

While I love travelling with friends I spent plenty of time in Japan traveling by myself and had a very nice time. I even ended up dating a guy I met while using the Seishun Juhachi Kippu to travel (very slowly) between Tokyo and Osaka. I don't know if I'd have had the nerve to chat with him if I had been able to keep myself occupied chatting with friends.

My husband and I are planning to visit Japan this autumn. I really, really hope all our planning pans out because I have been missing Japan and I have so many things I want to show him. If you do decide to visit on your own I can share some travel tips with you if you like. Let me know. 

[tikibirds]

Yeah, I didn't get his logic either. If I WANTED to go china or south korea, then I would of applied to do so. 

Anyways, I had an interview with Berlitz tonight and the interviewer was much nicer then other Gaba jerk but I was told I have the qualities they are looking for but they will not hire me at this time because I have no teaching experience. He said I was too much of a risk with out at least TESOL certification. Its a risk on my end too since there is no guarantee I will even like teaching or japan AND its a big financial commitment. I kinda figured as much from them though since they seem to be looking for more in applicants then the other conversation schools were.

I still think I may just go on my own in November sometime. I did also have an interview with Interac but I am assuming I will get the same "you need more experience, try again later" answer.

At the very least, I am getting much better at answering the questions since every company has asked almost identical ones!

[Sumire]

If you want some experience without paying for certification, you can look into volunteering. Before I went on JET the only real experience I had teaching was a year teaching Sunday School (and I was awful). Even volunteering to hold story hours or with Girl Scouts may give you an edge and would also give you some insight into whether or not you like teaching. I love it, but not enough to put up with the cost of getting a teacher's license. 

[tikibirds]

I did volunteer with the girl scouts but that was back when I was in high school, almost 20 yrs ago.
There really isn't much to volunteer in here. There are no after school programs and there is no longer a girl scout troop here.

What I seem to be lacking is methods on how to teach or so says the Berlitz guy. I never had any interest on a MA in education, still don't. Toefl certification wouldnt be too bad since like a 5 week course BUT there dosen't seem to be any one place that regulates the programs. They all say "accredited" but there isn't any actual TOFEL accrediting agency or whatnot.

http://www.ontesol.com/

http://www.americantesol.com/

The american one has some kind of online teaching internship, I think the canadian one has something similar too.

[Sumire]

My guess would be that most places would just want a scan of your TOEFL/TOESL certificate. Since there isn't an accrediting agency, just proving you took the course would be enough for many places I think and give you a considerable edge over many other people who want to teach English in Japan. 

[tikibirds]

I think I may go with the Canadian one, its a little cheaper.

[Princess-Sparkles]

Maybe I'll just go on my own. I can stay for 3 months without a visa. In wish there was someone who could go with me though.

I don't know you, but I'd so go with you if I could.  I'd love to do this!!

[kakenterprise]

Maybe I'll just go on my own. I can stay for 3 months without a visa. In wish there was someone who could go with me though.

I don't know you, but I'd so go with you if I could.  I'd love to do this!!

I was thinking the same thing!!

[Sumire]

I think I may go with the Canadian one, its a little cheaper.

Sound reasoning in my book!

[tikibirds]

I though I was gonna go with the canadian one cause its cheaper but with the American one, I can get actual teaching experience via an internship teaching online english lessons to students in Taiwan. I think its Taiwan. That might be worth the extra $40 right there. I know some countries are more specific and want the 120 hour course and wont accept online ones BUT Japan does not require TESOL Certification and I am only doing  it to get the methods and lesson planing skills I am lacking. I kinda would like to take the normal course with the added one for teaching young children or maybe how to teach business english but I think its overkill for what I want to do and its $400 instead of $300.

[June]

Hey guys! This is something I wanted to try out too, but English isn't my native language. I tried to find information about being an English teacher there with English as a second language or teaching other languages, but I found nothing. Do you maybe know something about this?
I hope it's okay to ask this here...

[tikibirds]

June - Almost all of the companies want native english speakers but there was one company that would take non native speakers if certain requirements were met but I forget which company it was. I think it was either Aeon OR Interac. Aeon is an English conversation school but Interac places you into actual Japanese elementary or JR/SR high schools and is the closest to the JET program.

What is your native language? Sometimes there are postings looking for other language teachers at gaijinpot.com but almost all require native english speakers and you need at least a bacherlors degree for visa sponsorship

[rosierjay]

sorry coming late to the game.
i taught english for a small church in shukugawa. (right between kobe and osaka)
it is a two year commitment.
if you're still serious or interested. let me know and i can pass on your info to them.