So you recently made up your mind and choose Japan as the first country where you hope to teach English as a foreign language. Maybe you want to have the view of Mt. Fuji while teaching or perhaps just want to experience the Japanese culture. Regardless of what your personal reasons are, Japan is one of the best countries to teach English because there are several available programs that send teachers to work in the country.
All you need to have is the ability to speak English fluently and a TEFL certification which you can get when you completed one of these courses – MYTEFL, ITTT TEFL or Premier TEFL. Some universities may also require a Bachelor degree. If you are ready to explore what teaching English in Japan is like, we’ll give you an overview of the programs and tips that can help you nail your first teaching job abroad.
Teach English in Japan Best Programs
There are a lot of organizations around the globe that send native English Speaker to teach in Japan and these programs are called Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) and Eikawa (a Japanese term which means English conversation schools). We’ve picked the top 3 programs you may want to apply to if you are looking forward to having a teaching career in the land of the rising sun.
JET
JET is the most popular teaching program in Japan that has been there for more than 30 years. It is the only program that is supported by the Japanese governments and other countries involved. If you choose to work for JET, you can expect the following:
- A good salary
- Free travel expenses
- A solid program
- Health Insurance is provided
- ALT schedule with summer vacation
- Receives support from the other member of the JET community
AEON
AEON started in the ‘73 as a private institute for learning. With over 250 schools all around Japan, there is no doubt that enrollees can exceed up to hundreds of thousands. This puts AEON in the 2nd place as the best program.
- Airfare to Japan is partially covered
- Salary is comparable to JET
- Contract completion bonuses
- Paid national holidays and vacation
- Overtime is available
ECC
ECC started in 1962 at Osaka and now has 400+ English teachers working to over 180 schools in Japan. AEON and ECC are similar Eikaiwa. See below for the benefits you can expect with ECC:
- Starting salary of 270,000/ month similar with AEON
- Performance-based bonuses
- Subsidy for a flight to Japan is given
- Paid national holidays and vacation
- Health care provided
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Teaching English in Japan Tips
Teaching English to Japanese students may vary according to their levels – Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. However, these 5 tips we are going to share will generally brighten up the atmosphere in your class as well as the overall participation of your students.
- Look, behave and become professional. Don’t forget to dress professionally, act accordingly and show your students how you love teaching.
- Japanese students are most likely to complain if their teacher spends more time talking so make sure you structure your lesson plan with activities that encourage them to start a conversation.
- Energy is the key to keeping the class alive and your student engaged in the topic regardless if you are teaching children or adults. Make sure not to lose that one factor.
- Japanese students are sometimes hesitant to speak English because they might have said the wrong word/answer and have fear of mistakes. Hearten them with positivity so they will continue to speak and learn the language.
- It’s unavoidable for Japanese students to feel sleepy in class because of their long school days and more homework. Let them take a rest even if it’s annoying sometimes.
