Job Discussion Forums

[ZennoSaji]

Hello, I'm a lurking EFL-hopeful. I'm trying to wrap up my BA and one of my courses is requiring a research paper relating to my major, in this case Japanese language, and I was effectively given the green light to write about the ESL situation in Japan.

Namely, I wanted to talk about how foreign teachers, in general, are looked at or viewed or otherwise treated by the clients/students/employers/JLTs.

I was inspired to write about this topic from my lurking on this forum, so what I'd like to ask of you is if there are any reputable/credible sources you could point me to about this topic? Books, websites, articles, etc.

If you're interested in helping me out with this but would like more information about what's required, I'll be happy to supply that. I believe there are specific criteria for the sources but some first-hand accounts from any of you guys (negative or positive, doesn't matter) wouldn't hurt the paper, I'm sure.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

[Kaycie21]

If you need help answering a survey or some questions just send me a message and I'll answer whatever I can. (Former ALT)

[ssjup81]

That's pretty cool, but just thought I'd point out that everyone has different experiences. Some might have been in situations where they were viewed favorably whereas others might have been treated the completely opposite way.

[Glenski]

I agree with ssjup. You are going to have to narrow down your topic a lot to get coherent replies.

[ultraman111]

Q1: Are you treated as a valued professional?

a) all of the time
b) some of the time
c) only by the students
d) none of the time

Q2: Do you feel you have job security for more than 1 year?

a) Yes, definately.
b) Yes, I think so
c) Sometimes
d) No, never.

etc etc

[ZennoSaji]

Thank you for the tips and clarification help, everyone. Based on your responses and my pending response to your responses, and all the criteria, it's looking like I need to come up with a thesis/argument first, which is usually a weakness of mine. I do still want to make it EFL related, though, so I may or may not come back more prepared. :)

Perhaps something a little more basic, like comparing Eikaiwa to ALT work? Or simply describing EFL-Japan as an industry... Considering how short this paper is supposed to be (7-10 pages, double spaced... not a lot.), those might be better (and easier!) ideas.

Thank you for putting up with me. This has at least helped steer me in a better direction.

[Glenski]

[timothypfox]

If you are going to give options, there should be many more. For many long-term teachers job security is a lot more than one year, it is more than 3 years for starters, and ideally permanent (provided the particular business or instituion is doing well financially).

There needs to be more options for the valued professional question. i.e. only by foriegn staff in the English department, only by staff in the English department including Japanese teachers in this department, only by some Japanese teachers, only by japanese teachers, by administrators/managers, by human resources, by parents etc.... you get the picture right? Should we also include, by the community if you live in a small town or neighborhood close to where you work. Should we also look at opportunities for solo teaching, input at meetings, are meetings conducted only in Japanese or does someone translate for you? Do you have oppotunities to share ideas or are you passive? Do you get to become an assistant homeroom teacher? Are you trumped up as a "foreign product" or do you feel like a real human when a manager/school administrator talks you to clients when they market the school?

We need to also consider that human rights in the work place lags in Japan compared with work situations in the UK or North American in certain respects. All teachers (Japanese included) have pressure not to take all of their available holiday days and work overtime. Native teachers usually get away with taking more holidays and working shorter days usually. Also, all staff have less opporutnities for professional growth than in western companies most likely. But, this presents another issue. At the private high school where I work one native teacher who has worked there for 15 years faces a glass ceiling and cannot go beyond being an assistant homeroom teacher "because he is not Japanese" even though he is fluent in Japanese...

etc...

Still pretty broad a topic for me as well....

[TTTT]

Here are a few articles from academic journals that might interest you. Your university library should have access to the journals. Browse through the table of contents of the journals and you're sure to find some more articles that interest you. Be sure to look at the references at the end of any articles you like, because then you can find more articles on the same subject.

Hyde, B. (2002). Japan�s emblematic English: An analysis of �public English� and (not) learning the language in Japan. English Today 18(3), 12-16.

Kikuchi, K. & Browne, B. (2009). English educational policy for high schools in Japan: Ideals vs. reality. RELC Journal, 40(2), 172-191.

Martin, A. (2004). The �katakana effect� and teaching English in Japan.
English Today 20(1), 50-55.

Nunan, D. (2003). The impact of English as a global language on educational policies and practices in the Asia-Pacific region. TESOL Quarterly 37(4), 589-613.

[ZennoSaji]

It's not supposed to be a dissertation. o_O Just a small paper explaining a cultural aspect to a layman. I was intrigued by a lot of entry-level experiences posted on this forum, and I admit that that would have been too in-depth of a topic for something so brief. But giving a compare/contrast between working for a company vs. working for a school, or giving a general description of learning English in Japan as an industry is too broad? Okay... I'll keep thinking. :/

Thanks, TTTT. Those articles look like they're just what I need. :D I'll take a look through them and see what I can come up with, thesis-wise.

[Tsian]

Zenno,

May I ask, what level class is this for / how long is it supposed to be. Depending on the class a broader topic might be acceptable (really depends on the professor, of course), but in general the broader the topic the harder it becomes.

Hope you are getting some good ideas.

[Glenski]

7-10 pages double-spaced, eh? Pretty skimpy. Any topic you choose will only be glossed over, I hope you realize.

Here's a book you can try finding in the library to give you some insight into the JET program.
http://www.amazon.com/Importing-Diversity-Inside-Japans-Program/dp/0520216369

[ZennoSaji]

I am very aware that this is a gloss-over essay, no matter what topic I pick. That's the point of these essays: To paint a general broad stroke picture for someone that doesn't know anything about it. The last 2-3 page essay the professor had us write, I picked a subculture as a topic and in researching it, found that some graduate student had written a 200! page report about the same subculture. This isn't the first 7-10 pager I've had to write on a topic that can go on for pages and pages if not books and books but that's what's required. So, why not make a gloss-over paper about my short-term career choice?

Thanks for the book recommendation, Glenski. I'll look for it. :)

*edit* Forgot to add, I've got a nice resource trail thanks to you and TTTT, so I should be alright as far as finding readings now. Thank you once again!

[GreatApe]

Good link to the JET program. Thanks!