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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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 Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:26 pm Post subject: Non-native speaker in Japan? |
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Hello guys!
Please do not burry me with negative comments from the beginning 
I am non native speaker however I studied at Nottingham University of England for BA and MSc and majored in Law and Management. I have TEFL diploma and experiences from China and Greece as an oral english teacher.
Japan has always been my dream so I was just wondering whether there are any chances for people like me? |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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Yep! 
Try GABA or the agencies like Interact maybe. I have seen many not native teachers around and many of them are even better than some native teachers beleive it or not.  |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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Dang it!!!  Maybe Interac is not a good idea I just looked at their requiremnets. Probably should have done that before. And it is Interac, not Interact. 
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HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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| What's your passport? |
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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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I am from Europe, Czech Republic. As I wrote before I studied for english degree, own TEFL, I worked really hard and speak without accent. I have experiences from China and Greece and I love this job!
So I wanted to know real chances for someone like me. I know my english will never be as perfect as native's one but Japan has always been my dream
Last edited by Michaela on Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Cool Teacher wrote: |
Yep!
Try GABA or the agencies like Interact maybe. I have seen many not native teachers around and many of them are even better than some native teachers beleive it or not. |
Really? That makes me more positive! Are you teaching in Japan right now?
I will try that Gaba agency and see whether it works for me  |
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HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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Unfortunately you don't qualify for a WHV. GABA do apply for visas for non native speakers, but usually you need 3 years full time verifiable English teaching experience (that's immigration's rules not GABAs). I have heard rumors that the full 3 years can be flexible if your degree was taught in English in an English speaking country, but I don't know if it's true. It may just depend on how hard the company is willing to fight for you. If you have the 3 years experience you aren't just limited to GABA.
If it doesn't work out you could also look into a WHV for South Korea. Though you will need to go to the South Korea forum on here for that (you have to register again for it). |
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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| HLJHLJ wrote: |
Unfortunately you don't qualify for a WHV. GABA do apply for visas for non native speakers, but usually you need 3 years full time verifiable English teaching experience (that's immigration's rules not GABAs). I have heard rumors that the full 3 years can be flexible if your degree was taught in English in an English speaking country, but I don't know if it's true. It may just depend on how hard the company is willing to fight for you. If you have the 3 years experience you aren't just limited to GABA.
If it doesn't work out you could also look into a WHV for South Korea. Though you will need to go to the South Korea forum on here for that (you have to register again for it). |
I see. Well that means I have to teach for another year to be able to go to Japan. I have only 2 years experiences, I mean those who are verifiable, because the rest I was just a volnuteer at an english school without being paid or giving private english lessons :-/
Anyway, all this gives me more energy to work harder and try because so far I heard only negative comments, so thank you |
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Big_H
Joined: 21 Dec 2013
Posts: 115
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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| HLJHLJ wrote: |
| Unfortunately you don't qualify for a WHV. GABA do apply for visas for non native speakers, but usually you need 3 years full time verifiable English teaching experience (that's immigration's rules not GABAs). |
Greetings Michaela,
I'm a non-native English speaker in his early TEFL career stage and I share your dream as well. First off I'd like to reassure you that except for public highschools and universities, there are no restrictions to stop you from working in anywhere in Japan, from kindergartens to private universities and conversation schools. Though in terms of your chances to get hired, it will be a bit more difficult. So that's the short answer.
(fixed) I was considered then invited for an interview with Gaba from overseas without those 3 years of experience but I had a 5-years Bachelor's degree*
Dispatch agencies are your best option, though some of them have their own requirements even for non-natives; were you educated for 12 years in English? Are you currently residing in your home country or living in an English speaking one (i.e. where recruitment offices may be located)? How many hours is your TEFL certificate?
Last edited by Big_H on Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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According to the GABA website
https://teaching-in-japan.gaba.co.jp/apply/overseas/requirements/
Must have a bachelor's degree (or above) from an accredited university where English was the medium of instruction OR three years of verifiable full-time ESL teaching experience.
So it looks like they are now formally accepting a degree taught in English in lieu of the teaching experience, possibly in the past it was discretionary. |
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kpjf
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 385
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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Of course when learning any language one cannot become perfect making no mistakes, but in your few posts you have made various basic mistakes and you seem to have a problem with articles (a, the). I've highlighted the mistakes in bold. I'm not trying to attack you, but if you make that amount of mistakes in contacting employers you might have problems. If you really want to go to Japan I suggest you improve your grammar a little. Please don't be offended by this, but if I were an employer I would have doubts especially knowing that in your mother tongue there is no article and from what I have read you seem to have problems using it.
| Michaela wrote: |
Please do not burry me with negative comments from the beginning ...
I am non native speaker however I studied at Nottingham University of England for BA and MSc and majored in Law and Management. I have TEFL diploma and experiences from China and Greece as an oral english teacher.
Japan has always been my dream so I was just wondering whether there are any chances for people like me? |
| Michaela wrote: |
I am from Europe, Czech Republic. As I wrote before I studied for english degree, own TEFL, I worked really hard and speak without accent. I have experiences from China and Greece and I love this job!
So I wanted to know real chances for someone like me. I know my english will never be as perfect as native's one but Japan has always been my dream |
| Michaela wrote: |
I see. Well that means I have to teach for another year to be able to go to Japan. I have only 2 years experiences, I mean those who are verifiable, because the rest I was just a volnuteer at an english school without being paid or giving private english lessons :-/
Anyway, all this gives me more energy to work harder and try because so far I heard only negative comments, so thank you |
By the way, everybody and I mean absolutely everybody has an accent regardless of the language they are speaking. But, of course I understand what you're trying to say.
Japan is already highly competitive and I'm not sure if you realise that many many people on forums say "Japan is my dream". This means there is a lot of competition. Even natives aren't having it easy! Furthermore, Japan is not such a good place to work in at the moment (you just need to read the other threads in this section to see that) which makes getting that job even harder. |
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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Big_H wrote: |
| HLJHLJ wrote: |
| Unfortunately you don't qualify for a WHV. GABA do apply for visas for non native speakers, but usually you need 3 years full time verifiable English teaching experience (that's immigration's rules not GABAs). |
Greetings Michaela,
I'm a non-native English speaker in his early TEFL career stage and I share your dream as well. First off I'd like to reassure you that except for public highschools and universities, there are no restrictions to stop you from working in anywhere in Japan, from kindergartens to private universities and conversation schools. Though in terms of your chances to get hired, it will be a bit more difficult. So that's the short answer.
(fixed) I was considered then invited for an interview with Gaba from overseas without those 3 years of experience but I had a 5-years Bachelor's degree*
Dispatch agencies are your best option, though some of them have their own requirements even for non-natives; were you educated for 12 years in English? Are you currently residing in your home country or living in an English speaking one (i.e. where recruitment offices may be located)? How many hours is your TEFL certificate? |
Interesting! Did you get your dream job in Japan than? |
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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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| HLJHLJ wrote: |
According to the GABA website
https://teaching-in-japan.gaba.co.jp/apply/overseas/requirements/
Must have a bachelor's degree (or above) from an accredited university where English was the medium of instruction OR three years of verifiable full-time ESL teaching experience.
So it looks like they are now formally accepting a degree taught in English in lieu of the teaching experience, possibly in the past it was discretionary. |
Thank you very much I will definitely try! |
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Michaela
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 23
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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| kpjf wrote: |
Of course when learning any language one cannot become perfect making no mistakes, but in your few posts you have made various basic mistakes and you seem to have a problem with articles (a, the). I've highlighted the mistakes in bold. I'm not trying to attack you, but if you make that amount of mistakes in contacting employers you might have problems. If you really want to go to Japan I suggest you improve your grammar a little. Please don't be offended by this, but if I were an employer I would have doubts especially knowing that in your mother tongue there is no article and from what I have read you seem to have problems using it.
| Michaela wrote: |
Please do not burry me with negative comments from the beginning ...
I am non native speaker however I studied at Nottingham University of England for BA and MSc and majored in Law and Management. I have TEFL diploma and experiences from China and Greece as an oral english teacher.
Japan has always been my dream so I was just wondering whether there are any chances for people like me? |
| Michaela wrote: |
I am from Europe, Czech Republic. As I wrote before I studied for english degree, own TEFL, I worked really hard and speak without accent. I have experiences from China and Greece and I love this job!
So I wanted to know real chances for someone like me. I know my english will never be as perfect as native's one but Japan has always been my dream |
| Michaela wrote: |
I see. Well that means I have to teach for another year to be able to go to Japan. I have only 2 years experiences, I mean those who are verifiable, because the rest I was just a volnuteer at an english school without being paid or giving private english lessons :-/
Anyway, all this gives me more energy to work harder and try because so far I heard only negative comments, so thank you |
By the way, everybody and I mean absolutely everybody has an accent regardless of the language they are speaking. But, of course I understand what you're trying to say.
Japan is already highly competitive and I'm not sure if you realise that many many people on forums say "Japan is my dream". This means there is a lot of competition. Even natives aren't having it easy! Furthermore, Japan is not such a good place to work in at the moment (you just need to read the other threads in this section to see that) which makes getting that job even harder. |
Thanx for letting me know, I'll fix that problem.
I fully realize the competition between all of us. Also I believe, each Japanese "dream" of every person here is a little different story, including me
No matter what the circumstances are I will try hard to get my dream! |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Cool Teacher wrote: |
Yep!
Try GABA or the agencies like Interact maybe. I have seen many not native teachers around and many of them are even better than some native teachers beleive it or not. |
At Interac, I have met teachers from the Outer Circle countries (Singapore, Malaysia, etc.). Not sure if Europeans would qualify for that. |
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