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hip-hop boy78
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Location: Hip-hop land
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 Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 10:25 pm Post subject: which school? |
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hi!
can anyone give me any positive or negative info about GABA, BERLITZ, SHANE, KOHGAKUSHA, INTERAC and WESTGATE. i'm currently looking for a lang. school in tokyo/yokohama area and was wondering if any of the above are worth working for. please give reasons for your comments if you don't mind.
i heard gaba only pay by the hour, is this true? do they help you find a place to live?
do interac help new teachers find places to live? it's a bit sketchy on their website.
finally, a friend of mine told me that BERLITZ don't pay much and don't pay for free lessons. is this true?
thanx for your info |
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Nismo
Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 520
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| Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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Shane is a British-English only school.
Westgate only offers 3-month contracts (but they can be renewed if the offer is extended to you).
I haven't heard much of anything about the other schools. Berlitz has an application process similar to JET, I think. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Nismo wrote: |
Shane is a British-English only school.
Westgate only offers 3-month contracts (but they can be renewed if the offer is extended to you).
I haven't heard much of anything about the other schools. Berlitz has an application process similar to JET, I think. |
Westgate offers renewals but there is a 2 month gap between renewals in which they dont pay you for not working. You get a one year work visa though.
Just to add to Mike's post, many companies such as Westgate are in infringement of Japan's labor laws as they do not provide paid days off, health insurance, unemployment insurance, end of contract bonuses. Some even subcontract their employers out so you become 'independent' from your employer but receive none of the benefits of full time workers.
Several posts about Westgate on the Job Information Journal.
Berlitz is not like JET as Berlitz is a private language school and JET teachers are hired by the local education boards in Japan through the Japanese embassies in foreign countries. Currently about 6000 JET teachers are working in Japanese high schools. Interviews are once a year (deadline has passed for this year) and teachers start work in August the following year.
Interac pays half the salary ten days late, which is actually illegal but Interac teachers seem to accept it, for better or worse.
Have heard nothing good about GABA, except high staff turnover and teachers not getting paid full salaries and fired before bonuses are paid out.
Last edited by PAULH on Sat Dec 04, 2004 2:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike L.
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 519
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| Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 1:41 am Post subject: |
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Scratch Westgate off your list: a three month contract is uselss and leaves you with little leagal or finnancial protection.
As you'll be encroaching on university turf you'll also be helping hollow out that environment. A trend that may put many experienced, qualifed long term teachers with famillies in economic jeopardy!
Interac has a real bad habit of paying late which is probably not good for you if you've just arrived in Japan.
Gabba is a criminal operation tha tove rthe years has been acused of forging degrees, paying cash while still deducting taxes from it's teachers. Firing people just before they are legally entitled to paid leaveet cet ce tc.
Esentially a scumbag operation.
Shane has very poor reputation also. Do a search here.
BERLITZ doesn't seem to get too many complaints but you should investigate the working conditions carefully. From what I understand they are not what they used to be.
Good luck.... |
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hip-hop boy78
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Location: Hip-hop land
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| Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:35 am Post subject: thanx |
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| well it seems like there are a lot of dodgy schools around just itching to rip teachers off. looks like it might be better to just go to japan and look for a smaller private school in person, only negative point being the huge start-up costs of such a venture. |
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Mike L.
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 519
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| Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:54 am Post subject: |
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I woudln't say such schools are in the majority it's just that of the ones you posted there happned to be some red flags!
If you come with the one of the big 4 NOVA, GEOS, AEON or ECC they do pay on time in full and provide a visa.
AEON looks like the nest deal out of them all but I've never worked for any of them so you should do some more research if you decide to go this route.
Keep trying!!!! |
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