Job Discussion Forums

[Yawarakaijin]

This is my 3rd time to Japan but it is my first time working in a primarily corporate setting (as a language instructor). I'm working for a large engineering company located in Kanagawa which over the years has opened subsidary factories throughout Asia.

Basically I operate as kind of a private tutor for employees within the company although I do have some small classes of between 2-5 students. I do not have an office or a room per say. I sit out in the open at my desk along with all the other employees and I even have to wear the company uniform. When it's time for class we simply find an available conference room. While not actually teaching we are expected to perform "contact time", which basically involves chatting with my students in a less formal environment or proof reading emails that will be sent to native and non-native English speakers.


I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there in a similar environment. The job is enjoyable but there are some difficulties. While students are quite friendly and engaging during class many seem down right cold in the office.

For example answering inquiries in extremely brief sentences when I know their English is much better. Passing in the halls barely even warrants a hello or a nod. Students sitting a few desks down fail to show up or even come over to say " hey I'm really busy now, I cant make the class". I know some of this may just be because a person is shy. Maybe some of it is due to the fact that I may not really be considered a true employee of the company.

Any thoughts/advice/shared experiences would be appreciated.

[matador]

What materials are you using in class? What are the levels of your students? Do you follow a curriculum that you have designed? Just out of interest really...

[kdynamic]

I have found that Japanese people tend to make a VERY clear distinction between work time and social time. Unless it is *designated* free time, that is, AFTER the work day is actually over, there is very little chatting. There's no "water cooler" type traditional of during-work socializing. So don"t take it personally! One aspect of Japanese professionalism is to always appear to be busy busy busy working working, even if in reality they might just be shuffling papers

Have you been invited to any enkai's? If you are ever invited, be sure to go. That will be when people open up more to you in a social way. But make sure to leave whatever happens at the enkai there and not bring it up at the office the next day - all part of the strict work/play distinction.

I suspect that when they are actually participating in your english classes you see a different side of them because 1) they are officially supposed to be ther chatting, so they relax and open up a bit more 2) when they speak English they feel a little bit freed from the limits of Japanese decorum and 3) in an instructive setting they know they are there to learn, whereas attempting actual real-time conversation out in the world with you makes them acutely aware of their mistakes, especially if it's in front of other coworkers, so they clam up.

My experience is in a government office not a corporation so maybe it's somewhat different, but I suspect these cultural elements play a part.

[wintersweet]

I'm curious about this myself since I'm interested in teaching adults (college/university is my first choice, but corporate is a possiblity if they don't mind my lack of a business degree).

I don't know if you can request that they let you know if they're not going to show up, but it might be worth a try. I don't know if they're really interested in improving their English, but if they are, you might try stressing to them that "contact time" is part of their overal tutoring plan, and that becoming comfortable with spontaneous chat is something that can really help them when they have to interact with other English speakers. I've had to do this spiel myself a few times and I usually use myself as an example: my Chinese teacher always did rote dialogues, the first time a Chinese person casually asked me "How long have you studied Chinese?" I couldn't answer her at all. I just froze!

[Brooks]

my wife used to teach at Sanyo in Osaka.
Japanese corporate culture is cold and aloof.
You don`t find the friendly banter you would like back in North America.

And Kanto is full of unfriendly people. You probably would prefer teaching in western Japan.

I'd talk to your boss about students that don`t show up. Do you have to keep attendence?
I think going to enkais is helpful because it is the time where people relax with beer and talk about work.