Job Discussion Forums

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

I am currently stuck in the States and am longing to get back to Asia. I think I may first complete an MA in ESL and then head out again. I am thinking "down the road" here and checking what my options could be in a couple of years.

Lately I have become quite intrigued with the idea of living and working in Japan. One serious consideration is to apply to the JET programme, but for a CIR position, not for an ALT position (I was an ALT with a Fulbright sponsored program in Austria). Yes, I realize that Japanese language skills are required for a CIR position. No, I do not have them at the moment. That would need to be rectified--I could take Japanese during the two years of the proposed MA in ESL program.

I have five years experience in ESL: two in Austria as an ALT and three in China as a Peace Corps volunteer (worked as an English teacher trainer and a university instructor teaching students and professors). I have a BA and MA in German and have advanced language skills in Mandarin. I am 30 years old.

Question

I am eager to hear if anyone has any experiences as a CIR with the JET program. How was the experience overall? Would it be highly recommended? What are some things that I should consider before applying to this program? After working as a CIR, how easy would it be staying in Japan and then finding other teaching work with the aforementioned qualifications?

Many thanks.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

The level of Japanese expectred for a CIR role is JLPT level 2. Although having the certificagte is not a specific requirement, reaching that level takes about 600 hours of study, so says the exam's guidebook. You're unlikely to get that level of ability without a full time 2 year course, assuming no prior knowledge

Just so you know what goal youve set yourself.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Go to www.bigdaikon.com (where the JETs seem to hang out) and ask.

From what I've read there, and learned from a CIR or two, you usually end up in a city hall or ward office translating documents all day long.

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

CIR requires no teaching at all. The CIRs in my prefecture were actually Japanese-American and spoke at native level. One friend worked at the municple building and worked like a regular Japanese employee (long hours). It wasn't in her job description, of course, but she just had to go with the flow. She enjoyed her job, but it's nothing related to TEFL/TESL.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Hey Lynn,

I'm curious. Why didn't it work out for her?

Many thanks for your responses.

Celeste · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2003 10:33 pm Post subject:

fat_chris:

I would say that it didn't work out because the CIRs are not supposed to be teaching. THey are supposed to be doing things like arranging sister city relationships for their municipality, arranging sister school relationships for schools, running around with the mayor and other city officials acting as a translator when meeting dignitarties from other countries. We have a few CIRs in our city. One was only here for a year and then the city chose not to renew his contract because his Japanese level was too low for translation. He spent a lot of time doing nothing at the office and his colleague, whose level was quite high, had double the translation workload she should have had. Our city also has CIRs from China and Korea.

I think that if you are really interested in teaching that this is not the job for you. I would recommend that you apply for the JET ALT position. You can actually do a lot of teaching as a JET ALT once you prove to the Japanese teachers that you are actually a good teacher. My husband and I, who were both experienced teachers before we came, regularly teach our own lesson plans, do teacher training sessions, help our Japanese co-workers plan lessons for presentation classes on parents day, etc. It doesn't have to be a know-nothing/do-nothing job if you are alredy skilled at teaching. It does often turn out that unskilled ALTs are under utilised by the Japanese teachers because the Japanese teachers have no experience in teacher training and don't know what to do with this 'visitor' to their classroom.