Job Discussion Forums

Florizalll · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 42

I did a google search on ALT's and found this blurb on Wikipedia. Although of course this is not an ideal, scholarly, or reliable source, I'd like to know what any of you know about this:

"ALTs are quite often not certified teachers, unlike their Japanese colleagues. Very few ALTs are able to take advantage of policy changes made in 2001 that allow highly-qualified ALTs to obtain Japanese teaching licenses."

I checked some other sites and can't find this 2001 policy change nor the document that states this "policy" whatever it was and whatever it has been changed to. Does anyone know where there is more info on this? What are the requirements? Has anyone actually obtained a license this way?

johanne · Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 189

This doesn't really answer your questions, but IMHO if ALTs had teaching licenses they wouldn't be ALTs anymore. They would be able to run their own classrooms and thus would become Language Teachers and not Assistant Language teachers. There are immersian and second language programs all over the world where qualified teachers teach the children by themselves.

I don't mean to slam ALTs in any way, but a properly trained language teacher doesn't need a native speaker assistant. If (and I realize in some cases in Japan this is a big if) the classroom teacher has a good command of the language being taught and had a sound pedagogy for teaching second language learners then the presense of an untrained native speaker is unnecessary and can in fact be quite a nuisance.

It's possible that some of the negative reaction some ALTs receive from the JTE stems from the fact that a professional, qualified teacher is being sandled with an untrained native speaker who thinks he or she knows better despite having zero teacher training. I'm certainly not saying this is always the case, but I do think it happens. Imagine how a trained dentist would feel being told what to do by someone who has perfect teeth but no training.

Florizalll · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 42

That has nothing to do with my question. Since you have no pretext as to why I ask, I'm not interested in your rant. If you do have some information about requirements necessary and the applicability of teaching licenses issued to foreignors in Japan, I would be very grateful.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

My situation is a little different, as I'm not an ALT, (nor am I a JET or an employee of a dispatch co.) -- but neither am I a licensed Japanese teacher. I work directly for the BoE, although unlicensed.

Some of my Japanese co-workers have been suggesting to me that I do exactly that -- get my Japanese teaching license. I kept telling them that I didn't think my Japanese was good enough to do that, but they seemed to think that it was possible to do even if you didn't. Unfortunately they didn't have any information on HOW to go about it. I'm sure there must be a way, but I'd venture to guess it would probably be tricky. Otherwise, many people would be doing it (I'd think). Sorry I can't be of any more help... But I've also only ever come up with dead ends whenever the topic has come up with my friends and co-workers.

kendoman1 · Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 69

I believe what you're looking for is called"rinji menkyo" in Japanese which is a temp teaching certificate.

A little more is explained in these links:

www.gaijinpot.com/bb/showthread.php?t=28435

www.eltnews.com/community/?board=highschool;action=display;num=1138061745;start=

Florizalll · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 42

Thank you for the links, kendoman, - I actually had read them also but they don't give a lot of information.

I'm certified to teach in the US and thought that were I to have some sort of certification here in Japan it would heighten my chances for direct hire at a BOE and also boost my resume. But from the sound of it, JimDunlop, it may not be the case. Hmm, looks as though chance will have to come into play (seeing an ad in the paper on the right day, hearing from word of mouth, etc).

Thank you!

If anyone else knows of anything, please post!

ndorfn · Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 126

I work at a private high school, not as an ALT, and each year (I presume so because I did it last year and just got asked to do it again for this year) I fill out a form that they send to the BOE to give me a licence to teach. dunno what it entails, I suppose it relates to experience in the field coz thats what they list on the form. sorry I can't be more help.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Last year, the prefecture authorized my teaching license on the merit of my TESL diploma and teaching experience (over ten years qualifies you, I think depending on the jurisdiction).

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

Liz, do you mean Chiba or Tokyo?
I work in Tokyo.
I have to do what Ndorfn does every year.
I ask for permission for me to teach solo, since I don`t have the certificate.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Brooks, Ibaraki where I was working.

Hope that's clearer now.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

I think the problem is that each prefecture has its own ways of doing things. Ibaraki seems relatively liberal.