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elliot_spencer · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 495

Where would u say is more 'proper' teaching or are the eikaiwas in europe just as much edutainment as Japan?

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

I've never taught in Europe, so I can't compare their conversation schools to the eikaiwa in Japan. However, Japanese eikaiwa can be for very young kids, teens, or adults, so it is important to distinguish between these if someone has actually had the experience in both parts of the world.

"Proper teaching" for kids can be (and probably has to be) largely edutainment, no matter where you go, with foreign teachers as staff.

japanman · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 281 Location: England

I've taught a lot of European students in England and there is a huge difference between the students in Europe and in Japan. English is a living reality in Europe, not just a hobby. Well, the lists of differences are endless. Everything that Japanese students are, European students aren't. But ofcourse there is also a huge difference between German or Dutch students and Italian or Spanish students.

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

I worked in Italy for a year at a private language school and thought the quality was much better than in my old eikawa. The students were given a book at the start of the course, which lasted nine months with the option of an exam at the end, if they wanted to progress to the next level, which most did. The teachers had to cover a syllabus during that time, give and mark a lot of homework, fill out lots of graded reports. It was harder work for much less pay, but you'd see students come in hardly able to say 'hello' and go out nine months later with the ability to hold a conversation. Compare this to Japan where I had students who still looked flustered when I asked 'What did you do at the weekend?' despite regularly attending for three or four years.

That's not to say that there aren't good eikawas out there. I just don't know of any.

jademonkey · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 180

My favourite eikaiwa story involves a translator (level 2 Nova, if you know that system) who, upon me entering and saying, "How's your day been?", stared at me totally flummoxed. I said it slowly "how-has-your-day-been?" and she quizically murmered, "How's your Daybin? What's that?" I then said it a third time, very slowly and carefully and she STILL didn't get it. Finally, I wrote it down, and she accused me of having a non-American accent. (I'm Australian but I have a neutral accent from teaching at fricken english schools for half a decade)