Job Discussion Forums

alexcase · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 215 Location: Seoul

Why are there so many bad native speaker English teachers in Japan? As someone who has taught in 6 countries, I must say that the general level in Japan is probably the worst I have known.

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

Where else have you taught? What were the required credentials there?

Where have you seen the bad teachers in Japan? High school? University? Eikaiwa? ALT or full-time solo teacher or PT teacher?

Except for university jobs and international schools, there aren't many required credentials for teaching in Japan. A vanilla BA is often the minimal "credential", and it doesn't have to be in a teaching field.

alexcase · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 215 Location: Seoul

I'd say accepting people without any kind of teaching certificate or experience is certainly a factor (although why they need to when the conditions in Japan aren't so bad is another question), but there must be more to it.

matador · Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 281

Glenski makes a good point; what are the 6 countries you have taught in and what were your experiences there? With this info we can make more of an accurate comparison.

For what its worth, I have taught in UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Fukuoka. About 70% of this was/is biz English; the rest is children, university and adult classes.

alexcase · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 215 Location: Seoul

For what it's worth: Turkey, Thailand, Spain, Italy, UK (three times), Japan. My question is not Is...? though, my question is Why is it/ could it be so?

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

alexcase,
You still have not answered the question. In what capacity have you seen bad teachers here?

Let me clarify.

Were they in high school as ALTs, PTers, or direct hires?
Were they in university, junior college, or senmongakko (as FT or PT direct hires, or as ALTs)?
Were they in eikaiwa, international schools, or business schools?
Were they private lesson tutors?

Also, what do you mean by "bad"?
Drunkards?
Poor educators?
Sex maniacs? Chile molesters?
Bad grammarians?
Poor linguists?
Lazy?
Slovenly?

Help us here. Your questions are far too vague, so all you can get are uncoordinated vague replies.

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

I think that there are just a lot more teachers period.

Japan is a fairly affluent, stable, country with fairly mediocre requirements to become an English teacher. The European countries need to/can afford to have higher standards The Gulf countries can also afford to be picky.
Japan has a huge market which is pretty neatly segregated between the professionals in the tertiary sector (with a few in FT highschool sector) and the rest in everything else.
My guess is that you don't work in the tertiary sector....

I'm curious, as someone who has spent a lot of time in Thailand I wonder how you come to the conclusion that there are more bad teachers in Japan? Seriously, the scariest people that meet all of Glenski's 'bad' teacher criteria I came across were in Thailand.

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

[quote="womblingfree"]

matador · Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 281

OP: I am interested in your Spain, UK and Italy experience. In general, how would you compare/contrast the EU EFL vibe to that of Japan?

Did you do summer school in the UK?