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The Eikaiwas are cutting back.
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gaijinalways



Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
2. The weary cynic who stayed too long. 'Eikaiwa teaching is like slavery.'

No it isn't.


Well, I am a well paid slave who is let out when I finish Cool ! Oh, wait that makes me a cynic (or a realist Wink )!
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womblingfree



Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
gaijinalways wrote:


Well, I am a well paid slave who is let out when I finish Cool ! Oh, wait that makes me a cynic (or a realist Wink )!


I think most of us succumb to number 2 after a year or so at an eikaiwa. Wink

Imagine how jaded and whingy language instructors are going to be now that some companies aren't hiring fresh genki stock from abroad Laughing
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elkarlo



Joined: 08 Dec 2008
Posts: 240
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
gaijinalways wrote:
elkarlo posted
Quote:
Same with JET, I hear they are reducing it by %40 this upcoming year for Americans. An easy way to cut out expenses. It's nice having ALTs, but the school sdon't need that that much. I think as this gets worse some more cost cutting will ensue. I hope my ALT postion remains


Strange, as the government rolls out their start in 5th grade English education program (of course, it might be 1 or 2 x a week, but we'll see).

elkarlo posted
Quote:
This is why I made my point. Korea is now goin to use Indians. If they find they like it and or it is cheaper, i can see Japan doing the same. Both countires seem to be on the same model for ESL. This is an easy way for them to cut back. Much like the BoEs cutting back on JET and going for private dispatch.


Actually, it's starting to happen already and not just with Indians. Let's see, I have an Indian, a Bangladeshi, a Swiss, a Russian, and a German national all working at my school teaching English. Actually, I don't know if I should include the Swiss miss as she went to an international school and speaks 4 languages.



I know, they added a lot more English, yet I heard JET was ruducing it's budget, well at least for America by 40%. But JETs/ALTs don't teach English, just culture, so they must just be using J-Teachers.

There you go. If they already have some non-natives then what is stopping them from taking on more?

How are the Southern Asians that you know treated? In Korea I heard they get treated awfully.

Most Western Europeans I met in while in Japan spoke many languaegs. My Dutch friend knew Dutch, German, and French fluently. Knew a fair amount of Spanish too. Not so good with the Japanese oddly enough.
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Apsara



Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I used to work at an place that hires competent non-native speakers from all over including the Philippines and India. They were treated the same as all the other teachers. I also have a Pakistani friend (not Pakistani American or anything like that, born and raised in Pakistan so has an obviously Urdu-influenced accent) who worked as an ALT- he also never reported any ill-treatment or different treatment.

Generally speaking though, there is a very strong preference here for teachers with NZ, Australian, Canadian, US and UK passports and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Incidentally I think a lot of JETs/ALTs would disagree that they only teach culture, not English. Not all of them are human tape recorders.

Last edited by Apsara on Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:23 am; edited 1 time in total
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gaijinalways



Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apsara posted
Quote:
I used to work at an place that hires competent non-native speakers from all over including the Philippines and India. They were treated the same as all the other teachers. I also have a Pakistani friend (not Pakistani American or anything like that, born and raised in Pakistan so has an obviously Urdu-influenced) who worked as an ALT- he also never reported any ill-treatment or different treatment.


They're on the same pay conditions (as far as I know), they are very competant speakers and bring their experiences of learning English to the table.

That being said, they don't teach advanced level students. As to whether they are treated the same, they do get more disrequests sometimes, and not for language related reasons.

Apsara posted
Quote:
Generally speaking though, there is a very strong preference here for teachers with NZ, Australian, Canadian, US and UK passports and I don't see that changing any time soon.


Well, this preference is changing, but like many things in Japan, slowly.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
elkarlo wrote:
Same with JET, I hear they are reducing it by %40 this upcoming year for Americans.
I'd like some source on this one, considering Americans make up the largest percentage (about half) of JET ALTs.

Quote:
JETs/ALTs don't teach English, just culture
Wrong.
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Asher



Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 47
PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ECC cancelled my interview that was scheduled for February. I didn't get into JET this time around, so this is somewhat of a disappointment; especially since I could have gotten an interview in January, but wanted to find out where I stood with JET before interviewing with ECC.

I think my next step is to apply to Aeon and see if I can't get into the LA session during the same time period I was scheduled for ECC.
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elkarlo



Joined: 08 Dec 2008
Posts: 240
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apsara wrote:
I used to work at an place that hires competent non-native speakers from all over including the Philippines and India. They were treated the same as all the other teachers. I also have a Pakistani friend (not Pakistani American or anything like that, born and raised in Pakistan so has an obviously Urdu-influenced accent) who worked as an ALT- he also never reported any ill-treatment or different treatment.

Generally speaking though, there is a very strong preference here for teachers with NZ, Australian, Canadian, US and UK passports and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Incidentally I think a lot of JETs/ALTs would disagree that they only teach culture, not English. Not all of them are human tape recorders.


Ok that's good to know. I figured since they were coming from a poorer nation that they would be more prone to abuse and the such.

Well not all of them are human tape recorders, but a lot that I met seemed to have no actual responsibilites to perform.
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elkarlo



Joined: 08 Dec 2008
Posts: 240
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:17 pm    Post subject: