Job Discussion Forums

[Noor]

Perhaps a good deal for schools (or local govts) looking to reduce labor costs.


Arroyo calls on Japan to accept more Philippine workers

TOKYO (AFP) � Philippine President Gloria Arroyo voiced hope on Saturday that Japan will accept more workers from her country under a bilateral economic pact.

In an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Arroyo hailed Tokyo's acceptance of Philippine nurses and care workers in line with the economic partnership pact signed between the two countries in 2006.

"This is a milestone because it is the first visible impact on the benefit" of the pact, said Arroyo, who is on a visit to Japan.

Seeking an increase in the number Japan would accept, Arroyo said Manila was ready to send more Philippine workers such as English teachers and information technology engineers to Japan.

Earlier in the day, Arroyo visited an on-the-job learning centre for foreign workers in Tokyo, where 36 Philippine nurses are taking training.

Tokyo is the largest trading partner for Manila, while Manila is the second largest destination for Japanese foreign direct investment after the United States, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

Arroyo, who arrived here on Wednesday for a working visit, met Prime Minister Taro Aso and discussed economic ties, North Korea's May nuclear test and other issues.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jtsfeEZVlBBFPMbwLZzsV8dfsAIg

[cvmurrieta]

Let's give them a warm welcome to the flooded ESL market

[passport220]

Have candidate Filipino teachers complete neutral accent training and they are golden. It is a resource I think the whole of Asia has made a mistake in not using as their primary source of English teachers.

I am not too worried about competition. There will always be a place for well qualified professional native speaking teachers. I think native speakers can work in cooperation with Filipino teachers with great results, increasing demand for English teaching services in the market. Don't fight over the pie...work together to make a bigger one.

[cornishmuppet]

I think the problem is that with the Philipines being such a poor country in comparision to Japan their workers will most likely accept a far lower salary, which would bring the whole market down. Why employ an American for 25man when you can pay a Filipino 15? I think that's the problem, not the quality of the teachers themselves.

[passport220]

[cvmurrieta]

I am wondering if the Philippines will be added to the list of countries under the JET Programme that can send ALTs.

[fat_chris]

[fat_chris]

[cvmurrieta]

[fat_chris]

[cvmurrieta]

[cornishmuppet]

English is an official language in the Philipines, which is why their English is so much better than that of the Japanese. I imagine they learn it to a high level starting from elementary school so while they might not be native per se their English is probably close to that, like that of Scandineveans, South Africans, etc. In short, easily good enough to be teaching English in Japan.

While the JET programme might be open to it, I think the 'face' is far more important to most eikaiwas, i.e. they want Caucasian Westerners for the most part or people who have at least grown up in a Western country. To the Japanese, the Philipines is not seen as that distant or exotic, whereas America is. Show a student a picture of a Filipino man and a white American and ask them to choose their teacher, and I imagine most would choose the American, even if the reality is that the Filipino is a highly qualified English teacher with 10 years experience while the American is a semi-alcoholic Nova teacher just out of university with a degree in landscape gardening.

I think it would be a good idea to use them, just as I think it would be a good idea to use highly qualified people from China (as opposed to hookers and dancers). All of which might mean most of us are out of our jobs, of course!

[wintersweet]

Yes, in my experience many Filipinos, particularly those from the big cities, certainly qualify as native English speakers. Several people in my MATESOL program were Filipinos, and their English covered a wide range from a couple of people who could kind of turn on and off the "American" switch (you would not know they weren't raised here) to a couple of people who obviously totally fluent but were difficult for me to understand due to speaking a more regional variation of English. But then again, I have trouble understanding people from certain parts of England, too.

Here's a little bit about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_English

Trying to be objective, it's probably a good idea. Japanese people could use more models of English-fluent Asians, for one thing.

(I really wish more MA and certification programs included a segment on World Englishes, because a lot of North American, British, Australian, etc. teachers don't seem to realize how many OTHER native English speakers there are in the world: Singaporeans, Filipinos, etc. etc.)

[cvmurrieta]

[ripslyme]