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Main differences between an ALT and a Eikaiwa school??
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seklarwia

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano

Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:37 pm Post subject:

Mr_Monkey wrote:

If you want to teach in the state sector in the UK, you'll need to go through a state approved, university run/validated initial teacher training program. ALT work will look good on your CV and give you something to talk about in the interview, but will not materially affect your application, imo - a good first degree in an area relevant to your choice of teaching program is all you need. The same goes for eikaiwa work.

It's funny that... entry level ESL jobs won't give you any real advantage for a public sector job in the UK, but many MA courses in TESOL/TEFL, etc require at least a years teaching experience in ESL and some of the distance courses I looked at were being aimed specifically at current teachers. So entry level work would be good if your are looking into getting a masters.

Glenski

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

Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:18 pm Post subject:

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

Glenski wrote:

...the work is less demanding in eikaiwa...

I personally think we should be a bit more careful when responding to queries like these, which are asking for generalisations which don't really exist in the world. The temptation is to make those generalisations in response.

I get criticized when I make generalizations, and I get criticized when I say people can't generalize. Hmm, what road do you suggest I take when someone like the OP asks for a direct comparison?

Quote:

Perhaps I'm biased, working in eikaiwa,

Well, I've worked in eikaiwa, and taught solo or team-taught in private JHS/HS, done private lessons with housewives and businessmen, and taught in university, so I thought I was not as biased as others who have not taught in more than one situation.

Quote:

So I think it's a real oversight to suggest eikaiwa work is inferior to ALT work

I hope you understood that when I wrote, I didn't express my own opinion, but that of the masses. (MrCAPiTUL put it better than I did.)

Yes, your examples are valid. Those types of teaching can be demanding. I have not taught kids in eikaiwa, so I often forget to include them in my posts. But, I still think it far more demanding to teach in (generalizing again) an ALT situation (or anything else in mainstream schools). Generally speaking.

Quote:

If we can get our knickers in a twist about someone thinking the "1DK" style apartment descriptions are daft, how is it ok to dismiss the work of a good chunk of people who read here.

Were my knickers in a twist? I don't think so. Anyway, who's dismissing anything here? Someone has to be on the top, middle, and lower rung of the teaching ladder. Aside from the poor slob who can't even get a FT job (for whatever reasons), but is able to eke out a few yen with private lessons, what would you classify as bottom rung of FT teacher jobs in EFL? I'd sincerely honestly like to know.

Eikaiwa doesn't require a teaching-related degree.
Eikaiwa has far smaller classes.
In eikaiwa you may be handed a lesson plan (yes, so do ALTs but they also have a JTE in the room).
Most eikaiwa classes have no homework to create or grade.
People (except kids, I grant you) choose of their own free will to take an eikaiwa class, so there is at least some intrinsic motivation, unlike in mainstream schools.

ShioriEigoKyoushi

Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:20 am Post subject:

-- Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

Mr_Monkey

Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:03 am Post subject:

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

I don't disagree that the point of view you've presented is perhaps more commonplace than would be ideal, but I personally feel it deserves to be challenged because it's based on some very sweeping assumptions. It would be nice to think that those in hiring positions had enough experience to know that finding the right person for the job often involves looking past these. And if we're going to perpetuate it here, we should be asking whether it really is valid as well.

Shiori

I agree. I've never taught in the compulsory state sector, and have no desire to. However, "rigorous" is not an adjective that should be applied to any particular field of teaching - it is best applied to teachers.

It strikes me that public sector work is more demanding in terms of classroom management than eikaiwa, although this may be because I have (quite deliberately) had little experience teaching younger learners, and would prefer to avoid the context where I am certain to teach them.

Try to tell me that I am less 'rigorous' in my lesson preparation and delivery than an ALT, though, and I will tell you to eat my hat.

seklarwia wrote:

You can't walk on to a MA/MSc in teaching or a related discipline, or an MA/MSc Applied Linguistics without the relevant experience or previous qualifications.

For example, I could have gotten on to the MA in Applied Linguistics at my univeristy without teaching experience because of my bachelor's degree in philosophy (with a heavy analytic bias). Since I had studied philosophy of mind & language, logic, logical analysis and epistemology, I had a grounding that qualified me for the degree.

However, I would not have been accepted on to the course I am doing - an MSc Language Teaching - had I no previous experience of doing the subject: there is too much assumed knowledge - practical and theoretical - for it to be accessible to people with little or no experience of teaching.

I did a PGCE in ESOL in the UK in 2007/8. It was clear from the very beginning that it was intended for people with no previous experience of teaching English as there were people on the course who had never taught English before. Moreover, the initial modules were ranked lower on the National Qualifications Framework than the CELTA (level 3/4 - I forget because the govt. in the UK keeps buggering about with the framework). The course lasted 9 months, so by the end it had moved on to degree-level modules (level 6). The course is equivalent to a B.Ed without QTS.

If you have a master's and the relevant experience or a DELTA , you can fast-track into the QT(L)S stream without doing a whole PGCE.

Last edited by Mr_Monkey on Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:27 am; edited 1 time in total

Glenski

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

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:11 am Post subject:

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

Glenski wrote:

I hope you understood that when I wrote, I didn't express my own opinion, but that of the masses. (MrCAPiTUL put it better than I did.)

I think it's difficult for that to be clear when you don't state it and a post has your name at the bottom.

Try reading this sentence more carefully.
Eikaiwa is seen as a fairly low class form of teacher

It doesn't say that's how I personally feel. Plus the end of the sentence says "I've been there", which should suggest some emphathy.

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

Eikaiwa doesn't require a teaching-related degree.

Neither does an ALT

True in some cases, but not all.

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

Eikaiwa has far smaller classes.

True... which means you can't set a group task and take two minutes thinking about how well they're absorbing the material and whether you should adapt your planned activities.

I would think that having a smaller class would be an advantage for an eikaiwa teacher in this respect. It was for me. You make it sound like it's harder to assess how an activity is going when you have fewer students. Did I get that right?

Quote:

Your lesson plan may have been developed twenty years ago in a very different time in the industry, and require substantial rework to deliver educational value beyond "exposure to English". Or it may be written in prose with an unstructured page of A4 for each class with no recorded purpose for the activities, which are listed in a scattergun sequence that doesn't build student's confidence or abilities. Or you may not have one.

Same for ALTs, but at least with the ALT, as I wrote earlier, you have a JTE to fall back on. Is this harder for eikaiwa? Depends on the teacher, but look at it another way. Just how much serious teaching goes on in most eikaiwa classes? A lot should, but customers come mostly to socialize, not to be taught grammar that (for adults anyway) they were taught rigorously for 6 years. Just a recap is needed, followed by lots and lots of talking time. Many eikaiwa teachers find this hard to do, even with a lesson plan nicely given to them, but that's because they've never taught. In the end, the employer just wants you to keep the customers happy with plenty of chatting.

The fact that you have a seemingly outdated lesson plan format is tough, yet. NOVA used to work with a 20-30 year old text written from a format used to teach Spanish, if I recall! It was only in its last 4-5 years that it changed. Couldn't tell you how many other eikaiwas operate like that. Sounds like yours does. Am I right?

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

Most eikaiwa classes have no homework to create or grade.

I have homework to check and set every lesson, as well as progres tests throughout the year and report books and cards for adults and kids.

Please don't cite your anecdotal experience to try countering my word "most". Is the homework your choice to give or the school's?

The report books and cards are fairly common. I think you are just trying to say that eikaiwa is tougher than ALT work in some way to elevate its status.

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

People (except kids, I grant you) choose of their own free will to take an eikaiwa class, so there is at least some intrinsic motivation, unlike in mainstream schools.

Yes, there is some... but how many of the people who sign up for an eikaiwa class have realistic expectations of what is involved in learning a language? In a school students are there to study, like any other lesson - in eikaiwa you have to constantly juggle keeping customers happy against telling them what is really necessary to become fluent in a second language and setting them work accordingly.

To answer your first question, I would have to say that most eikaiwa adult students have almost no realistic expectation of what is needed to learn a language. Like I wrote, they come to socialize, not study and learn. For those who actually think they can learn with a no-homework, once-a-week class situation, that's obviously delusional unless they take it upon themselves to study further at home (and most don't).

As for the second point, yes, you (and the employer) have to keep customers happy. Sadly, that may mean keeping them back instead of promoting them to a higher level course, or it may mean telling 2 friends they cannot take the same course because of their vastly different levels. The really hard part of the job is when your employer lets them advance or take the same course anyway! Does any of this make eikaiwa higher on the rung of the educational ladder? Not in my opinion, and in fact, it is one of the reasons why it is so low.

Please look at this article on professionalism in eikaiwas. I usually pull this out when such topics arise.
http://www.eltnews.com/features/special/2004/01/the_power_of_perceptions_a_loo.html
This supports what I've been saying.

Quote:

Like what? I've done almost 4 years in eikaiwa and been in Japan on these boards for over 12.

Quote:

It would be nice to think that those in hiring positions had enough experience to know that finding the right person for the job often involves looking past these.

That's why I have provided the link above. It would be nice, but it is not reality.

starteacher

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 237

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:05 pm Post subject:

The students who are doing well in public sector schools and being taught by ALTs often go to eikaiwas and/or maybe jukus. Ironic isn't it ? Makes it easy for ALTs to teach, and they needn't be bothered about those who don't want to learn and who are sitting at the back of the classroom, because it is not their class. The ALT is basically teaching the students who are at eikaiwas or jukus, and so ALTs do nothing new and own nothing. There is no objective for ALTs, there is no intrinsic interest for an ALT to do anything for the school other than to follow what the JTE asks or not ask. It is not their class. Even if an ALT is given a class to run, it is still not her/his class. An eikaiwa teacher may also not have much responsibility but has to keep all the customers clear before and after the lessons. In other words, they are salesmen, the face of the school. An ALT does not sell anything, it just distributes, and smile at giggling students. In other words, the eikaiwa teacher is front office, the ALT teacher is back office (terms used in finance). An eikaiwa teacher usually has longer hours than ALTs. For those serious about teaching as a career or for business this is good and it gives them intense effort over the same period of time as an ALT, as well as (normally) exposure to different types of customers. But if you're looking for a quick trip funding with plenty of holidays to do those trips, then an ALT is better off. An ALT teachers larger classrooms, but doubt any ALT remembers all the names of their students, they don't need to care about that personal aspect, the JTE will do all that. Don't know the customers, so don't need to care. An eikaiwa teachers has to know the names of the customers. ALT and eikaiwa are simply two different beasts.

Glenski

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

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:09 pm Post subject:

starteacher wrote:

The students who are doing well in public sector schools and being taught by ALTs often go to eikaiwas and/or maybe jukus. Ironic isn't it ?

Yes, but...

Quote:

Makes it easy for ALTs to teach, and they needn't be bothered about those who don't want to learn and who are sitting at the back of the classroom,

I couldn't disagree more.

Quote:

The ALT is basically teaching the students who are at eikaiwas or jukus, and so ALTs do nothing new and own nothing.

Wrong.

Quote:

There is no objective for ALTs,

Where do you get this stuff?!

Quote:

An eikaiwa teacher may also not have much responsibility but has to keep all the customers clear before and after the lessons. In other words, they are salesmen, the face of the school.

Directly and indirectly, yes. I've been saying eikaiwa is a business.

Quote:

An ALT does not sell anything, it just distributes, and smile at giggling students.

Not really.

seklarwia

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:27 pm Post subject:

starteacher wrote:

The ALT is basically teaching the students who are at eikaiwas or jukus, ALTs do nothing new and own nothing. There is no objective for ALTs, there is no intrinsic interest for an ALT to do anything for the school other than to follow what the JTE asks or not ask. It is not their class.

That's quite a sweeping statement to make. Many of the really attentive students don't go to juku or eikawa. And some of the ones who do are the worst behaved because they were never interested in English in the first place and being forced to attend additional lessons by their parents has fanned mere disinterest into full-blown hatred. In my school, the top 10 san-nensei after the returnees do not go to either: most of their parents are teachers.

And you make out as if no ALTs care about their students which I can tell you is a load of BS.

Quote:

An ALT does not sell anything, it just distributes, and smile at giggling students.

Were you an ALT in the past? Is this all you had to do? If not, have you seen any real life ALT lessons? What do you base this assumption on?

I got to see a distance-video lesson from Nova at an interview a few years back. The "teacher" (a young blonde female) did nothing more than draw little pictures and smile at creepy older men who were clearly not customers because they were purely interested in English. I'm not sure if I would want to be selling what she was, but I don't go around making rather insulting assumptions about eikawa workers because I know that most of them do do real work.

Quote:

An eikaiwa teacher usually has longer hours than ALTs.

Is that so? Most ALTs are in school at least 8hours/day. Many ALTs are not even allowed to leave school outside of lesson times. ALTs especially in ES are often teaching 6 classes/day and have to spend their lunch time with the kids. I'd think the hours are quite similar. Main difference is that for more eikawa workers than ALTs, their breaks are actually their own.

Quote:

An ALT teachers larger classrooms, but doubt any ALT remembers all the names of their students, they don't need to care about that personal aspect, the JTE will do all that. Don't know the customers, so don't need to care. An eikaiwa teachers has to know the names of the customers.

I don't know all my kids' names, but I know a majority of them. Many of the ones that I don't know is because I refer to them by a nickname that stuck from the beginning of the year. I don't know the names of Jack Bauer, Manchster, Dali, Banana or Spider because they, their friends and JTEs call them by the nicknames. They even used their nicknames on their work and the other teachers had a good old laugh when they saw my thank you letters, cards and posters today.

But then I have about 800 students. I wonder how many names an eikawa teacher needs to remember...

I know more names than most of the ALTs in my area because I have only one school. Another has 5, one of which has more than a thousand students. Another has 7 schools. Some ALTs have even more.
Not really fair to compare eikawa teachers and ALTs based on what percentage of their students' names they remember since not only do eikawa workers have a lot less to remember, they are also seeing the students more frequently and in much smaller groups.

ShioriEigoKyoushi

Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 3:49 pm Post subject:

-- Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

seklarwia

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:09 pm Post subject:

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

In a smaller class the students turn to the teacher more often and sometimes you have to be "part of" the group to make activities work. They have fewer opportunities to develop communication strategies independent of the teacher, or interact with more speakers who each present their own challenges. So in smaller groups my personal experience is that it's more intense and a little more demanding, concentration wise, for the teacher (and perhaps a little less beneficial for the student).

You're right. I have a couple of small classes. One has only 2/3 students (depending on the day) and it's not easy. Doesn't help that they are special needs. They lose interest in work that is too repetitive, so once they have practiced anything once with me and once with eachother, they want to move on, normally forgetting what they have just learnt instantly. And games and activities with a class that small are not always any better.
I also have some 1-to-1 sessions with students who mental/emotional reasons can't join regular classes. The students are great, they don't seem to have any learning disability so they are quick studies but I always feel that by not having the chance to interact with other students they are missing out.

But in regular classes, ALTs have the problem at the other end of the spectrum. We often don't have the time to interact with students. Group work is often a nightmare even in classes of very good students. If the most dominant member of the group makes a mistake in grammar, structure or pronunciation, you can guarentee that other members of the group will pick it up too. And if you don't witness and correct it immediately, these errors often become ingrained. 10 groups is very hard to supervise, because sometimes the JTE does not notice the error especially if it isn't in the actual target language.

My favourite class was one of my elective classes in the first term. 16 students... it was great. Enough students to allow them to get enough practice amongst themselves. Enough students to make games work well whilst still being a small enough class to easily manage and to make sure you hear them all throughout the lesson. Then one of the sports elective classes got cut because the teacher running it had to take on the responsibilities of another who left for maternity leave. Instead of joining other sports, many of the kids chose different courses and over night my class size doubled... Evil or Very Mad

Glenski

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

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:14 pm Post subject:

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

Glenski wrote:

You make it sound like it's harder to assess how an activity is going when you have fewer students. Did I get that right?

You didn't. It's not harder to assess how the activity is going

Thanks for answering this one so clearly.

Quote:

Now I understand you. My response is pretty simple. Try managing 30-40 kids who are told to do info gap or to communicate with their partner about a given topic. You can't honestly believe they all do it well, or that there is enough time for the ALT (even with JTE) to monitor everyone. Your example of having fewer opportunities (more intensity) is valid, but only to a point. Overall, it's just easier for the teacher to manage in eikaiwa (even though the teacher will talk more, probably, the teacher has more chance to individualize the help, so students have more chance to benefit, and that makes it easier on all).

Quote:

The school requests that all students are assigned homework. It's part of the package they are sold.

Thanks for that, too. It's not the norm, I hope you realize.

Quote:

With regards to anecdotal evidence (ignoring the fact that your experience is no less anecdotal - you just have more of it)

And it appears that you seem to ignore that. I wonder why. It's not just my own experience I am offering here, either. Having been around the boards for over 12 years, I'd like to think I've picked up quite a bit about the situation in this country, compared to a relative newbie.

Quote:

I agree that eikaiwa teaching is poorly regarded, and in some cases this is well founded, but what I'm saying is that perpetuating the generalisation is unhelpful because generalisations are fundamentally flawed.

And, I agree with that, but if people point out that their answers are generalizations, that shows the point. The OP only wanted to know the general differences, and I answered that. If people want to claim exceptions to the rule, fine and good. I do that myself to prove a point, but the point here was the general differences, not the exceptions.

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

I think you are just trying to say that eikaiwa is tougher than ALT work in some way to elevate its status.

Quote:

"Elevate it's status"? I'm not sure what you mean. Above ALT? Not at all. Above "inferior to other entry level positions that require no more skills, qualifications or experiences" - above "inferior to ALT" - absolutely.

I've already pointed out the former type of job, so we agree there. As for eikaiwa being inferior or equal to ALT, I guess we'll have to let the OP decide now. No need for us to belabor that any more. You tend to dwell on exceptions, whereas in this case I don't.

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

I've done almost 4 years in eikaiwa and been in Japan on these boards for over 12.

Good for you... I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.

See above.

Quote:

Hmmm. Lot's can change in twelve, or even eight years, can't it.

Why so snooty about it? The duties at eikaiwa have not changed in decades, nor have they in ALT jobs, but perception of eikaiwa has gone down in many people's minds in the past 5 years or so, which only supports my point anyway. (Yes, ALT jobs, too, but that it a more complicated animal, dealing with dispatch vs. JET for one thing. Many people still don't seem to realize that ALT dispatch agencies operate largely illegally [yes, most!!], so the perception from the outside is slower to change. Haunting the many discussion boards that I do, I see so many newbies and wannabes oohing and ahhing over what they perceive to be a higher status job, the ALT, just because they feel it's in a public school and away from any sales. They fail to look deeper.)

ShioriEigoKyoushi

Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:39 am Post subject:

-- Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:51 pm; edited 2 times in total

Glenski

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

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:03 am Post subject:

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

Glenski wrote:

Overall, it's just easier for the teacher to manage in eikaiwa.

That is your personal opinion comparing the roles, isn't it?

No, it's math. Fewer is easier to manage.

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

The duties at eikaiwa have not changed in decades, nor have they in ALT jobs, but perception of eikaiwa has gone down in many people's minds in the past 5 years or so

And that is your opinion of the perception of the roles within the industry, no?

I think it helps to be clear.

Yes, it helps to be clear. And, you seem to have problems understanding that this is not just my opinion, but that of many/most people on several forums over a decade of teaching in Japan. What is not clear to you?

Quote:

Glenski wrote:

it appears that you seem to ignore that. I wonder why. It's not just my own experience I am offering here, either. Having been around the boards for over 12 years, I'd like to think I've picked up quite a bit about the situation in this country, compared to a relative newbie.

Is it fair to say I "ignore that"? I've asked plenty of questions here about the industry and appreciated your answers, and have said so many times.

Yes, you have appreciated my answers up to now. Up to now. At this point, you suddenly ignore (or at least scoff at) instead of rely on my experience as you did before. Why is that, I wonder?

Quote:

You seem to have been suggesting that being here longer means less experienced people shouldn't disagree with you.

No, disagree away. It's a free world to do so. But your posts here have tried to point out exceptions from your own limited teaching in order to answer the OP's questions, which demanded more of a general approach. It is that which I objected to. If exceptions are to be noted, mark them as such. To write:

Quote:

In this thread I have emphasized the exceptions, because they support the point I've been trying to make - yes. See, we agree again. Smile

is not helping the OP get the answers they want. It just sounds flippant.

Quote:

I've already said twice that I agree with your point about the perception, and I disagree with your personal point of view on the value/difficulty of the two roles.

Yes, we differ on the difficulty of the roles. Perhaps your view is based on limited experience on top of a very strong feeling of self-worth and self-importance as well as a desire to make students succeed, something we share, believe it or not. I hate the term "eikaiwa monkey", which a lot of people use often and which I choose to avoid whenever possible, because there are some people out there who are sincere and hardworking enough to try making eikaiwa work. The problem is, it is still an industry that the general population and most EFL teachers look down on. You and I cannot seem to find any common ground in determining why that is so, based on duties of the teacher, and that is frustrating. Perhaps I should change tactics and turn it around and ask,

Since you agree that eikaiwa teachers are seen in such a poor light, why do you think that is?

Quote:

I've worked with many "experienced people" in different industries; some of them have benefited from it, others have judgement clouded by outdated experience and have stagnated in roles they are now too insecure to leave. Of course I can't make any judgement on whether your situation matches either of these because I don't know you.

Then why have you "appreciated" my answers before? I'm curious to know. PM me if you like. We're going off-topic here.

To the OP (MarisaMP, wherever you are!):
Have you gotten the answers you sought, or do you have more to ask?

ShioriEigoKyoushi

Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:15 am Post subject:

-- Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

starteacher

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 237

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:06 am Post subject:

seklarwia wrote:

Were you an ALT in the past? Is this all you had to do? If not, have you seen any real life ALT lessons? What do you base this assumption on?

Yes, and an eikaiwa too.

Glenski wrote:

starteacher wrote:

There is no objective for ALTs,

Where do you get this stuff?!

I mean the ALT does not set the objectives for the class they are teaching, it is the school's or the JTE. There is no measurement of really how well students do as the ALT is there for conversation, and quite often the ALT classes do not get marked or examined. the JTE has English classes too taught in Japanese and the students learn from them, before they meet the ALT.

The same can be said for eikaiwa teachers about objectives, but if students stop attending class, then there is concern from the school. An eikaiwa teacher therefore has to use her or his personality to get the class going, as each student is a customer. The teacher may, at the detriment of English teaching, have to do this. A student in a public school has to attend the class even if he does not like English. Would an ALT try to, in their limited time, get these students to like English ? There is no need but they could try, but as it is not their class that job belongs to the JTE.

Like I said they are two different jobs, neither which need any qualifications (other than degree), which shows that however much any teacher has a passion for being an ALT or an eikaiwa teacher or working hard at either, they will always been seen as a jobs not needing qualifications. And as from this, so when Glenski mentions that a profession has to start at the bottom somewhere, I would put BOTH eikaiwa and ALT, as their entry requirements to do either are the same.

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