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Black_Beer_Man
Joined: 26 Mar 2013
Posts: 453
Location: Yokohama
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 Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:20 am Post subject: What Criteria Do They Use to Hire ESL Teachers in Japan? |
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A friend and myself are here living in Japan. We've been sending out CVs and not getting hardly any replies. We are both over 40 years old and have lots of teaching experience. Of course we are wondering what might be the key reasons? Are we too old?
I've been told by a recruiter that the job market in Japan is crazy competitive now and that she can't see many of the applicants.
Meanwhile, some of the largest ESL schools and recruiters are still hiring at overseas job fairs and group interviews. One would think that it would make more sense to look at those teachers who are already in Japan as many may speak Japanese in addition to having teaching experience here.
So, I am wondering what the language schools and recruiters are looking for in their recruits? Why bother still recruiting overseas? |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:41 am Post subject: |
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Because it is like prostitution with your clothes on. Youth and females are valued more.
I am over 40 too and I am still looking.
There is the idea that younger teachers are easier to control and will go along with whatever system is pushed.
Age and gender discrimination are rife.
People who know no Japanese and those at 1 kyu are most valued.
Often it is who you know. Know the right person at the right time, and you can get work. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: What Criteria Do They Use to Hire ESL Teachers in Japan? |
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| Black_Beer_Man wrote: |
| Meanwhile, some of the largest ESL schools and recruiters are still hiring at overseas job fairs and group interviews. One would think that it would make more sense to look at those teachers who are already in Japan as many may speak Japanese in addition to having teaching experience here. |
Sometimes, Japanese language ability isn't valued by eikaiwa or ALT companies, and can actually be detrimental. These companies sometimes want to give the students more of an "immersion" experience, and force them to use English (because the teacher doesn't speak Japanese). Not all are like that, of course, but even if they don't see it as a negative, I don't think many eikaiwa or ALT companies see Japanese language ability as a big plus.
Universities often want people who speak Japanese not in order to use it in class, but so that the teacher isn't a burden on anyone in terms of taking care of administrative matters.
Age could be an issue because so many eikaiwa jobs involve teaching children, and the company (and often parents) would rather a younger (and often female) teacher teach young children than a middle-aged man. Some ALT dispatch companies might be wary of hiring an assistant teacher who would be older than many of the main teachers. |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Hmm... 
My expericence:
A photo is preferred. So look you're best and professional, but friendly. 
Visa! What visa fo you have? 
Are you married? Usually a good thing...
Do you like kids? Can you teacah them?
Also, have a friend check over your CV for proffreading mistakes. You can always miss some embarassing mistakes. 
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Big_H
Joined: 21 Dec 2013
Posts: 115
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
| Because it is like prostitution with your clothes on. Youth and females are valued more. |
A hilarious but accurate simile about the business in Japan. Images and impressions are a much bigger factor than your overall professional value and experience.
Also, certifications like TEFL and CELTA are worth taking to improve your hiring chances. |
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timothypfox
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 12:32 am Post subject: |
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| If you qualify for a private high school, they sometimes actually want someone in their 40s to work with the kids... That was my experience when I got hired. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:18 am Post subject: |
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Well I got rejected by a couple high schools. It seemed to me that they prefer an English only approach and want teachers who are certified to teach in their own countries, and have experience teaching literature and the new TOEFL.
In that way my experience in Japan counts against me. |
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RM1983
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 360
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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I think a lot of the big schools recruit overseas so they can lock freshers into the contract for the flat they push.
Look at you - 40 odd, came here all by yourself, presumably got your own place, probably a bit of rainy-day cash and got loads of experience teaching. If/when you get sick of that eikaiwa bs how fast are you gonna be out of there?
How long can you do star jumps and head shoulders knees and toes for before you give yourself a hernia to compliment the nervous breakdown?
Im looking into changing my job soonish and I honestly think the best way for me will be to build up part time work at smaller places. |
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ssjup81
Joined: 15 Jun 2009
Posts: 664
Location: Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: What Criteria Do They Use to Hire ESL Teachers in Japan? |
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| rtm wrote: |
| Black_Beer_Man wrote: |
| Meanwhile, some of the largest ESL schools and recruiters are still hiring at overseas job fairs and group interviews. One would think that it would make more sense to look at those teachers who are already in Japan as many may speak Japanese in addition to having teaching experience here. |
Sometimes, Japanese language ability isn't valued by eikaiwa or ALT companies, and can actually be detrimental. These companies sometimes want to give the students more of an "immersion" experience, and force them to use English (because the teacher doesn't speak Japanese). Not all are like that, of course, but even if they don't see it as a negative, I don't think many eikaiwa or ALT companies see Japanese language ability as a big plus. |
Too bad they don't do this themselves (public school teachers). Immersion in all respects, not just with an ALT.
Personally, if they want to improve their language skills, Japanese shouldn't be used in the classroom. Each year, Japanese should be gradually used less and less in the classroom until it gets to the point where the teacher isn't using it at all. Students should be writing out dialogues or short essays. They should be giving original presentations or presentations they wrote to practice speaking, or give speeches.
I guess I'm a bit biased given that we had to do all of those things in my area for language classes growing up... ^^ |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:15 pm Post subject: Re: What Criteria Do They Use to Hire ESL Teachers in Japan? |
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| ssjup81 wrote: |
Too bad they don't do this themselves (public school teachers). Immersion in all respects, not just with an ALT.
Personally, if they want to improve their language skills, Japanese shouldn't be used in the classroom. Each year, Japanese should be gradually used less and less in the classroom until it gets to the point where the teacher isn't using it at all. Students should be writing out dialogues or short essays. They should be giving original presentations or presentations they wrote to practice speaking, or give speeches. |
Having JTEs conduct junior high English classes in English is something that is being planned to start by 2020 (http://www.news24.jp/articles/2014/02/26/07246561.html).
Also, immersion education is being talked about more and more in Japan (e.g., http://dot.asahi.com/news/domestic/2014030500063.html).
There's still a long way to go though, of course. The English level of a lot of English teachers in Japan isn't where it needs to be to conduct classes in English. The English education system is improving, but it takes time for those who learn more to get through the system and become teachers themselves.
I've always thought that the money spent on ALTs could go a lot further if it were used to send every English teacher to study in an English-speaking country for a year. |
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RM1983
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 360
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: What Criteria Do They Use to Hire ESL Teachers in Japan? |
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| rtm wrote: |
| ssjup81 wrote: |
Too bad they don't do this themselves (public school teachers). Immersion in all respects, not just with an ALT.
Personally, if they want to improve their language skills, Japanese shouldn't be used in the classroom. Each year, Japanese should be gradually used less and less in the classroom until it gets to the point where the teacher isn't using it at all. Students should be writing out dialogues or short essays. They should be giving original presentations or presentations they wrote to practice speaking, or give speeches. |
Having JTEs conduct junior high English classes in English is something that is being planned to start by 2020 (http://www.news24.jp/articles/2014/02/26/07246561.html).
Also, immersion education is being talked about more and more in Japan (e.g., http://dot.asahi.com/news/domestic/2014030500063.html).
There's still a long way to go though, of course. The English level of a lot of English teachers in Japan isn't where it needs to be to conduct classes in English. The English education system is improving, but it takes time for those who learn more to get through the system and become teachers themselves.
I've always thought that the money spent on ALTs could go a lot further if it were used to send every English teacher to study in an English-speaking country for a year. |
In Korea my school got the job of helping a set of High School teachers prepare to teach all in English.
They spent 6 months in the US working in real schools studying language acquisition and then came back to put it all together. My role was to help with their project work and final presentations.
It was a long summer as it was all overtime, and some of my colleagues thought it was funny as we were essentially helping them to do our jobs!!!
I actually think the way Korean hagwons do it is good - Korean teacher has a class to teach the new language then native speaker spends the next hour practising it.
Anyway, Japan wants to do the classes all in English by 2020? Have I misunderstood something or have they mossed the point of having native speakers almost entirely? Bit behind the times with this. Good luck to them anyway |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: What Criteria Do They Use to Hire ESL Teachers in Japan? |
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| RM1983 wrote: |
| Anyway, Japan wants to do the classes all in English by 2020? Have I misunderstood something or have they mossed the point of having native speakers almost entirely? |
Yes. |
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