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TetsuwanAtomu
Joined: 08 Aug 2014
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:53 pm Post subject: Can I substitute state ID for driver's license requirement? |
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Hello there.
I am planning on teaching English in Japan someday. My intention is to get a Bachelor in English along with a TEFL/TESOL certificate and then move to Japan. However, I don't have any experience driving and I'm not sure how I'm going to get one especially since my family isn't exactly encouraging me to get one (because of my autism, not that has stopped others with my condition from driving, that's just the reason my family gave). From what I recall, most jobs don't require a valid driver's license, but this one does (outdated, but just a hypothetical example):
http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=32484
Like almost every job in Japan, this requires a Bachelor degree along with it preferring TESOL or other equivalence and teaching experience (the latter I won't be able to get unless I were to get a Master in ESL). However, one thing I noticed here that I haven't noticed in many other jobs is that they require a valid driver's license. I tried contacting them, but I'm not sure how to work with international numbers (tried to looked it up and it didn't reach them no matter what I did). I do, however, have an equivalence of a non-driving ID given to me, which is a State ID card. Could I legally use my state ID in place of the driver's license requirement, since it is the equivalence without it giving me permission to drive or are no substitutions allowed? I'd like to know so that if I need a driver's license, I'll go find a way to get it. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Can I substitute state ID for driver's license requireme |
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| TetsuwanAtomu wrote: |
| Could I legally use my state ID in place of the driver's license requirement, since it is the equivalence without it giving me permission to drive or are no substitutions allowed? I'd like to know so that if I need a driver's license, I'll go find a way to get it. |
Companies that say you need a valid driving license mean that you need to have a valid driving license, not a state ID. This is because the positions they have are likely more rural, and you will need to drive to get to the school where you'd be teaching. A state ID won't let you drive in Japan.
You say that your autism is "the reason [your] family gave" that is stopping you from getting a driving license. You are an adult, right? If you feel you are physically and mentally able, go get a driving license, if that's something you want.
| Quote: |
| Like almost every job in Japan, this requires a Bachelor degree along with it preferring TESOL or other equivalence and teaching experience (the latter I won't be able to get unless I were to get a Master in ESL). |
I'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to get teaching experience without an MA in ESL. You can definitely get lots of experience with just a bachelor's degree. |
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TetsuwanAtomu
Joined: 08 Aug 2014
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:14 am Post subject: Re: Can I substitute state ID for driver's license requireme |
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| rtm wrote: |
Companies that say you need a valid driving license mean that you need to have a valid driving license, not a state ID. This is because the positions they have are likely more rural, and you will need to drive to get to the school where you'd be teaching. A state ID won't let you drive in Japan. |
Fair enough, thanks for answering my question.
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| You say that your autism is "the reason [your] family gave" that is stopping you from getting a driving license. You are an adult, right? If you feel you are physically and mentally able, go get a driving license, if that's something you want. |
Yes, I'm currently twenty.
But I'm not sure how I'm going to convince my family that I need to learn how to drive. I know that I am capable of driving, but it seems as in some way, my family don't see that. My grandparents claim that they'll take me to a rural area to teach me how to drive, but they've never done that. Even if I were to move with them to Stephenville and attend Tarleton State University (like they want me to, personally I have zero interest), I still doubt they would teach me how to drive (or get me help for it).
| Quote: |
| I'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to get teaching experience without an MA in ESL. You can definitely get lots of experience with just a bachelor's degree. |
My bad, I should clarify.
I'm not saying I can't get experience teaching ESL with a bachelor degree, but that I wouldn't be able to get experience teaching ESL before going to Japan. Unless I'm missing something, I don't think I could get ESL jobs in the United States with a Bachelor and as such, would have to go to Japan with minimal prior teaching experience (pretty much just what a TESOL/TEFL certificate would provide). Also, I don't want to drown myself in debt by getting a Master in ESL right after graduating from college and would prefer to hold off on it until I pay whatever debt I accumulate and have no further opportunities to move up in salary/positions. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 6:56 am Post subject: Re: Can I substitute state ID for driver's license requireme |
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| TetsuwanAtomu wrote: |
| But I'm not sure how I'm going to convince my family that I need to learn how to drive. |
Why do you need to convince them or have them teach you? Isn't there some form of public or private driver training available where you live? Can't you just go and sign up?
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| Unless I'm missing something, I don't think I could get ESL jobs in the United States with a Bachelor and as such, would have to go to Japan with minimal prior teaching experience (pretty much just what a TESOL/TEFL certificate would provide). |
You are right that you probably wouldn't be able to get a job teaching ESL in the US with only a bachelors degree. You would probably have to go abroad (not specifically to Japan, but that's your choice). If you have a BA in any subject, you will have the same qualifications as about 95% of foreign EFL teachers in Japan. If you have a TESL/TEFL certificate, you'll have more qualifications than probably 75% of foreign EFL teachers in Japan. It's still a fairly flooded market, though.
I'd suggest you read these forums a bit more to get a big-picture idea of teaching in Japan and finding teaching job. |
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TetsuwanAtomu
Joined: 08 Aug 2014
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: Can I substitute state ID for driver's license requireme |
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| rtm wrote: |
| Why do you need to convince them or have them teach you? Isn't there some form of public or private driver training available where you live? Can't you just go and sign up? |
I don't need them to teach me, but they're under the assumption that I don't need to drive for any reason; pointing to how many people in New York City don't drive and yet live normal lives (even though they're clearly in a different situation than I would be if I choose to live in a rural area, especially if I hypothetically took this job offered). Also because from what I've heard from them, paying for a car is expensive (and well... college is expensive).
And yes, my town does have drive training service available, but I'd need to look more into it. However, if I can't get my grandparents to teach me how to drive, then I guess the only thing I can do is to start learning when I have transferred to a four-year university (University of Texas at San Antonio or if I'm lucky, Texas A&M). |
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The Fifth Column
Joined: 11 Jun 2014
Posts: 331
Location: His habitude with lexical items protrudes not unlike a damaged pollex!!!
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 1:12 am Post subject: |
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| ...I guess the only thing I can do is to start learning when I have transferred to a four-year university (University of Texas at San Antonio... |
You DO NOT want to learn to drive while attending UTSA...
...THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!!! |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:52 pm Post subject: Re: Can I substitute state ID for driver's license requireme |
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| rtm wrote: |
You are right that you probably wouldn't be able to get a job teaching ESL in the US with only a bachelors degree. |
Re-reading my last post, I wanted to clarify the above. If you get (ESL) teacher certification as part of your degree, then you would be able to teach ESL in the US with only a bachelors degree.
| TetsuwanAtomu wrote: |
| I don't need them to teach me, but they're under the assumption that I don't need to drive for any reason |
Then tell them the reason you need to be able to drive, if you have one.
| TetsuwanAtomu wrote: |
| And yes, my town does have drive training service available, but I'd need to look more into it. |
"Looking into it" would probably take all of maybe an hour or 2 at most to get all information you need. Get going. If it's something you want to do, then do it. |
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