Job Discussion Forums

[TawtViet]

I am working in Japan as an Assistant English Teacher (AET) at two junior high schools. For the most part the kids are pretty sweet and I often have a good time with them. My job is full time with a salary. I get long paid vacations, live in a comfortable, safe country, and have a nice quiet apartment. The air is so clean.
At the same time there are some drawbacks: 1.Japanese English teaching methods are so very flawed and my input only helps overcome that problem to very small degree.
2. Japanese JHS students are so very reluctant to take advantage og English speaking opportunities offered in EFL classes.
3. Japanese teachers will tell you that they are called by the government to produce a new generation of more international Japanese people but they don't really seem to follow this mandate.
4. I have days where I stay at my desk all day because the Japanese English teachers are preparing students for a test or something like that.
5. Sometimes the ALTs are only used as a pronunciation tape recorder.
6. I constantly witness methods used or units rushed through which guarantee the students will never aquire a speaking skill in the language.
7. Many students absolutely hate English classes.
All these drawbacks make me long to get out of here at times. I really want to teach more, and experience less shy, more interested students. I'm a 49 year old man and am not sure how that plays in Vietnam. I am not saying I would expect the living comfort I have here but at the same time I don't desire an extreme change in my comfort and convenience level.
So many things about teaching in Vietnam sound great on this sight (yet there are great things where I am) but I would like some insight and advice from some of you. Would VN be worth packing my bags, and giving up all I have here (the good and the slightly stressful)?

[jojoni]

I would say stay where you are. I was an exchanged student in Japan. And now I am teaching English in Korea. What I can tell you is that students are practically all the same every where. The only different is that they will pay more attention to you or behave better if you are some what fluent in their language.

Of course, Vietnam is new to the language so may be it is different there. But the country is full of polution and god knows what else. How funny my message is full of negatives, and I am heading there at the end of this month. WHY? I am visiting my sister and looking to open a school there or perhaps a bookstore that include an English tutoring center. :)

[sigmoid]

[Mr Wind-up Bird]

[GeorgeD]

[GeorgeD]

sorry got your name wrong there , jojoni, not jojonu

a deliberate mistake

[GeorgeD]

and all the other typos i made

[jojoni]

Hello GeorgeD

SHAME ON YOU!!!!

[TawtViet]

Thanks for the general concensus I got from about everyone. I had no idea the TEFL teaching situation was about the same everywhere. I had only read things like this for example: "Japan is the poster child for failure at English." I had thought than the communicative style was more in use in other countries. It seems so ridiculous here at times. For example, in one textbook unit a Japanese girl goes to Bangladesh and while working says, "...pumping water from a well isn't easy." The students seem to aquire nothing. Later, why can't they exclaim "This isn't easy" when faced with something difficult? Once a unit is rushed through and left in the past, there is no playing with, exploring, and discovery of how the language works in real life, personal situations.
One teacher I briefly talked to a couple of months ago had been in Vietnam said that students there weren't as shy. Recently I ran into a couple of young people from Cambodia who spoke good English. Later I was profoundly angry and therefore had thoughts like this: "They come from such a poor, struggling, under developed country and look at how well they speak the global language! Japan in turn is rich, has had EFL language schools forever, and has seen an unlimited supply of Engish teachers for as long as anyone can remember. There is no excuse!"
Arguments can start like this: "Why should the Japanese learn to speak English as they never need to use it in Japan?" The same arguement could be used for those in under developed countries. How about this arguement: You are part of the world and why not be responsible in a global community where so very many people speak English. There was an article in a newspaper here a while back that was addressing the desire of some Japanese to converse in English with "non-Japanese". I was shocked that not once in the entire article did the author write "native English speakers".So very many times he wrote "...speak with non-Japanese." I soon realized that the author was correct however. it seems that nearly all foriegners here, no matter what country they are from, can readily speak English. I have gotten so disgusted here at times realizing that ther is no excuse for the Japanese.
After referring to all this I hope you understand my previous thinking that things just have to be better elsewhere. I guess after reading your comments my hopeful bubble was burst a little that I could find a nearly perfect place to teach. Thanks again for the eye opening reality.

[sigmoid]

Have you checked out the Job Info Journal for Vietnam?

go to:
http://www.eslcafe.com/jobinfo/asia/sefer.cgi?Vietnam

You'll find a lot of varied opinions and information about teaching in Vietnam.

[kimmie_nguyen]