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silent-noise
Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 37
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 Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:51 am Post subject: Altia and Japanese ability |
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so as i sit here waiting to find out whether i get invited back for a second AEON interview, i'm looking at other teaching opportunities...one of which is ALTIA which looks pretty good based on the reviews i've read here and what they offer....
however, one of the things that has me concerned is the japanese-language requirement....i read that it should be at least at a conversational level...how important is this (in terms of their decision to hire somebody)? i have just finished a Japanese level 1 class...and i'm planning on taking the level 2 class in a couple of weeks...
thanks,
me |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Altia and Japanese ability |
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| silent-noise wrote: |
so as i sit here waiting to find out whether i get invited back for a second AEON interview, i'm looking at other teaching opportunities...one of which is ALTIA which looks pretty good based on the reviews i've read here and what they offer....
however, one of the things that has me concerned is the japanese-language requirement....i read that it should be at least at a conversational level...how important is this (in terms of their decision to hire somebody)? i have just finished a Japanese level 1 class...and i'm planning on taking the level 2 class in a couple of weeks...
thanks,
me |
Japanese ability is not required to get a teaching job here as you are paid to teach English. Japanese English teachers like ALTs to be able to speak some Japanese but its not a condition of employment. The only places I have Japanese needed is at universities when dealing with bureaucracy and student administration. You will need Japanese outside the classroom more than inside it.
For the benefit of others can you tell me what a level 1 class or a Level 2 class entails? The Japanese language proficiency test uses similar terms but im sure its not the same thing. |
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Lynn
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 2:02 am Post subject: Re: Altia and Japanese ability |
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| silent-noise wrote: |
so as i sit here waiting to find out whether i get invited back for a second AEON interview, i'm looking at other teaching opportunities...one of which is ALTIA which looks pretty good based on the reviews i've read here and what they offer....
however, one of the things that has me concerned is the japanese-language requirement....i read that it should be at least at a conversational level...how important is this (in terms of their decision to hire somebody)? i have just finished a Japanese level 1 class...and i'm planning on taking the level 2 class in a couple of weeks...
thanks,
me |
The information I have is old. I worked for them from 98-2000. Japanese speaking was a requirment. The reason is because the office is in Nagoya but most of the schools are in rurual areas of Japan. You have to be comfortable with daily living without anyone being able to help you. They found and aparmtent for me and set me up with a company car so I could go to all 10 of my schools. We also spent one day where I was introduced to each principal and at the same time shown how to get to the schools. The meetings with the principals were all conducted in Japanese, but if you can't speak much, I suppose you could just smile and let the Altia rep do the talking.
I was there to teach English, but the person who was assigned to show me where my shoe box. locker, desk was couldn't speak English. Furthermore, we did have to discuss how I was to pay for my school lunch. All those little things, Altia didn't do with me. But even if your Japanese isn't that good, you could still figure it out, I'm sure.
Overall, the impression I got, was that since you are really left out on your own, Altia's reasoning is if you can speak Japanese, you are less likely to become homesick and quit.
If you can show them that a language barrier won't bring you down, and you like "challenges" of living in a community where English is not spoken, it shouldn't be a problem. |
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silent-noise
Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:58 am Post subject: |
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actually, i read about the japanese-language requirement on gaijinpot...not here on the messageboard...but how was your experience lynn? i'm currently in los angeles, and it looks like they don't have a recruitment session here and i'll have to go to seattle to do it...unless there's an alternative
as for the japanese learning levels...i'll just pull the info straight off the class description:
Level 1:
This course begins a sequence of three courses (X 400A, X 400B, X 400C) covering the first year of college-level Japanese. Instruction introduces fundamental language skills. Conversational skills (listening, comprehension, and speaking) are emphasized, including grammar and pronunciation. Reading and writing in Hiragana are introduced.
Basically, hiragana, simple everyday vocabulary, greetings, asking who, where, how many type questions, and past tense
Level 2:
A continuation of X 400A, this course introduces Katakana and Kanji. |
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stretch
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:35 am Post subject: japanese proficiency |
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I can confirm that one as well.
I was offered a job from Altia (last year). Job requirement was definetly Japanese. I'm definetly not fluent (can't read a newspaper or discuss politics) but I can get by. They never tested me on it and my interview was entirely in Enlgish. Seemed to be an excellent company from what I could gather. |
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yamanote senbei
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 435
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:01 am Post subject: |
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| It appears that Altia wants people with some Japanese ability but not enough that they can read the Japanese section of their website and discover that the company is illegally outsourcing ALTs. |
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silent-noise
Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:26 am Post subject: |
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| yamanote senbei wrote: |
| the company is illegally outsourcing ALTs. |
is that true? they sound pretty reputable from what i've read so far...
stretch: what did they test you on in terms of your japanese? |
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yamanote senbei
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 435
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 6:09 am Post subject: |
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| silent-noise wrote: |
is that true? they sound pretty reputable from what i've read so far...
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That's what it says on their website. Check my post on Altia in another thread. |
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stretch
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:58 am Post subject: altia |
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| Silent-noise...the never asked me for any proof of my japanese ability. I just told them I had lived in Japan before, wife whose second generation and that was that. However, I was prepared to speak in Japanese if need be. But I have never taken and of the JLPT tests. |
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Lynn
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between
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| Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| When I worked there I got a bonus for passing the Japanese language proficiency test. |
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