Job Discussion Forums

[Omeo]

How strict are they about not using Japanese in the classroom over there? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I can do a good job of avoiding it, but I could see myself possibley letting a word or two slip out before I get use to not using it. Would I be in big trouble right away or do they let it slide for new teachers as long as it doesn't become a habit?

[Sweetsee]

It all depends on where you are working Omeo and what your situation is. You may find yourself working for a language school that frowns on using the students' L1 and then again you may find yourself in a position that I was in where the school asks that you use Japanese because the students can't understand anything else. Do you have any idea what kind of a job you will have?

[Omeo]

I'm aiming for eikaiwa work right now. I'll look at high schools and universities when I get there.

[Sweetsee]

Having never worked for a big eikaiwa I couldn't really tell you, though I suspect that that would be the least of your worries.
Good luck to you.
Enjoy,
s

[JimDunlop2]

Yeah, it really all does depend on where you work, but having worked in an eikaiwa before, I can say that a few words here and there won't make a difference to most. It's just if you bust out with the pera-pera teaching-everything-in-Japanese bit that may cause them to give you a talking-to. But having said that, where I used to work, there were at least two guys who basically just spoke in Japanese the entire time even though it was technically not allowed. No one said anything.

[TK4Lakers]

Just to echo what everyone has said, yes it depends where you work.

I'm an ALT for a JHS and 3 ES, and I've had two principals (who want to put strength into the English program at their respective schools, and who have both travelled abroad and are somewhat fluent in English) tell me not to use English whatsoever at the school.

At first, this was really annoying and bothersome. The principals didn't even want me to use Japanese when I spoke to other teachers, just so the teacher's would be forced to use English with me (and try to improve their skills).

I still used Japanese behind their backs, and I was a bit selfish in that, part of the reason why I'm here in Japan is to have a good experiece interacting with the students, so I wanted to communicate with them in their natural language (I'm pretty fluent in Japanese btw).

BUT...after getting used to teaching, and hearing different opinions, I recently decided to use little to no Japanese as much as I can. And here are my reasons (in no particular order):

1. First off, I teach in the inaka, and I realize that most of these students don't ever get the chance to practice English, let alone meet a foreigner. So as much as I look Japanese (I'm actually Japanese-American), I try to act as American as I can sometimes, and that means speaking nothing but English.

2. I observed a English class at the famous Narita ES (any posters work there???). Ask any school about Narita ES and they'd be sure to know about their excellent English program there. Anyway, back to the subject...the ALT's there do not use any Japanese either, so I viewed that as a plus and try to imitate that.

3. Speaking only English in the classroom does indeed bring up the atmosphere, and I believe it does increase their English level. It makes the students use their mind and imagination more, and gives you more credibility as an English teacher.

I've used a lot of Japanese before in the classroom, and I didn't like what it led to. A lot of side chatter, a lot of off the subject talking, and the students all saw me as a natural Japanese person.

I still do use some Japanese in the classrooms, especially when trying to explain a game or activity. But like I said, I try to limit it as much as possible. I use the HRT or JTE as much as I can too, and they help me explain the rules or team-teach the lessons.

Just off a little off topic...but since I work for a dispatch company, I like many others was just thrown into the classroom without any useful training. If anyone who is new to the scene has the chance to observe an English class at Narita ES (Narita welcomes anyone and everyone), I highly recommend it. I learned so much in just half a day's observance. It was more helpful than any other training I recieved. It was so excellent that I was thinking about making another post related to my experience. But I got the jist of it out here.

[Gypsy Rose Kim]

You won't be helping the students at all if you speak Japanese in the classroom. In fact, if they pay for English only, they might get a bit annoyed. I know it irked me when my Canadian classmates made my Japanese teacher speak English in our class.

However, your students will love you for speaking some Japanese, and they will want to chat with you outside of class. I think that is acceptable and commendable.

If you work in a public school, you'll have tons of time to practice Japanese with your coteachers. Just leave it out of the classroom, I know it's hard at first especially when you teach kids. The more you get used to English only, the better your teaching will be.

One more thing: if you like, you can get private students and many of them really like having a native teacher who can explain things in Japanese. With privates, you and the students agree on the style of lesson without interference from a company boss.

[Eva Pilot]

Peppy Kids Club has a policy of no Japanese in the classroom unless a child's physical or mental well-being is in danger.

Pretty simple really, although they are not going to fire you if one word slips out.

I suppose you just need to try to restrain yourself, whatever company you are working for.

[ripslyme]

At Nova for example, Japanese in the classroom is a BIG no-no. You'll get bad marks on your evaluation if you do. They're pretty strict about it. Even if they hear you say "konnichiwa" to someone in the hall between lessons, someone may tell you to stop speaking Japanese to the students.

[Venti]

[c-way]

One helpful way to avoid using Japanese in the classroom is to fail to learn the language in the first place.

After I was here a few months I realized that some Japanese words were seeping into my brain from the surrounding environment. I realized that if I gained the ability to speak Japanese, I would be tempted to use it in the classroom and spoil the learning environment for my dedicated and enthusiastic students.

SO, I scrapped the Japanese language materials my girlfriend bought and did my best to tune out the bits of conversation I would hear at the office and on the train. Before long, the "language scare", as I like to call it, was averted and my Japanese ability thankfully dropped back from meager to non-existent.

This leaves me free to utter nonsensical phrases to my students that let them know: "Please don't try to speak Japanese to me, because as you can see by the fact that you don't understand any of the Japanese I am saying to you, I am clearly not going to understand any of the Japanese that you say to me".

And these brazen mistakes and overall incoherent attempt at a second language let them know that it is ok for them to make mistakes too.

[Omeo]

I guess the main thing I'm a little concerned about is stuff like accidentally saying "Konnichiwa" to a student or walking in for class and accidentally saying "Ohayougozaimazu!". I'm also a little concerned that, if I'm trying to explain a word to a student, I'll accidentally spit out the Japanese word if I know it before I can stop myself. Again, I think I can do a good job of avoiding that, but I can see a word or two possibley slipping out before I realize what I'm saying. I'm not worried about intentionally or accidentally giving a whole sentence in japanese. I'm sure I'd stop myself after one word, if it happened.

[seanmcginty]

I worked at a lot of different schools and policy varied. I wouldn't worry much about it though, you don't get watched very closely in most schools (maybe NOVA is an exception with those glass cubicles), so even if you let some slip out every once in a while nobody is likely to notice/care. I would always try to explain stuff in English but occasionally in the interest of class management it would be much easier to just say the Japanese word for something rather than spending 5 minutes trying to explain some trivial piece of vocabulary that, though simple, was extremely difficult to actually put into words.

[japanman]

I often think that using Japanese at work in a government school is a great idea. It actualy helps to promote international understanding as much as you teaching them English. Japanese have to get more used to the idea that non-Japanese can speak Japanese. If a kid sees someone of a different nation speaking their language it will stop the "eigo wakaranai" mentality that seperates us and them so much. The "blood and soil" nationalism that you get in Japan can only be softened if Japanese realise that the Japanese language isn't only for Japanese people. I'm only talking about work in govt schools though, the eikaiwa kids stuff is a differnt ball game.

[Brooks]

I used to use more Japanese in class but the deal is that I am paid to speak English, have my students listen to English and for them to speak English and get better at pronouncing English.

If I use Japanese in class they will speak Japanese back to me.
My students can use Japanese 24/7 in their lives, but they just get to use English in class at the least.

I do think it depends what you are teaching. If you teach reading or grammar, some Japanese is ok, but if you can teach them in English that they understand, that's the best.

When we give directions or are trying to explain something in English, we have to keep it simple, and that is not always easy to do.