Job Discussion Forums

[ghostrider]

I've heard a rumor from a few fellow English teachers that the government is cutting the funding for the extra conversation based English courses in private schools in a year or few years. It's the primary source of jobs for foreign English teachers in private k-12 schools, particularly JHS and SHS.

These classes are planned, taught, and graded by a foreign English teacher in English. They are intended to supplement the grammar based classes taught by Japanese teachers.

I haven't been able to find any official news source for this rumor. I think it's big news if true. The job market here is already saturated and quite bleak for those without major qualifications. Without these positions, there is no where to go after ALT, except back to the university for a Master's degree or Phd (though many of these teachers have advanced teaching degrees already). Most of us teaching these classes now will be scrambling for lower paying jobs as ALT or eikaiwa teachers.

[Glenski]

I wouldn't put any stock in such rumors. Besides, what "program for Oral Communication" are you MOD EDIT talking about anyway? JET? That would be about the only real program the gov sponsors.

What you may have heard is that funding for Eigo Note is being dropped. Not a big loss.

[ghostrider]

I tried to clarify my original title and comment. It's not the JET program. Many private schools have a supplemental English class that is taught in English and based on conversation. I made it clear that the little bit I've heard is word of mouth. I have not found anything to confirm this online. I'm personally concerned as I am currently employed in such a position and would like to plan accordingly if this is true so I'm not forced to return to my home town jobless and broke.

[Glenski]

Then, I don't know what program you are referring to. Sorry I can't help more. Perhaps ask others closer to your program...?

[TokyoLiz]

Genki English posted a message in November about MEXT abolishing the Eigo Note text series,
http://genkienglish.net/teaching/eigo-note-or-even-english-to-be-abolished-gov-wants-you-to-choose

On the MEXT homepage, this document (which was referred to in the Genki English blog post)
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/hyouka/kekka/08100105/022.htm


This Japan Times article was published before MEXT talked about scrapping Eigo Note.
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/hyouka/kekka/08100105/022.htm

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Private schools don't get a whole lot of money from the government- they're private. They get their money from the parents of the students.

If you read the national curriculum documents, then you'll see why private schools cutting ALTs just doesn't make sense- especially when you take into account that the public schools are going in the opposite direction- increasing the amount of English. Some schools may cut communicative classes in favour of more grammar based ones because they are always thinking of the entrance exam the kids have to face- ones that increasingly aren't based on sentence level manipulation, but many schools refuse to look at that, even when they see the previous year's tests right in front of their faces. The reason may be twofold: 1. Change. Teachers don't really want to change what they've been doing for decades, and so use the (understandable) assumption that a harder test just means that they have to work harder at what they do 2. Many Japanese Teachers of English aren't equipped to teach communicative classes- they have no training in it, their English level isn't quite high enough (Japanese teachers can never EVER be 'wrong' in a class. They often can't get way with 'That's a REALLY good question! I'll look it up and get back to you next class!' which makes for a very difficult situation. They cannot possible anticipate EVERY question that any student at any level may ask). And so this type of class often ends up with the foreigner in charge and the Japanese teacher appearing to not be doing a whole lot of necessary stuff (other than translating into Japanese instructions- which may or may not be necessary). Most Japanese teachers HATE that, and yet the problem is that that's exactly the kind of situation that one of the curriculum documents seems to be suggesting ( see number 2 'upgrading the teaching system' in this document). School structure is very hierarchal. It's a shit-runs downhill kind of a structure and passing the buck is very common. At the bottom of that hierarchy is the foreigner. But then when the foreigner actually does anything, it makes the Japanese teachers (who, as I mentioned, aren't actually equipped to do what's necessary) 'jealous' (they feel like they're not being respected enough). At most schools outside of the elementary level (and not even always then) the textbook is the de-facto curriculum and syllabus. That's what Japanese teachers are taught to do, as far as instruction is concerned- process a textbook. The majority of their job isn't actually about teaching core material, it's being a role-model etc. In a work area that is both very traditional and where appearances are very important, having a foreigner appear in charge in front of the students is just not-on- especially when it comes to things like decisions about promotions.

I think you may be thinking about the gradual reduction of the JET program, and that's been going on for years. JETs are expensive. Dispatch companies offer salaries to foreign teachers that are very low. BoEs want the cheapest labour possible, and often don't really care about the quality- and that's the perfect fit for many dispatch companies.

[ghostrider]

Yeah, think this was a case of misunderstanding/lost in translation.
I was looking at an advertisement for a private school position and it specifically mentioned that school was expanding its English language program.

Also, I'm not aware of any private school ALT positions. I've been to many schools and have yet to see the equivalent of ALT. We plan the lessons, teach the classes, develop and score tests, have meetings, etc.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[seklarwia]

[ghostrider]

OK. Well, from my understanding, ALT = Assistant Language Teacher, and they are hired to "assist" Japanese Teachers of English in the English grammar classes. Whether a JTE decides to give most of the control/work to the ALT, and have them heavily involved in planning, is their choice. That is not the situation in which I teach. I don't "assist" anyone. I did when I was an ALT...ALT. My official job title is not ALT, and I've never been referred to as an ALT in these schools. My understanding is that private schools often have 2 English classes, one grammar based and another conversation based. I have yet to teach at a private school in which the native English teacher position is, at least technically, an assistant to a JTE's grammar class. Perhaps such positions exist though.

[seklarwia]

That maybe what ALT stands for, but there aren't many JTEs in elementary school. In elementary school, you normally have the ALT being the main teacher with the HRT (who may or may not even speak English) either assisting, or sitting in the corner doing their own thing.

And then there's the one little term that have caused many an ALT (at all levels) to suffer from nightmares: omakase.

You shouldn't assume that just because ALTs have assistant attached to their job title, that that's all they do.

[Glenski]

[fat_chris]

A ha, I recognize that ghostrider is referring to only the situations in some private high schools. Here in Shizuoka-ken, a foreigner may be hired to teach classes and "be her/his own woman/man" at such private high schools. For example, that's what our former JET PA is doing: he is currently teaching at a private high school here in Hamamatsu--no ALT moniker is in his title.

I would be interested in such a position in the future--teaching in some capacity at a private Japanese high school.

I hear you, Seklarwia. I am an ALT at a high school that has enjoyed SELHi status. I find myself quite busy with enough stimulating work to do and my situation goes well beyond the ole "human tape recorder" position.

Regards,
fat_chris

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[ghostrider]