Comments by "Jordan, inside-outsider in Japan" (@Jordan-inJapan) on "What’s it like Teaching English in Japan ?" video.

I’ve lived in Japan and taught English here for more than 20 years, so I just wanted to share some of my experience. First of all, not all the English teachers here are happy with the situation. Japan isn’t an easy place to live for everyone. Your personality and of course the specific situation you end up in make a big difference. Generally speaking the pay is decent, especially if it’s your first job and you don’t have any dependents. I should mention though that English teacher salaries DON’T really increase with experience or time. (And transitioning to another line of work in Japan isn’t easy either.) The work situation is also really different depending whether you work at a private conversation school, as a dispatch company ALT, or JET ALT. The latter is definitely the cushiest option, but hard to get into. Well I could go on forever but I think I’ll wrap this up now. If anyone has any specific questions, I’d be happy to answer.
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@ganndalf202 you don’t have to be a good public speaker. Being in front of a group of students is quite a different thing than addressing an audience. I have a few friends (currently JET ALTs) who are very shy people and they have both gotten quite comfortable teaching public school kids, even though they looked really nervous at first. Their speaking voices have gotten much louder as well. And the non-native-speaker thing. The truth is, it’s much easier to get hired if you are a native speaker from a country that people associate with English. (This is especially true in the private sector.) It doesn’t mean you won’t get hired, it just means you have to prove yourself first, and your first job could be lower-paying than it would otherwise. That said, it’s all about timing. When a school/company really needs a teacher, they won’t be so picky. (As long as you can speak well, of course.) I recommend checking if the JET Program has a connection in your country, and try applying there first. If that doesn’t work out, research your other options. Finally, as for the money, not all teaching jobs pay well…but most pay enough that you can support yourself and save a little. (You can actually live quite cheaply in Japan, if you’re careful.) I hope that helps. Good luck!
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@ganndalf202 generally speaking, it’s not a requirement. But as someone from a country not typically associated with English language, it might be helpful for you to have in some situations.
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@ganndalf202 No problem. And thank you for checking out my channel, btw. Maybe I should create some content about teaching English here. Could be useful for people?
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@laflaca80 Learning basic Japanese will definitely make things go more smoothly. Nearly everyone knows some English though, so by mixing the two languages, with a heavy dose of gestures, you should be fine. (If you ever have communication issues, one tip is to write words down to show people. Many people here have troubles understanding spoken English, but can generally read it .) And Okinawa. One of my favorite places in the world. (Especially “Ishigaki Island”. My family spent a week there one time and it was absolutely wonderful.) I wouldn’t worry too much about the dialectic difference. There are a couple of special words or expressions, but nothing caused any problems.
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@ganndalf202 The 3 biggest ones are: Gaijin Pot Jobs in Japan Ohayosensei These primarily list job openings in conversation schools and dispatch companies. (The easiest jobs to get, especially if you don’t have much experience yet.)
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@aGGeRReS Good question! In fact, there have been essays written about this, and not everyone agrees on the answer. But I think it comes down to a few things. First, English and Japanese are just really different languages. Like, for most people it takes an immersive situation to force your brain to adjust and really be able to understand/speak fluently. Second, Japanese culture itself is a barrier to learning foreign languages. People here don’t want to answer a question unless they’re really confident about their answer. So in English class, many people would rather say nothing than risk a grammar mistake. (You can’t learn a language this way.) To make matters worse, there seems to be a common belief among Japanese people that they just aren’t (genetically??) able to master foreign languages. “Well what do you expect? I’m Japanese!” Finally, until recently at least, there just hasn’t been a real NEED to learn English here. I mean, it didn’t have any real effect on most people’s career or financial status. Most Japanese Prime Ministers and business leaders couldn’t speak it. For the average person, mastering English has been more of a party trick than anything. Sure, students hear again and again, “English is important for your future.” But for most people that just hasn’t been true. So people just focused on passing some important tests, and then forget it afterwards. All that said, I get the sense that things are changing now, and there are not real financial imperatives to learning the language. So it makes sense to me that people’s English level will start to go up soon. Hopefully…🤞
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@dillon8818 if you have a university degree, you’re qualified most jobs here. (Good communication skills and native-like fluency are also pretty important.)
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@aceofspartons5779 There are many foreign international students doing graduate or post-grad studies here. (In fact, I’ve heard that Japanese universities depend on it, since there aren’t enough native Japanese students doing advanced degrees.) So I assume it isn’t particularly hard to be accepted into such a program. As for the language question… Japanese is not an easy language to learn, especially if you’re native language is something like English where the structure is completely opposite. So if you’re expecting to be out on the street doing Takashi-style interviews after a few months of study you’re going to be disappointed. It generally takes a couple of YEARS of exposure before your brain starts to be able to smoothly process Japanese. (I was hopeless for the first few years.) My advice is, study as much as you can before coming here. Both with formal materials like textbooks, etc, and also using free resources like videos on YouTube. There a lot of channels offering high-quality Japanese lessons, if you just look around a bit. (My channel is Japan-focused, but not so useful on the language side. Sorry.) Anyway, good luck!
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@aceent5145 Yeah, private lessons are a good option to supplement a mediocre income. Until recently, ALTs (and other employees) working directly for city governments were not allowed to do outside work. Many did, but we had to keep it hidden to avoid trouble. But since last year, the rules have changed and it’s officially allowed (nearly) nationwide, which makes things simpler. To be honest though, the reason I’m able to own a house and raise a family on an ALT salary is because I’m not doing it on an ALT salary alone. My wife is Japanese and works for a major company that pays a decent salary. Since she has to do overtime work/ extended business trips etc, I’m the main domestic person in our family, cooking, taking care of kids, etc. So, my ALT job’s easy schedule makes it possible for me to support her career. So the REAL secret to making it in Japan is… 😆
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@Riri-bc6vx No, I’ve never heard of any overt discrimination against Muslims here. One of the ALTs I work with in my city, a woman from Bangladesh, wears a hijab at work and no one has ever questioned it. Japanese just think people from foreign countries are kind of exotic, and any differences are usually just seen as interesting. The only issue I can foresee would be about food. Some people get irritated about those with dietary restrictions/special choices, since a part of Japanese culture is that everyone eats the same thing, together. But don’t worry, they’ll get used to it. 😀
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@zenwisdom4259 I certainly understand the appeal of Hokkaido. Especially in the summer. As for the job, are you talking about ‘farm stay’? Or would you actually be working for proper wages?
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@zenwisdom4259 understandable. I think you’d be able to support yourself, especially if room and board are included, as I’ve heard, but you probably won’t be able to save much. (I’m not really sure about farm work, so of course do your own research.) English teaching can get boring, but it’s always a safe option.
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@gordonbgraham damn, so you took the ‘big step up.’ Nice work. Some years back I started to receive encouragement from my Japanese co-teachers and Principal to do that. (Up to that point I hadn’t even known it was an option.) I seriously considered it. In the end, it was witnessing their insane work schedules (and occasional burnouts) that made me decide against. I’m guessing you really work for that raise in salary. Do you supervise club activities as well?
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@mohsen6302 The majority of teaching jobs in Japan aren’t intended to lead to a career, so your salary won’t change even with experience or a master’s degree. One notable exception to this is if you work at a private high school and manage to get a teaching license from a Japanese university. I recommend that you read the reply (or separate post) by ‘Gordon Graham’. He gives good advice on how to make this work. IF you have a non-Japanese teaching license, you may be able to use it at an ‘international school’, but I don’t have any personal experience with this. Finally, there’s always starting your own school. Not without risk of course, but I have several friends who have been quite successful at this. All the best!
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@Riri-bc6vx You’re welcome! 😊
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懐かしい！I used to work at Aeon, and had a similar experience. ALT work is definitely easier, but I still kind of miss those days.
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@marshallmhamad I checked online and unfortunately Iraq is not one of the participating countries in the JET program. (This is always a good first option to try.) So I guess you’re stuck with searching around online for companies that hire internationally. Good luck! And good luck with that research too!
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@zenwisdom4259 from what I’ve seen, most young women in the countryside can’t wait to leave and head for the big city. Probably not what you want to hear. 😆
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@aceent5145 First of all, thanks for checking out my channel. I’m glad you like the craft beer content. I’ll have to make more. 🍻 As for my job, I work as an ALT, directly hired by my city’s Board of Education. My main duties are teaching in elementary and junior high schools, but I also make videos and other online content for schools in my cities. The pay is not great, but it’s stable. I work from 8:30 to 4:15 on weekdays, and get 23 paid vacation days a year. (Check my ‘Japanese Schools during the Pandemic’ video to get a feel for what it’s like inside a public school here.) And your other question. So you want to live in Japan long-term and make a good salary teaching English? It’s not easy to do, but certainly possible. There are three ways that I know of: 1.Get a University job; 2.Start your own English conversation school; or 3. Upgrade your language skills, get a teaching license from a Japanese university and become a REAL teacher, probably at a high school. As for the third option, refer to the earlier advice from Gordon Graham. I know people who have succeeded at all three of these options. But I know many more who have given up and left the country, frustrated, or just decided to keep working at a low-responsibility job with a low salary. (Kind of like me. The salary part, anyway. 😅)
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@Mansplainer452 As far as I know, JET doesn’t hire ALTs more than once. (It MIGHT be possible to apply again for a CIR position, but it would be a long shot.). I’d say your best bet would be to apply to a dispatch company or English conversation school that recruits from overseas. The salary might not be the best, but they take care of your visa and accommodations etc. Then start looking for a direct-hire ALT job, which is basically JET without training wheels. It might take a couple of years, but in that time you can build up your Japanese language as well as teaching skills, and if your timing is good… doors may open. Good luck!!
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@Riri-bc6vx OK, I see
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@RonaldoSanchez-g1y A lot of English conversion schools are happy to have someone come in part time to pick up a few classes here and there. There’s also teaching privately, either individually or running small, casual classes from your home or local community center. Totally doable.
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