TEACHING ENGLISH IN JAPAN 

 Of all the places in the world to teach English, perhaps Japan is the most popular. Japan's popularity may be attributed to the safety of the country, hospitality of the people, enchantment of the culture and opportunity to make a great income.

Most establishments that hire English teachers do not require a teaching degree but do require a degree of some sort as well as for the applicant to be a native-English speaker. If you have a TEFL certificate and/or teaching experience, the more desirable a candidate you are. Also, if you have a visa that allows you to work, you may rise to the top of the list because the school will not have to sponsor you. If you speak some Japanese, you are even more attractive.

There are as various types of English-teaching positions available in Japan. After settling in, you will probably experience more than one from the list below.

• Private English Conversation Schools (Eikaiwa gakkō)
• JET Programme
• Private Lessons that you arranged (group and individual)
• Telephone English Lessons
• English-Conversation Lounges
• Public School Classes (primary, elementary, junior and senior)
• Private School Classes (primary, elementary, junior and senior)
• College/University Positions (able to speak Japanese is often a prerequisite)

Private English Conversation Schools (Eikaiwa Gakkō)

While searching for a teaching position, you may hear the term Eikaiwa, which means English conversation. When people use this term, usually they are referring to English conversation schools (Eikaiwa gakkō). Students attending here can run the gamut from top executives to housewives and school children.

The biggest Eikaiwa gakkō in Japan are AEON and ECC. Together these schools employ hundreds of foreigners as language teachers - both full time and part-time. Moreover, there are countless smaller language schools throughout Japan. Many of these smaller places are willing to sponsor a suitable applicant and may even pay a liitle more than the bigger chain schools do.

JET Programme

The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme invites university/college graduates from overseas to participate in international exchange and foreign language education throughout Japan. The programme offers graduates the opportunity to serve in local government organizations as well as in public and private primary, junior and senior high schools. Recruiting is done overseas, not in Japan, so do not expect to get a position with JET unless you are recruited from your home country. The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that there will be 4334 JET teachers in the 2010/2011 school year. For more information on the JET Programme, please visit their website.

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Private English Lessons

In addition to holding down a full-time job, many language teachers in Japan teach privately on the side. This activity can greatly supplement a fixed salary - even doubling it or more. So how do you get private students? Although some acquire students under the strangest of circumstances, some of the more common ways are as follows: being asked by a friend/co-worker to take over a class because they are leaving Japan or have a scheduling conflict; perusing the Classifieds in English-language publications; placing small ads in your neighbourhood; searching online at Teaching English in Japan job boards and registering your profile.

If you choose to pin up small ads, briefly state the offer of English lessons at the top of the ad, followed by your name, qualifications, contact information and prices. (For safety, when potential students contact you, get their contact information and call/email them back to make arrangements and let others know your plans.) When dealing with enquiries, be ready to answer questions regarding the day, time and location of your classes as well as information about the class itself. As for the location, you have to decide that. Search online for discussions boards and You-Tube videos to discover where others teach their private students and what they charge in Japan.

Below are some guidelines on what to charge for private lessons per class - not per student. Of course, you can set your own rates but be sure to factor in your travel time and travel expenses when setting the price. Payment is usually due in cash at the end of each lesson.

• ¥9000 to ¥10,000 for a 90-minute lesson (group or private) at a location the student(s) set.
• ¥5000 to ¥6000 yen for a 60-minute lesson (group or private) at a time and location the student(s) set. (Be wary of this type of lesson because it may not be worth the travel expense and travel time.)
• ¥3000 to ¥4000 for a 60-minute private lesson at a location the teacher sets.
• ¥6000 for a 60-minute (group lesson only) at a location the teacher sets - maximum 4 students. If there are more than 4 students, charge ¥1500 per extra student and divide accordingly.

You will need to have an initial consultation (preferably face-to-face) with potential students to assess their English ability - free of charge. This will be the opportunity to introduce yourself and assess the person. Ask each potential student the following:

• To talk a little about themselves, including any past English classes
• Why they want to take English lessons (work, social, school reasons, etc.)
• What they hope to accomplish from the class
• What kind of lesson they prefer - (free conversation, textbook-based, a combination, private or group lesson, etc.)

As they answer, you will be assessing their ability. If their vocabulary is limited or if they are school-age children, a textbook is probably best. However, the textbook must be age-appropriate and suit their ability. Not all students learn the same way or have the same needs.

Make sure that you understand each student's needs and wishes in your initial consultation with them. Afterall, they are your future students and are going to be paying good money for your lessons. - (Note: This is why getting TESL Certification is so important. TESL shows you how to assess students and become familiar with various teaching resources and techniques based on a student's needs, wants and abilities.)

At this initial meeting, you must also iron out the finer details of the class, such as teaching time, location, payment, cancellation policy and if the student is willing to have others join the class. Some students will welcome the possibility of having others join because it will make the class more economical and less intimidating. Others will strictly want a private lesson. If you do add additonal students to a class, it is imperative that the students are of comparable ability and that they use the same textbooks/materials.

At the end of the consulatation, tell the student that you can purchase suitable class material for them and that they must pay for it when you give it to them. (Note: Whenever purchasing materials for students, always present the receipt with the material before asking for reimbursement. A receipt also enables you to get a refund from the bookstore if the student does not show up - sometimes this happens.) Else, you can tell them the name of the text and ask them to purchase it and bring it to class.

When shopping for English teaching texts and materials, some bookstores are better than others. Kinokuniya is Japan’s largest bookstore chain and has a wide selection of teaching materials. Also check online for "teaching English" book e-tailers. (Note: Tokyo? No Problem, Chapter 14 provides a list of retailers in Tokyo/Japan that sell a range of materials for teaching English.)

A Word of Caution

Taking on private students often involves a bit of a balancing act. Whenever setting up a class time with your students, make sure that your private teaching hours do not conflict with your regular working hours – else you may find yourself out of a job. If you ever do have a time conflict, ask your private student(s) if they are able and willing to reschedule. If it is at a time convenient for them, students often agree. However, if you make this rescheduling request a habit, expect to lose your private student(s). If you need to make a permanent change in your private teaching time - (for instance, from a Thursday evening to a Friday evening), ask your student(s) if this is okay with them. Students often oblige if they are happy with your quality of teaching and if the time change is not problematic for them.

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