Teaching Reading to ESL Students, how do you do it?

Teaching Reading to ESL Students, how do you do it?

by Aarti Thomas

If you plan to teach reading to ESL students, you have to first do some planning, and follow your structure.

1. The first thing to do is to introduce the student to the reading theme or topic. You could use visuals or a warm-up conversation to do this. The purpose of this is to get response from students as your lessons should be student focused, where students do most of the talking.

Read More

We should talk – what are you doing to ensure student safety online?

It is one of the most important conversations we can have. When student privacy and safety is at stake, we all have an obligation to do our part.

Keeping in mind that laws and policies vary depending on where you are and what age you work with, there are some common sense tips we should all follow.

Read More

Book Donations for a Library in Nepal

Have books cluttering up your apartment? Donate them!

Donate them to a worth cause! A library in Nepal!


You can send the books to the following address:
Ashish Chandra Shrestha
Post box no: 20306
Kathmandu
Nepal


Thank you for your concern.

regards,
Ashish Prakash Community Library

http://www.pcl.org.np/

英会話の学習方法について

How can I improve my English? Part 1:英会話の学習方法について

by Kevin Burns

英会話の学習方法について by Kevin Burns, owner of Kevin`s 英会話スクール日本に居ながらにして英語が話せるようになるのはなかなか難しいことです。だけど、できないというわけではありません。英語を習うに当っては「ローマは一日にしてならず」という諺があてはまるのを忘れないでください。 Kevin & Friends 英語が流暢に話せるようになるには時間がかかります。英会話を習うのはちょうどクラシックピアノを習うようなもので、自転車の乗り方を覚えたり水泳を習ったりするのとは訳が違います。例えば水泳を習う場合はその成果が短期間に分かります

Read More

English Grammar, Spelling, Listening, and Vocabulary

English Grammar, Spelling, Listening, and Vocabulary,

A great site for your students. It is mostly in Japanese and we update
it every week with more on the four skills or learning English.

Tell your students about it and help them learn more English in their
free time. Plus the site is totally free!


Read More

Tesol Jobs in France

Tesol Jobs in France,

(Pictured, Bamberg Castle in Europe)



France is an excellent country if you want to become an English teacher, the demand for teachers is high, the salary offered is good and lastly France is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Before you move to a new country to find a job, you should do some research online to find out the scope of what you want to do, to see if there are any jobs available for you or not.

The following is a list of websites from which you can find teaching jobs in France:
Read More

Cram school buys out Shane English School

Cram school buys out Shane English School

By ALEX MARTIN
Staff writer

Cram school operator Eikoh Inc. said Friday it has acquired Shane English School to strengthen its English-language education for elementary school children ahead of the planned compulsory teaching of the language for fifth- and sixth-graders.

Eikoh, based in the Kanto region, didn't disclose how much it paid for the acquisition of shares in the four operating companies that run the English school chain, which mainly operates in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Representatives of both Eikoh and Shane English School said the acquisition won't involve personnel cuts or other drastic changes in operations.

Shane English School, a British English school owned by Saxoncourt Holdings, Ltd. based in the British Virgin Islands, operates 199 branches across the Kanto region, of which 46 are franchised.

The four operating companies that run Shane English School are Shane Corporation Japan Inc., Shane Corporation Kita Kanto Inc., Shane Corporation Higashi Kanto Inc. and Shane Corporation Minami Kanto Inc. Besides providing English lessons, Shane offers Chinese classes as well as overseas study programs.

Hiroyuki Otsubo of Eikoh's business management division said one reason for the buyout was Eikoh's desire to strengthen its English-teaching operations in time for the planned implementation in 2011 of English as a compulsory subject in elementary schools.

Otsubo said Eikoh has no plans to change the number of teachers working for Shane English School and its roughly 20,000 students will continue receiving the same services.

Eikoh operates 380 cram schools and has 67,000 students. A press release from Eikoh said that in the Tokyo area, Shane already holds 60 percent of its classes in the same location as classes hosted by Eikoh.

Takehiko Kikuchi, a PR representative for Shane English School, said company employees and teachers received the news calmly.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101120a2.html

Have Fun Learning English with Spelling Word Games

Have Fun Learning English with Spelling Word Games

by Sandra Johnson

Spelling words in English is always complicated for everyone. Many people think that they know the ins and outs of spelling, but when they’re faced with spelling more difficult words they either head to grab the dictionary or use spell checkers and software for text editing. Thus, it’s extremely important for both adults and children alike to learn proper spelling and for the latter, spelling word games can prove to be extremely helpful.

1st Grade Vocabulary

1st Grade Vocabulary, what English words should your students know?

by Lyanne Thomas

Some children read by the age of 4 and some by 9, both are within the normal range. Learning how to read involves complex processes. Before a child can read he or she must be able to recognize the letters of the alphabet, identify the sounds of the different letters and likewise comprehend what is being read. Our school system is designed in a way that after first grade the child must be able to read.

MAT Study Group Meeting

MAT Study Group Meeting, Tues, Nov. 23
Nakano Sunplaza 8F, Rm 3 (JR Nakano Station)
2500Yen

ESL Strategies and Personal Construct Psychology

ESL Strategies & Personal Construct Psychology

ESL Strategies and Personal Construct Psychology

Indeed David Paul argues that we try to communicate, SO we learn languages. Many teachers forget this.

Paul argues that The Fundamental Postulate, is a person`s processes are psychologically channelized by the ways in which he anticipates events.

Should be a key word in your teaching Paul seems to suggest.

For successful English classes, students need to decide to have their minds working in the same direction with the other students. Let the students notice things rather than explain.

Mystery is much more interesting Paul stated.

Read More:

ESL English Lesson Plan - Developing Fluency across the 4 Skills of English

ESL English Lesson Plan

(Photo: a white heron by Richard Baladad)

ESL English Lesson Plan - developing fluency across the four skills of English.

If you ever get the chance to listen to Paul Nation, do so! He is one of the great ones! A great teacher! Teaches you while keeping you entertained and therefore focused. I attended an ETJ conference in Tokyo where I heard Nation speak. (ETJ is the association of English Teachers in Japan, and is worth joining, plus it is amazingly cheap.)

Read More

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Do you know of a good school in Japan?

Do you work for a good school?
Tell us about it! Do you own or manage a good
school? Tell us why your school should be
listed at the Greenlist.
Email: greatpowers@yahoo.com


What is a good school?

For this list, a good English school is one that cares about
its` teachers and students. They charge reasonable fees to students, and pay their
teachers a reasonable salary: 250,000 Yen and up for 20-28 hours of teaching per
week, is a reasonable salary for a first year teacher.
Schools where the teachers tend to stay for a long time, and reports are generally good
about the school. No school will have a perfect reputation. No company is perfect.
All of the schools listed here for various reasons, are good schools. I`m sure you can
find some complaints about some of them. You can probably find some
slander about them too. It is a big problem at the forums.
Yet overall I think you will agree that the schools listed here are
are good schools.




Disclaimer: The Greenlist of English Schools in Japan will not be held liable for any problems which occur between you and any of the schools listed on our site. This site is for information purposes only. Use this list at your own risk.

ESL Schools in Toronto, Canada

トロントにあるESLスクール

カナダの大都市で英語を教えたり、学んだりしたいと考えたことはありますか。
トロントはエネルギーにあふれるすばらしい場所で、世界の見事な都市のひとつであると
心から言えます。トロントからカナダの首都であるオタワまでそう遠くありません。
カナダのフランス語圏であるケベックまで旅行することだってできます。
ハーリッドイングリッシュは国際的な言葉を教えています。優れた経歴や成功が欲しいのなら、
英語を学ぶ場所として避けられないでしょう。

Read More

Small English Schools are Beautiful!

THE ZEIT GIST
Small schools offer hope amid eikaiwa slump
Innovation is the key to resuscitating the ailing English teaching sector, say instructors

By RICHARD SMART

The collapse of the Geos eikaiwa (English conversation school) chain earlier this year came as a cruel blow to an industry still struggling to restore its credibility years after Nova's high-profile implosion.

News photo
Drop in, work out: Patrick Sherriff, co-owner of Tower English School, teaches kids — and mothers — at a recent playgroup drop-in in Abiko, Chiba Prefecture. RICHARD SMART PHOTO

Since the Nova bankruptcy of 2007, the financial situation at the major schools has continued to worsen, with both student numbers and sales dropping, and many teachers are now looking for ways to make money outside the big eikaiwa model.

Read More

David Paul`s Newsletter for English Teachers

Thursday November 4

_______________________________
Japan education news

Click here for the following news items:

Sharp R&D adopts English as official language

General Union files complaint against GABA

Win a free iPad and 50,000 yen for charity
at the Tokyo ETJ Expo on November 6th

ETS launches TOEFL Junior

Read the news every day on ELT News

_______________________________
ELT News now on Facebook

Updates on everything to do with English Language
Teaching in Japan for teachers, authors and publishers.


Please tell your friends and spread the word through
your networks.
_______________________________
A big thank you to Oxford University Press

When David English House went under at the beginning of September,
I was very worried about what would happen to the Expos this year.
The generosity of Oxford University Press has been amazing.
I don't write for OUP and have no business relationship with them,
but they offered to pay for all my travelling and hotel costs so that I
could get to the Expos. They have also paid large amounts for Expo
advertising that David English House has paid for in the past.

I have long known that OUP are a charity and have a charter stating
their mission to support educational initiatives. That's why I was
comfortable with asking them to be a General Sponsor of ETJ.
But, to see this mission carried out in such an unselfish way in
practice, is really quite wonderful.

_______________________________
ETJ Expos for English language teachers
Bringing together all English teachers


Sat/Sun Nov 6/7 - Tokyo
Toyo Gakuen University (Hongo campus)

Sun Nov 28 - Osaka
Seifu High School

Sun Dec 5 - Fukuoka
Seinan Gakuin University

_______________________________
Presentations at the Tokyo Expo this weekend

_______________________________
Saturday presentations
(scroll down for Sunday presentations)
_______________________________
10:00-10:45
Thinking beyond the story: "Expansive Reading" with graded readers
Andrew Archer

Five fabulous favorites
Alan Miesch

Activities for English for academic purposes
Raymond Yasuda

Task-based learning in elementary school contexts
James York

PikiFriends: Safe and easy social Networking for secondary schools
Jeffrey Dionne

11:15-12:00
Motivating teenagers and adults to communicate
David Paul

Offshore investment options available to teachers in Tokyo
Nicholas Webb

Team teaching: This is how we do it.
Aurora Dobashi / Yumiko Matsumoto

Utilizing classroom space
Andy Boon

Introducing the Kids Word Engine!
Guy Cihi

Turnitin - the problem of plagiarism and what you can you do about it
Jason Good

Integrating a free online flashcard site with a university reading course
Dan Ferreira

Motivate your students with 'Let's Chat!'
John Pak

12:30-1:15
The joy of teaching young learners through music and movement
Kathy Kampa

The goal driven class - We can do it with WE CAN!
David White

Podcasting in the EFL classroom
Damon Brewster / Hans von Dietze

Using student essay blogs to elicit student opinions
Walter Kasmer

Get neuro-psyched! Improve memory and learning
Robert Murphy

Story telling with felt boards
Philip Garden

Introducing a negotiated syllabus
Philip Shigeo Brown

Assisting students to arrange study abroad programs
Jim Forsyth

2:15-3:00
Choosing the right extensive reading materials
Rob Waring

From sleepyheads to Involved learners
Andy Boon

Developing critical thinking skills through understanding world politics & global issues
Jennie Roloff

Ways to improve classroom presentations: A systemic functional grammar approach
Peter McDonald

Teaching English conversation to large groups of low-intermediate university students
Stephen Richmond / Jennifer Teeter

Teaching writing online for university students
Abhishek Goel

Are first impressions everything?
Leander Hughes

Is the language school industry dead? Is now an opportunity?
Dean Rogers

3:30-4:15
Business English success for every student
Noriko Ono / Charles Ullman

Personal construct psychology and its implications in the classroom
David Paul

Teaching and using classroom objects
Alex Case

ETJ Tokyo Annual General Meeting
ETJ Tokyo members

Learning through classic stories
Patricia Daly Oe

Task-based narrow reading
Michael Stout

Extensive speaking and writing through extensive reading and listening
Sakai Kunihide

Thematic English learning for elementary school students
Junko Machida

4:45-5:30
ELTNEWS.com Charity English Language Teaching Quiz
Quizmaster: Russell Willis

Successful student-generated newsletter projects
Joyce Cunningham

Highly effective English pronunciation instruction methods
Hajime Nihei

Classroom dynamics: Cohesion
Steven Paydon

Student autonomy; Approaches and activities for language learning
Darrell Wilkinson

_______________________________
Sunday presentations
_______________________________

10:00-10:45
What are the ten most effective vocabulary activities?
Paul Nation

Towards blended learning for Communication Spotlight
Todd Rucynski

Story telling with felt board
Philip Garden

Eigo Note - Adapt, don't adopt
Laura Blefgen-Togashi / Setsuko Terasaki

11:15-12:00
Great activities and techniques for large and small classes
Ritsuko Nakata

Motivating teenagers and adults to communicate
David Paul

Exploring autonomous learning stories
Andy Barfield

How to make a webquest
David Magnusson

Get neuro-psyched! Improve memory and learning
Robert Murphy

Teaching writing online for university students
Abhishek Goel

Student poster sessions: Teacher and learner perspectives
Andy Boon / Simon Stevens

Suggestions for developing task-based curricula
Eric Setoguchi

12:30-1:15
Developing fluency across the four skills
Paul Nation

The goal driven class - We can do it with WE CAN!
Rumiko Kido

English through stories: the Oxford Reading Tree
Ben Shearon

Getting children to notice sounds and letters
Yuco Kikuchi

The business language program: A consolidation of materials, needs and assessment.
Phillip B. Go

Thematic English learning for elementary school students
Junko Machida

Creating nature cards, verb cards, and other materials for classroom use
John Spiri

2:15-3:00
Using the Oxford Reading Tree in shogakko eigo katsudo
Setsuko Toyama

Prepare your students for academic success with Questions in the classroom
Oliver Bayley

Open tasks in the Japanese university classroom
Michael Mondejar

A junior/senior high school oral communication lesson
Terry Yearley / Hiromi Tanada

Choosing the right extensive reading materials
Rob Waring

Assisting students to arrange study abroad programs
Jim Forsyth

A comparison of building vocabulary through listening to lectures versus enhancement activities
Andrea Little / Kaoru Kobayashi

Adding detail and variety to your students' writing
Katherine Tanizawa

3:30-4:15
Essential elements of effective TOEIC prep
Grant Trew

Personal construct psychology and its implications in the classroom
David Paul

ELT in preschool: This is how we teach
Aurora Dobashi / Lori Ligon

A case study of Japanese women: developing independence through self-directed homework.
Teruko Nakajima

Teaching English conversation to large groups of low-intermediate university students
Stephen Richmond / Jennifer Teeter

Fun ideas for using non-fiction material in the EFL classroom
John Spiri

The group journal writing project
Chika Hayashi (in Japanese)

The healing power of mistakes
Ted Quock

4:45-5:30
LET'S PLAYŠ LET'S GO! The secret to a funtastic and successful children's English class
Marco Brazil

Is the language school industry dead? Is now an Opportunity?
Dean Rogers + guests

Student generated self-assessment that helps the teacher too
Stacey Vye

Red Rocket Readers: Launch into literacy
Riaz Donaldson

Turnitin - the problem of plagiarism and what you can you do about it
Jason Good

Simple but great ideas for young learners
Yoko Ishii

JINES Newsletter

Editors Notes

Is it Christmas time already?

Yesterday I was walking around the shopping district of Namba in Osaka and I could not help but notice all the amazing Christmas trees on display. Absolutely beautiful, all lit up in their glory to celebrate this wonderful holiday period.

But wait! Didn't I just have a Halloween Party for all of our students yesterday? It just goes to prove that the life of an English school owner is never over. Now I have to start planning for a Christmas party.

Well here at Jines we are also in a hectic race against time before we launch version 2 of the Jines iPhone app. There are only 18 Days to go before we close off all entries, so if you have not registered yet don't waste any more time. And thanks to everyone who have sent along suggestions on how it should look. I can say that a few of these ideas have already been included into the design.

We are also encouraging school owners to enter the latitude and longitude of their schools in order for Google Maps to work correctly in the new iPhone application. You can do this by logging in to the admin area (Login here) and simply entering the two values in the appropriate box. If you don't know your coordinates, we encourage you to use Google Earth where it is quite simple to ascertain your lat and long.

In addition to the iPhone app we have been working on developing a professional development teacher training program for Japanese school English teachers. With the new regulations on English language education to be implemented next year we wanted to provide teachers a cheap and enjoyable study environment to upgrade their skills.

You can see more information on this program below in the Jines Jump Start section or go directly to the Jines blog (http://www.jines.jp/blog) where you can download a program brochure.

And lastly, don't forget that Tax time is fast approaching. Over the coming newsletters we will be giving out some quick tax tips gathered from all of our network schools. Having an English language school can be a big advantage when it comes to tax time in Japan. But if you are like me and not a tax accountant, sometimes it is hard to find out exactly what you claim for. So keep your eyes peeled to this newsletter as well as the blog for information, which may help you, reduce your tax burden.
So until next time, from here at Jines, Ho, Ho, Ho, oh no!

Peter Carter
Network Administrator

Jines Jump Start

Japanese English School Teacher Training in Dublin, Ireland

Through the Jines network of international schools we are proud to announce the first dedicated Professional Development and Training program for Japanese teachers of English.

This 1-week program will be held at the Centre for English Studies (CES) in Dublin, Ireland from March 26 ~ April 2, 2011.
CES has a dedicated Teacher Training Department and has designed a course specifically to suit the exact needs and requirements of the Japanese teacher of English.

There are 3-options to choose from and all of them are very competitive in price considering what is included.

Option 1 - Homestay = €638.00 (approx ¥71,900)

* 7 Nights accommodation in carefully selected Irish Host Families
* Single Room / All students located in the same Area
* Breakfast and Dinner included
* 26 Hours of Professional Development Tuition
* Classes are 9.00 to 13.00 Monday to Friday & 14.10 to 16.00 Tuesday to Thursday
* Minimum of 10 and Maximum of 16 teachers per class
* Course Book Rental and additional course material
* Airport greeting and airport transfer to chosen accommodation
* Welcome Pack
* Course Certificate
* Individual Student Report
* Access to CES Social and Cultural programme
* CES Self Access Centre / Computer Room and Library
* Japanese (bilingual) group leader attending the entire program

Option 2 - Twin Share Hotel Accommodation = €761.00 (approx ¥85,700)

* 7 Nights Twin Share Accommodation is provided by Blooms Hotel, located in the centre of Dublin (50 metres from CES) and is a 3 star Bed & Breakfast Hotel.
* Breakfast only included
* And all additional tuition services mentioned in option 1

Option 3 - Single Room Hotel Accommodation = €879.00 (approx ¥99,100)

* 7 Nights Single Room Accommodation is provided by Blooms Hotel, located in the centre of Dublin (50 metres from CES) and is a 3 star Bed & Breakfast Hotel.
* Breakfast only included
* And all additional tuition services mentioned in option 1

There are additional nights accommodations available upon request if you would like to do some additional sightseeing before or after the program.

Please note this does not include return airfares to Dublin, Ireland. To keep costs to an absolute minimum we have decided it best if participating teachers arrange their own airfares depending on where they are living throughout Japan.
For example, it is much cheaper for a teacher residing in Fukuoka to fly via Seoul than to travel to Tokyo first and depart from Narita.

In addition, to keep costs to a minimum we are arranging for all teachers to pay CES directly. As such Jines and the Jines network member schools will receive no commission on student tuition fees.

This program is open to teachers of all school ages and will be a wonderful experience, in a beautiful and exciting city, for professional education and training development. We hope you all agree too.

For any questions (in English or Japanese) on the above program please do not hesitate to contact me and don't forget you can download a brochure from the Jines blog page on the Internet.

Happy Studying!

Ms. Taeko Kashiwagi
Study Abroad Administrator
kashiwagi@jines.jp

Taeko Kashiwagi comes to Jines with a solid background in ESL education. Starting out as a receptionist with Nova Corp., she became an English language student in Sydney, Australia. After completing her language studies as well as additional vocational studies with Southbank Institute of TAFE she then worked in the study tour section of Queensland College of English. After a number of years in the travel industry Taeko returned to education where she took up the position of Centre Administrator for the IELTS test centre at Griffith University, Australia before returning to Japan.

Education News On Japan

Small schools offer hope amid eikaiwa slump
Nov 02
The collapse of the Geos eikaiwa (English conversation school) chain earlier this year came as a cruel blow to an industry still struggling to restore its credibility years after Nova's high-profile implosion. Since the Nova bankruptcy of 2007, the financial situation at the major schools has continued to worsen, with both student numbers and sales dropping, and many teachers are now looking for ways to make money outside the big eikaiwa model. Throughout Kanto, however, there are teachers who have managed to make the market work for them through a little innovation. (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20101102zg.html

Nobelist urges youth to go abroad, study
Nov 02
Nobel Prize laureate Akira Suzuki urged Japanese youngsters Monday to study abroad and broaden their views, just as more are growing hesitant to do so. The chemist also called on senior academics to make greater efforts to instill in younger generations a sense that science and technology are interesting, as science is crucial to the country's survival. "(While I was abroad) I made many foreign friends. (I also got to know that) there is a world out there that we do not know," Suzuki said at a luncheon at Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. He spent two years from 1963 as a doctoral research fellow at Purdue University. (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101102a6.html

Study abroad key to Japan's future
Oct 19
The lack of student interest in studying abroad is casting a shadow over the future of this quickly graying nation, according to a noted German business professor. "I can't overemphasize the importance of studying abroad," David Bach, the 35-year-old dean of programs at the IE Business School in Madrid, said in a recent interview with The Japan Times. "It's incredibly important for Japan to have global managers. I think a global management education experience is a very important contribution to that, knowing people from all over the world, learning from them and learning a foreign language." (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101019f1.html

50 Geos branches will be renamed
Oct 15
Nagoya-based investment fund Inayoshi Capital Partners said Thursday that about 50 of its 167 Geos foreign-language school branches will be renamed Nova X Geos after November. ICP also said it will close down about 20 Geos branches whose business areas are overlapping with those of Nova. The company said students of those schools will be relocated to the nearby Nova schools or receive lessons via Nova's unique video-phone system. (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101015a9.html

Joining Jines
It's free for independent school owners to list their schools in the Jines Directory.

Follow the link below to register and enter your school details into the database.

At any time you will be able to modify or delete your entry.

Join / Login here!

Jines charges no service fee for the schools to join, nor does it charge the Japanese student to access the information contained within this website.

The purpose of Jines is to provide a gateway for Japanese students to locate a suitable school in addition to providing a forum for school owners to share ideas on improving English language services in Japan.

For more information, contact:

Peter Carter
Japan's Independent Network of English Schools
http://jines.jp/
3-22 Kanda-cho
Higashi Osaka-shi
Osaka 579-8058
JAPAN
Tel: +81 72 981 8806

Teach English in Japan

Teach English in Japan - A Basic Overview of What to Expect

By John Bardos

Japan seems to attract an almost endless supply of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers, and for good reason. Very few local teachers are qualified or able to provide instruction in spoken English, and so demand for native speakers remains high. Furthermore, there are abundant entry-level teaching positions available which makes Japan an ideal destination for those who are just getting started in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). There are also plenty of opportunities for mid-career level teachers, and these openings increase the longer you stay in the country.

Note: Most people refer to teaching English abroad as ESL (English as a Second Language). ESL actually refers to teaching English to immigrants in an English speaking country. Teaching English in Japan is really EFL (English as a Foreign Language).

Teaching positions are available in a variety of working environments, including language schools, primary, secondary and tertiary education, cram schools and large companies who provide classes for their employees. Almost without exception, they hire only native English speakers from the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

Requirements

In order to teach in Japan, it is necessary to have a university degree for the purposes of obtaining a work visa although, in most cases, the field of study is unimportant. Previous experience and/or TEFL certificates are not often necessary, though they may give you a distinct advantage when applying for the more sought-after jobs and, quite possibly, a slightly higher salary. For full-time university positions, a masters degree is usually required.

Salaries

Average salaries for full-time teachers continue to be around the ¥250,000 (US$2,950) mark. Take a look at some current English teaching jobs in Japan to get a feel for the typical salary and benefits. In language schools, it is likely that you will work 40 hours per week over 5 days, of which 30 or more hours might be spent teaching. Holidays can be anything from 2-4 weeks per year. In primary and secondary schools, teaching hours are likely to be much less, however you can still expect a total working week to be around 40 hours. Holidays will be in line with regular student breaks. Corporate and university positions offer the most relaxed working schedules, and salaries for full-time positions can be in the range of ¥350,000-¥400,000 (US$3,872-4,425) per month. Of course, such positions are much harder to come by.

The JET Program, which places Assistant Language Teachers in public schools, has long been considered the ideal way to begin teaching in Japan. ALTs enjoy a salary of ¥320,000 (US$3,540) per month, cheap accommodation and extensive holidays. However, due to budget cuts, many education boards have abandoned the program and now hire teachers indirectly. Salaries tend to be 30% lower and often don't include holiday pay and other benefits.

Living Costs

Although the cost of living can be quite high, a frugal lifestyle would enable most people to save up to US$1,000 per month on an average salary. Avoiding expensive imported goods and adapting to the Japanese way of eating will save a considerable amount on groceries.

Culture

Japan has a lot to offer from an historical and cultural point of view; you can explore centuries-old temples, shrines and castles; huge fireworks displays throughout the summer; a multitude of ancient festivals, some of which continue long into the night; and take advantage of the vast swathes of countryside outside the cities.

Whether you are just starting out in TEFL, continuing a career, or simply want experience Japanese culture first hand, it is hard to find a better destination for teaching English.

For more information Teaching English in Japan and other popular EFL destinations, please see YouCanTeachEnglish.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Bardos


http://EzineArticles.com/?Teach-English-in-Japan---A-Basic-Overview-of-What-to-Expect&id=4984510

Teaching Positions available in Japan

Here are some teaching positions--good jobs!

Available now in Japan.

(Photo of Kamakura by Richard Baladad)