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)

How do you Structure an English Language Lesson?

How Do You Structure an English Language Lesson?

By Sarah Handsworth

There is no simple answer to this question but this article will describe a typical journey through a lesson that is often used. The journey is aimed to take the student through an introduction and through individual components that he or she will be able to use in a final phase at the end of the lesson. This process is often described as PPP or presentation, practice and production.

The start of a lesson is often initiated with a warmer which can be a short fun activity designed to settle the class into learning mode and raise the energy of the class.

A presentation is designed to inform the students of what they are going to be tackling in the lesson. It allows the teacher to assess how much the students already know of the aim of the lesson and maybe adjust accordingly.

Practice is where the students are given tasks by the teacher that focus on individual language skills. These should be geared towards helping students complete the final phase of the lesson. The activities used in the practice part of the lesson are often referred to as 'controlled practice' in contrast to the production phase of the lesson which is often referred to as 'authentic practice'. Here the teacher sets strict parameters as to what the students can do in terms of their language.

The production phase of the lesson is where the teacher sets an activity that requires students to use language in as real and as an authentic way as possible. Here there are no definite parameters for language use, rather, the task sets an aim for students to achieve with whatever language ability they may have.

In planning this kind of lesson it is perhaps a good idea to work backwards, considering what the students are going to be doing at the end of the lesson. In this way the teacher can consider the language skills necessary to achieve this and thus plan to teach these components.

Here is an example: the teacher decides that the students will write about what a partner did on their last holiday. In order to do this the students will have to be able to ask past simple questions and write about the past. Therefore the teacher can plan a logical sequence of activities starting from a presentation in which the class find out what the teacher did for his or her last holiday and are shown the forms for past simple questions (for example), the lesson then moves onto a practice phase which would include various past tense practices (speaking, listening, gap-fills, error corrections etc.) and thus leading to a final phase where students interview each other and write out their findings.

There are of course many other types of lesson structure but PPP, presentation practice production is the structure that is most commonly taught in English teacher training courses as a good basis with which to plan lessons.

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


http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Do-You-Structure-an-English-Language-Lesson?&id=4985146

Teaching English Abroad Guide

We have created a Teaching English Abroad Guide which we believe could benefit your site and your readers if you choose to share it with them. Here it is:

http://www.tripbase.com/d/teaching/

The guide itself breaks everything possible teachers may need to know before helping children throughout the world.

If you feel that the guide would benefit your readers then please feel free to link it on your site.

Many thanks for your time,



Kindest Regards,

Claire

I was going to be the next Steve Martin.......

I was going to be the next Steve Martin. My heart was set on becoming a comedian. Never did I think I would be in Japan - English teaching!

When I was younger, I was interviewed and had even performed some comedy on CBC radio in Canada. I also performed at Yuk Yuk`s and Punchlines in Vancouver.

I had majored in theatre and felt that was where I was headed - a career in comedy and comedic acting.

However I came to the realization that I didn`t want to be living out of a suitcase, traveling to various cities in Canada. While at first it would have been excitng, I could see that I wanted a wife, kids and a nice home. I wanted to be based in the same town.

Read More

C/D Borderline Kids need Social,Emotional and Motivational Interventions

From our many years experience of working with C/D borderline kids we know that they need social, emotional and
motivational interventions to help them through their exams. Revision techniques on their own are no good.

Our pre-exam course Pump up the Volume for year 9, 10 and 11 students incorporates two important things:

Why Education is important to Your Future.
This part of the course paints a bleak future for those who will leave
school with low or no qualifications. It is a form of 'negative' motivation that is
intended to make students sit up and think about their future. We also highlight
the benefits of leaving school with good qualifications especially the relationship
between education and greater choice of career paths.

Accelerated Learning Techniques.
This part of the course shows students how they can memorise and recall
many items of information over a short period of time using visualisation. On average
most young people can memorise from 50 to 100 bits of information, chronologically,
in approximately 1 hour.

Pump up the Volume is presented by Tom Hendry whose background includes children and foster homes, father in prison,
mother on benefit, leaving school with no qualifications and doing dead-end jobs for the first few years of his working
life. He has experience of working with over 80,000 young people since 1999.

If you would like further information please do contact us or visit our website.

Yours faithfully
Lyn Hendry
T: 0044 (0)1706 229858
F: 0044 (0) 1706 211849

Esteem/Confidence/Motivation Courses Available
www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/coursesavailable.html

Join our Motivation Newsletter for Free.
www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/motivationnewsletter.html

Do you have problems with disruptive students? Here is a solution guaranteed to reduce disruptive behaviour.
www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/behaviourmanagement.html

Teacher Testimonials
www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/teachercomments.html

Interested in becoming licensed to run our Motivational Courses?
www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/licensingopportunities.html

Genki English Newsletter October 2010

Genki English Newsletter October 2010
-------------------------------------

Contents:

1. Song of the Month: Who is in the haunted house?
2. Song of the Month 2: Let's make a monster!
3. Game of the Month: Monster Making
4. And finally

Hello,

I hope you are all enjoying being back at school. October for a lot of teachers means Halloween. I find it a great excuse to not only teach all the Halloween style bat, mummy, vampire etc. but to also teach many of the other topics we teach throughout the year, but in a funky, slightly scary, Halloween way. The kids love it, and it's great fun to teach. So to help you out I have two brand new songs, and a classic Halloween game, for you!

.

1. Song of the Month: Who is in the haunted house?
---------------------------------------------------

This song is a time limited (get it now!) free download for VIP members.
http://genkienglish.net/hauntedhouse.htm

The rooms are the same as the "Where is Baby Monkey?" Rooms of the House song (Who is in the kitchen? Who is in the bedroom? etc. ) so it's a great chance to review, and very easy to teach!

.

2. Song of the Month 2: Let's make a monster!
----------------------------------------------

Once you've done body parts (with Doctor, Doctor, Skeleton Soup, Heads and Shoulders, Make a Face etc.) and the numbers you can try this song where the kids draw the monster they hear in the song!

Adding in the music really makes a huge difference to the class.

They come up with some very funky designs!

http://genkienglish.net/letsmakeamonster.htm

.

3. Game of the Month: Monster Making Game
------------------------------------------

This game has been a classic on the site for ages. But this time ....

1. Do the song above so the kids know what to expect.
2. Play the song whilst passing 2 balls (or Halloween toys!) around the class.
3. Stop the music!
4. Whoever has the first ball has to say a "Draw " plus a number.
5. The other person has to say a body part.
6. Everyone draws this body part on their piece of paper.

This is great practice of the plural body parts and also gives the kids something funky to take home.

.

4. And finally
----------------

There are tons more Halloween ideas (the Halloween masks are a huge hit) on the site:

http://genkienglish.net/halloween.htm

and lots of new games on the blog this month,

http://genkienglish.net/teaching/

Plus keep checking back as I've got a ton of new things coming over the next few days!

See you next month,

Be genki,

Richard

======================
Richard J. Graham
The Fun Way to Teach.
Primary School Games, Songs and Ideas
www.GenkiEnglish.com

JINES Newsletter

The JINES iPhone App now available!

Well, it has taken a lot of computer hours, a few computer headaches (and maybe a few more grey hairs) but our Systems Manager, Mr. Brian Dentry has created the new iPhone application for Jines and it’s available now as a free download. In the Apple iTunes Store, search for "jines".

The application has three main components and is in English and Japanese.

-1- About Jines – gives a general introduction to what Jines is and how Jines can help a student locate and contact an independent English language school.
-2- What’s new – gives us latest information on what is happening with schools and Jines overall and can be updated with ease.
-3- The Directory – lists all the schools contained on the Jines website. Telephone numbers, addresses and internet pages of the individual member schools are also accessible.

The most important area for all of us to note is that the directory is due to be updated by October 22. As such, if you are not already a member of Jines, or you have not updated your information recently, you will not be taking full advantage of this fantastic marketing opportunity, which is free for all independent language schools. This is the first of it’s kind in the iTunes App Store, and is accessible through popular search terms such as (in Japanese) eikaiwa, eigo, English study etc. Already there has been a great response in terms of downloads.

This first version is really for all member schools to look at and give us feedback on. Positive we hope. We will be launching version 2 of the Jines iPhone App early next year.

Remembering there are absolutely no fees or charges to join Jines.

So get to it and update your information and be on the new and improved Jines iPhone App now. There is no time to waste.
To login, just go to http://jines.jp/ and follow the link.

The advantages of Company Classes

Just this week I was in Tokyo finalising a new contract to teach the Ramp Controllers at Narita International Airport. These are the guys and girls who control your aircraft from the gate to the runway. I have been fortunate enough to have this contract for the past 3-years and I can honestly say that it is more exciting than teaching in a classroom in Higashi Osaka.

But the real advantage of doing this program is the extended contacts I have made. Before I started the original contract I had real hesitations about doing it. It meant that I had to miss a day in my own school, find a new teacher to cover for me in the classroom and not to mention the travel involved.

However once starting I have found that this program has opened up opportunities in areas I would never have dreamed of. In addition, some of the people I have met have not only been influential in the Japanese aeronautical industry but also very pro-active in helping my school.

So even if the salary is not much higher than what you can make by teaching in your own school, get out there and take the company class anyway, as you never know where it may lead you next.

And the next time you are flying out of Narita, relax in the knowledge that all the controllers are keeping their English up to the ICAO industry standard, albeit with a little Australian twang.

Take care and happy flying.

Peter Carter
Network Administrator

Jines Jump Start

CES – Winter School groups in Worthing

Are you looking for a well-established school with a first class reputation to take a group of students on an English study abroad next February break time?

Well why not choose CES in Worthing England. Worthing is an attractive seaside town of 100,000 people on England's South Coast. It's located only 10 minutes from Brighton and 1 hour and 15 minutes from the centre of London by train.

The Winter School Group package (7-nights / 8-days) contains:
20 lessons - 15 hours English language tuition
Elementary to Advanced levels of English
Course Content:
 The course is designed for groups of young people (minimum age 14 years). The course combines expert English language tuition with an interesting social and cultural programme. Project work is an important part of the course.
The course includes grammar and use of language, with the focus on listening and speaking in the second session. Students are assessed on their level of English on their first day and placed in a class according to their level. In class students will improve their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Class is for three hours each day. Courses are subject to demand and may take place in the morning or afternoon depending on demand.
Fees Include:
Full board Host Family Accommodation (2 students per family)
15 Hours Tuition per week in single nationality classes

Book Rental + additional course materials

Certificate of Attendance and individual student report

Griffith University - TESOL for International Test Preparation

TESOL for International Test Preparation (ITP) is designed for qualified ELICOS / ESL teachers who want to develop specific knowledge and skills in international language tests or undertake a pathway program to begin to upgrade their TESOL qualifications to a post-graduate level such as the Cambridge Delta.

ITP is matched in terms of duration and workload to a Unit in a graduate TESOL program offered in a university.
Participants who successfully complete the course receive an Australian nationally recognised Statement of Attainment from Griffith University. Successful participants are also able to articulate directly into the Cambridge Delta Module Three.
Duration - The ITP takes 130 hours to complete with 36 hours face-to-face. In addition to the face-to-face sessions, participants are required to spend approximately 90 hours on directed reading and assignments.

Queensland International Business Academy (QIBA)

QIBA is an Australian Government accredited ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) and Vocational Education institution specializing in English, Business and University Foundation programs for Australian and International students.

QIBA’s partnership arrangements with 3 Gold Coast Universities are reflected in a number of integrated Business, Foundation and English Language preparation programs for Undergraduate and Post-Graduate students.
• Important note: For all new students to QIBA they will receive a waiver on their Registration fee which is a saving of AUS$220.00 or approximately 22,000 yen.

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

Japan teachers may get English training in U.S.
Oct 11
The Japanese and U.S. governments are considering the establishment of a program that would send young Japanese teachers of English to the United States to improve their English ability, it has been learned. Prime Minister Naoto Kan plans to expand cultural, intellectual and human exchanges between the two countries, in addition to security and economic cooperation as part of the government's efforts to deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance. The government intends to reach an official agreement that includes the English-teacher plan when U.S. President Barack Obama visits Japan in the middle of next month. (Yomiuri)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T101010001858.htm

Nova, Geos now under investment fund's wing
Oct 6
Nagoya-based G. communication Co. last week sold Nova Corp. and Geos Corp., two major foreign language school chains, to an investment fund. The fund, Inayoshi Capital Partners, run by recently retired G. communication founder Masaki Inayoshi, acquired the stakes Friday by purchasing shares of G. education Co., a G. communication spokeswoman said. Seven Geos language schools overseas, in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand, will remain G. communication subsidiaries. (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101006a2.html

Digitizing books stirs copyright controversy
Sep 27
A growing business in which companies are digitizing books into e-books for individual customers is drawing the ire of publishers, who say the practice violates the Copyright Law. The companies remove the spines of books and scan the pages one by one for transfer to e-readers, a practice called "jisui," which literally means "cooking one's own meals." Although it is legal for individuals to digitize their books for their own use, some publishing companies maintain it is a violation of the Copyright Law for companies to do so on behalf of individuals. (Yomiuri)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T100926002125.htm

Universities looking to go global
Sep 23
Fostering global human resources seems all the rage these days and several Japanese universities are jumping in, opening their doors to foreign students who aren't proficient in Japanese in a bid to snatch top-class talent from around the world. While the institutions prepare to make their programs attractive to foreign students, university officials say the private sector should also open up so these graduates will stay in Japan and embark on solid career paths. Under the Global 30 project initiated by the education ministry last year, by the end of fiscal 2013 more than 130 undergraduate and graduate courses conducted completely in English will be launched at 13 universities acting as Japan's "global education hubs." (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100923f1.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

EFL Job Survey

EFL Job Survey


Dear colleagues,

My name is Douglas Meyer, and I am organizing a nation-wide survey on our EFL profession. I am interested in the various working conditions, opinions and thoughts on language education in Japan, and have made an easy-to-complete (5-6 minute) anonymous online survey to gather your input. Please forward this message to friends if you have already completed the survey.

In order for this survey to be successful, we need responses from a few hundred language teachers from across Japan. Can you do your part by helping to spread this survey (and the job survey links) to 3 or 4 of your teaching colleagues?

The only way we can make any positive changes in our profession will be to add hundreds of voices to this call. The more responses we can get, the harder it will be for educational institutions to ignore the results of this national survey.

Here are the links:
For elementary, junior, and high school teachers
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D5LM52D

For college and university teachers
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NZZ85RV

Please note that this is a personal research project, and not connected to JALT in any way. I am hoping to use this data in a report on our EFL profession in Japan. Should a large number of teachers reply, the Ministry of Education may be interested in the results. If you are also interested in the results, please complete the survey (if you haven't already) and pass it on to your teaching colleagues. Thank you for your time!

Sincerely yours,
Douglas Meyer
National EFL Job Survey Organizer
Osaka, Japan.

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A Note to People Wanting to Teach in Japan

One friend of mine, an introvert,
hated his English school. In my opinion though he was never
suited to being an English teacher. This seems
to be a problem all over Japan, people who come from
their home country and end up in jobs that don`t suit
them--in the case of Japan, that usually means they
become English teachers.


My friend is now in a different line of work, and it
seems to suit him better.



*Really: do yourself, future employers and students a
favour. Are you outgoing? Are you really suited to
being an English teacher. If not, please don`t
waste everyone`s time. It is an all too common
problem in Japan, of people hired to be teachers, that
don`t suit the job.