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

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

JINES Newsletter

Editors Notes

Another blow to our Industry in Japan

Regrettably last week another Study Abroad office, Sakushiio (Ryugaku.net), went bankrupt and in the process took millions of Yen away from ordinary students wishing to further their studies.

This is not the first study abroad company in Japan to go into liquidation with the well-publicised Gateway 21 also closing its doors earlier this year and placing thousands of students into trouble. But what is most troubling is that one of the executives of Sakushiio was also involved with Gateway 21 and to add insult to injury, most of the Sakushiio management have gone on to form Homestay in Japan, another company involved with education in Japan.

All of you know well that Jines is involved with Study Abroad. I have personally been in the business of international education for over 25-years having worked both sides of the fence, as an education agent, as well as a teacher and manager in Language Schools and Universities in Australia where we received the students. As such I have seen the industry in Japan change dramatically over this period, but I confess that I was still surprised by this news.

All of this information is easily searchable on the Internet and is not hidden from the public view. But overall it is disturbing to know that people who have been involved in two education companies filing for bankruptcy have now moved on and are promoting themselves, once again, as reputable education agents.

So all of this was one of the driving forces in the establishment Jines.

Events like this not only hurt international education but also local independent schools, all of us, here in Japan. Students not only lose money which they may have used in taking a few English classes before their departure but it also robs them of confidence in the whole sector. Students, quite naturally, are hesitant to spend money, often big sums of money too, in the fear that they may lose it to some less than honorable organisation only looking out for themselves with no empathy or compassion towards their situation.

With potential study abroad students using our services Jines insist they enroll in a locally listed school first and to ask for real, genuine advice and guidence from their teachers before moving to the next step and enrolling overseas. In addition we never ask the students for their international education tuition fees. Rather, we ask all students to pay their tuition fees directly to the international provider to ensure trust and transparency in the process.

In this way we hope to:

-1- Gain the trust of the student which is essential,

-2- recruit more students to the Jines member schools and

-3- directly pay our member schools by distributing the commission fees to the school that lost the student in the short or long term.

Ultimately we hope to show a potential study abroad student that some of us do care about their studies, goals and ambitions and that we will help them, where we can, to achieve their dreams.

Lets all hope that this is the last in a growing list bankruptcies in our industry.

Peter Carter

Network Administrator

Jines Jump Start

Now that Princess Mako, the eldest daughter of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, has started her English study in Dublin for this summer, it is appropriate to remind people that Ireland is a unique and interesting destination for Japanese students wishing to improve their English.

Jines has a very good relationship with the Centre for English Studies in Dublin and it provides all students with over 30 years experience, students from over 55 countries worldwide, modern bright classrooms and experienced teaching staff.

In addition CES is an Award Winning school - Language Travel Magazine Star School of Europe and is accredited in accordance with the Ireland and English governing bodies for foreign students.

However if you are going to travel all that way from Japan to Ireland why don’t you see some of England too? CES has a unique program designed particularly for the Japanese student.

CES Multi Destination Course
This course gives you the opportunity of living and learning more about the culture and social life of both England and Ireland. You can divide your stay as you wish and you can start your course in either England or Ireland - we leave the choice to you.

Summer Short Courses - Worldwide
Jines is now promoting a range of short study courses from Canada, Australia, Ireland, England and the United States. The length of these courses can be from 1-week and for any English language proficiency level.

Sports Study Abroad (for Juniors)
Jines is currently in negotiation with a number of international sporting institutions around the world to provide younger students the opportunity to live, study and practice their preferred sport in a country famous for its prowess in the area.

In all cases the Japanese student will be required to attend a local Junior or Senior High school in addition to enrolling into their sport of choice. Currently we are in negotiations with sports such as Soccer, Tennis, Rugby, Golf, Baseball and Equestrian events.

So as these agreements are finalized and arrangements made we will be announcing the details accordingly. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, for any further information on Study Abroad courses and the discounts associated with these courses (only available to Jines members) you can contact me directly, Taeko Kashiwagi via email (in English or Japanese) at Jines.

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

Panel calls for smaller class sizes
Jul 15
A committee of the education ministry's Central Council for Education has proposed reducing the maximum number of students per class at public primary and middle schools from 40 to 35. The council's Elementary and Lower Secondary Education Committee also proposed raising the portion of state funding for teacher salaries from the current one-third to one-half. The committee does not specify an exact maximum number of students per class in the proposal, but sources said it would be 35 for primary and middle schools and 30 for the early grades of primary school. (Yomiuri)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20100715TDY02T09.htm

Hurdles for young English learners
Jul 15
Regarding L. Zoller's July 11th letter, "Strange texts for learning English": I fully agree with the comments made about the textbooks approved for Japan's elementary schools. I am a voluntary English teacher for the sixth grade and I read the same textbooks. I was horrified at the standards of the book, which contain many errors as well as a strange way of speaking English. Perhaps a robot wrote the book. How could the government have approved these pathetic books? They will not help students achieve any level of proficiency. Luckily, as a volunteer teacher, I am not bound by the rules, and I choose not to use these books in my classrooms. (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20100715a4.html

English courses fuel company drive
Jul 14
Founded in 1957, Koyama Driving School, Inc. (KDS) is one of Japan's leading driving schools and a pioneer in providing driver's license courses in English. "Until we started our courses, it was almost impossible for people without Japanese-language skills to obtain a driver's license in Japan," said KDS President Jinichi Koyama. For non-Japanese speakers, the only way to get a license was by passing the difficult written exam and driving test without any training in Japan, at a test site run by each prefecture's Public Safety Commission. (Japan Times)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/job-classifieds/global_career_path.html?date=20100714

English instruction has withered
Jul 8
In Takahiro Fukada's June 29 article, "Elementary schools to get English," one thought comes readily to mind: too little too late. I have lived and worked in Japan for 26 years with my wife, who is Japanese. We have raised four children, all of whom have gone through the public school system, so I know what I'm talking about when I say that the government is once again trying to make it look like it is doing something when, in fact, its efforts will amount to nothing. (Japan Times)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20100708a7.html

Japanese Study English By…Tweeting?
Jul 6
Twitter followers in Japan have demonstrated their fervor for the social networking tool, setting a world record in generating “tweets per second� after a recent World Cup game. Now, creative merchants are coming up with books and blogs that connect Twitter with another national infatuation: Learning English. The Japanese have long been known for their voracious attempts in mastering the English language. Teenagers watched “Sesame Street� to brush up their listening skills. President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech got turned into books, CDs and a one-hour workshop in which students recited the entire speech, line by line. (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/07/06/japanese-study-english-bytweeting/

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