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Home - Question Forum
Info about language teaching jobs?
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Dear visitor, if you know the answer to this question,
please post it. Thank you!

Info about language teaching jobs? 2009/6/5
Hi, my name is Rudy, this is the first time posting a question here, so I hope I don't screw up.
I'm 18 years old, finishing (as in, ends tomorrow) High School. I'm going to spend an year working and deciding what to do with my life. Something I was always great at is learning foreign languages. In fact, I'm from Portugal, and know as much English as I know Portuguese, my native language. I'm also really good as Spanish, mainly because it's similar to my native language, and can hold my ground with French (written, not spoken).
The thing is, I'm considering taking a ''Translation'' course in College, and of course Japan is in my list of ''target'' countries where I would love to teach foreign languages (the other being Germany).
I've always loved the Japanese culture, and I know for a fact that immigrants are very uncommon in Japan when compared to most countries, so foreign language teachers aren't probably that common, right? Basically, in your opinion, would it be easy for a 22/23 foreign year-old with a degree in Translation (Mastering 5/6 languages) to get a job teaching in Japan?

Arigatou in advance.

by Rudy Montes  

Foreign teachers 2009/6/5
I hope you will achieve your dream sometime in the future, but there's one thing I have to correct your misunderstanding.

Foreign teachers are very common here. One of the jobs that foreigners (especially English native speakers) can get easily is teaching. I don't know where you would like to teach (elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, private English schools, universities, ... etc.), though.

Anyway good luck!

by J woman (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2009/6/5
Rudy,

Language teaching is a popular job in Japan for foreigners. The difficulty for you may be that the most "popular" foreign language for Japanese to learn at schools and language schools is English, and that they normally require native speakers of English as one of the qualificatioins.

When it comes to Portuguese, I don't know how much demand there may be - language schools (when I say language schools, I mean privately-run companies that offer courses in different languages, mostly to adults) advertise English, French, German, Italian, etc., but I don't remember seeing Portuguese mentioned in the advertisement commonly seen.

Another thing you might want to think about: teaching a language and doing translation are two quite different things. And, in addition, translation (normally written) and interpreting (oral) are two different things. If you are good at acquiring multiple languages, and like communicating/interacting with people, you might want to consider becoming an interpreter in Europe? For major international conventions, they do require a lot of capable interpreters.

By the way, congratulations on your graduation from high school!

by AK rate this post as useful

lots of teachers here 2009/6/5
AK and J woman are right. While there are not so many long term immigrants to Japan, for people from English-speaking countries, spending a year or two in Japan teaching English is a very popular thing to do and there are many programs that help with this, so there are actually thousands and thousands of English teachers here- the market is quite flooded since the recession started and there is less demand.Also if the schools you attended did not use English as their main language of instruction it can be tough to convince Japan Immigration that they should give you a visa to teach English.

While there is some demand for Portuguese, I'm not sure if you have heard this before, but in the early 20th century a lot of Japanese people migrated to Brazil. Now many of their descendents have come to Japan to work, and they are often Japanese citizens and native speakers of both Portuguese and Japanese, so they tend to take up the jobs where Portuguese is required.

While there will be some obstacles for you, it sounds like you are very talented and hard-working, so I'm sure you have a bright future ahead- good luck.

by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

Thank you 2009/6/5
Thank you for all your answers. I know that a translation course doesn't allow me to start teaching (right away, at least) but it allows me to take quick, night-time courses in teaching languages. With a translation course alone I will be able to be an interpreter for companies and such, though.

I'll consider everything you said from now on and start looking at all the options I have, while searching for new ones. Perhaps staying within Europe would indeed be easier on me, and I can always visit Japan in my vacation time.

Danke schön!

by Rudy Montes rate this post as useful

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