JET

hopefully I'll put it clear:

i have a USA citizenship, Born in California but raised in Mexico as thousand of people i aware of, because all my former education was in Spanish i considered myself fluent in Spanish and not so in English moreover i don't have the confidence to teach English because of this.

my question: is there anyway i could apply to Jet program as a USA citizen but to teach Spanish instead of English? i see there are others non English countrys in the eligibility. i know is an odd question, thanks for your time.

While the JET programme does have some limited positions available both paid and volunteer for existing JETs that emphasize ability in languages other than English, the emphasis of the program is on English education.

It is a strict requirement for the ALT position that you must be a native speaker of English (or prove the equivalent grasp of English in the application process). All of the positions are English-teaching jobs. You won't be hired as an ALT to teach Spanish.

The CIR position may be available to you without native ability in English. But you need to prove a very high proficiency in Japanese and ability in English sufficient to provide interpretation and translation between Japanese and English-speaking communities. The level of English fluency, however, is less important than your fluency in Japanese and your ability to act as an ambassador between your own country and Japan. My own prefecture has had several CIRs of slightly sketchy English ability and first languages other than English. CIRs may be asked to teach classes in languages other than English or to provide translations/interpretation in additional languages.

I'm unsure of the requirements for SEAs, but I'm guessing, again, that English is a secondary concern. The emphasis seems to be on your ability to act as a physical education teacher or coach in addition to acting as an ambassador of your culture. Here too, your English ability may be bolstered by proficiency in Japanese or the ability to transmit your own culture to others effectively.

I'd like to be more optimistic... but the positions available for non-ALTs are quite limited and competative. Chances are, you will not be eligable.

i have an official response from the embassy.

Dear Daniel,

Thank you for your interest in the JET Program. To answer your questions, all participants teach the language that they are citizens of. For example, if a participant is teaching Spanish, they must be a citizen of a Spanish speaking country, as well as be a native Spanish speaker. Therefore, as a US citizen, you would be required to teach English in the classroom and MAYBE Spanish as a club activity (if the school so chooses).

Again, thank you for your interest in the JET Program.

JET Program Team
jet@la-cgjapan.org
www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp

I already have 20K in savings (been saving for more than a year) so apparently my most viable option is to take a 1 year intensive Japanese course.
thank you for taking your time.