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Being a teacher 2010/11/4 16:50
I'm Kalisto and i'm from Greece.I've been working in Japan since 3 years as employer in a pc company.
I don't have bachelor degree but i've studied business in a senmongakko in Tokyo and i have JLPT 1 .
My wife is japanese,and i've spuse visa,but i would like to become and english teacher in the future:i'm studing english and plan to take TOIEC next year and later TEFL.

I'd like to teach english in elementary school(or junior high if possible!).
I hope that you can give me some information like:
considering that i have JLPT 1,senmongakko certificate,spose visa and i plan to take again TOEIC and TEFL can i have a future as english teacher in japanese schools or not?
is that too hard because i'm not from an english speaking country and i don't have bachelor degree?
because the specialty of my senmongakkou was business,i cannot be a teacher?


thank you in advance guys!
by jose (guest)  

v 2010/11/6 22:13
Your English is very poor. Personally i would not be happy if you were teaching my children English.
by v (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2010/11/7 02:26
I think they prefer native English speakers, but I do know a German person who does work as an English Teacher in Japan so it's not impossible.

I would say that you need to improve your English skills first though, just so you have more chance.
by Ben. (guest) rate this post as useful

if i were you... 2010/11/7 05:45
i wouldn't contemplate being an english teacher unless your english is very advanced. i live in the united states, and the foreigners i know who teach EFL/ESL are VERY advanced in english. usually, they have studied applied linguistics or have some very special interest in english. one of the only foreigners i know right now who is qualified to teach english to foreigners in the united states has a BARELY detectable accent as well as perfect grammar. she basically sounds like a native speaker of english. she also has a master's degree in applied linguistics. i am certain she could pass a TOEFL test with extremely high scores. if you could pass TOEFL with extremely high scores, perhaps it's a possibility.

i can't speak for japan, but at this point i already know you would not be an ideal candidate in the united states.
by maria fg rate this post as useful

find out who the boe subcontracts too 2010/11/7 13:25
There are plenty of people employed to teach English in the public school system who are not native speakers.
From what I can see many are not necessarily even that good at English. It's part of the reason that wages have fallen so much - enough people are happy to work for less than 10,000 Y a day.

Find out who the local area education boards subcontract out their recruiting to and approach them. Personality counts for more than native level at yochien, elementary level in the usual Japanese context.

The career prospects for English teaching are very limited without a masters (and even that is no guarantee of reliable employment). I'd suggest looking at your senmon gakko skills to find some niche that you can do well in. Entry level English teaching has little long term potential.
by girltokyo (guest) rate this post as useful

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