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Assistant Language Teacher [ALT]
Slider
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Registered User regular
I'm giving serious consideration to pursuing a teaching position in Japan, Korea, or China...respectively.
From what I understand, positions in Japan are more difficult to find and often pay less, while requiring more from their applicants. Japan is the preferred country for most ALTs. They know this and are able to be more selective.
Korea, well, the only thing I know about Korea is that you are paid more and most employers have fewer requirements.
China....er....is still a Communist state.
If anyone has additional information on the subject, I would appreciate some insight and advice.
From what I understand, positions in Japan are more difficult to find and often pay less, while requiring more from their applicants. Japan is the preferred country for most ALTs. They know this and are able to be more selective.
Korea, well, the only thing I know about Korea is that you are paid more and most employers have fewer requirements.
China....er....is still a Communist state.
If anyone has additional information on the subject, I would appreciate some insight and advice.
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Check out Dave's Esl cafe but for the love of god take the forums with a mine of salt; it is a bastion of hate.
Do your own research as well; don't ask others for it easy like. Doing this takes a certain amount of independence and self reliance.
I also worked as a private ALT for another company I won't mention here but if you really wanna know PM me. They paid me 2500 as well, but I had to pay rent this time around which was about 500 bucks for a one room apartment. It was plenty of space for me so I didn't mind. I was also in a local town with a station and stuff that was open late.
ESID is a big slogan for JET which is Every situation is different. You could end up being placed in a big city in Japan and cost of living would be higher or a small rural area where you have to walk outside to use the toliet or some such (rumor only not truth). There are a ton of ALT's in Japan and this means there is somewhat of a community. They change out often so if you only plan on working for a year this is really cool, but if you work at a good school like I did you'll get hooked on your kids and they will mean a ton to you, and then they'll beg you daily not to ever leave Japan (mainly cause they fear change)
Overall it was an amazing experience and I'm going back next month just to watch some of the last few kids I taught move on to High School and see the first kids I ever taught move on to college.
This is something I've thought about doing for the past few years. I know about Dave's and use it as my primary research tool. However, I also know a girl who is working in Korea. She's given me some great advice, too.
I'd prefer to work in Japan, but I'm not sure I'll be able to find a job I like. Korea is, most likely, the best secondary option.
I actually applied to JET this year and got rejected (:?), though, judging by the fact that nearly half the applicants (2000+) got accepted to the interview stage, it would seem that there are good chances for the average schmuck to get in.
Not sure what that says about me.
That said, I've always been leery of the corporate (non-JET) teaching companies simply because my college Japanese professor was always talking trash about them, but MoSaiC and others on the boards certainly seem to have had some positive experiences so I wouldn't discount them in any way.
Is there any reason you want to go to Japan in particular? If it weren't for my prior experience (lived there for a year, studied the language throughout undergrad) I'd probably be more inclined to go elsewhere.
I'm not gonna sit and bash private companies because I worked for one, and I'd be willing to work for one again, but at the same time JET makes them look well not as great, and they can be bad for both the customer and the worker. But again it really depends on where you are, who you work for, and what people expect out of you (if they even tell you what they expect).
Dave's is a good tool for sure and some of the posts are hilarious. I remember one asking basically "Are there any cool indie kids I can hang out with in Seoul? I've grown acostamed to an alternate life style and I'd like to continue it in Seoul." I'm still not sure if that was a troll or not.
I've heard good things about Taiwan as well but I have no experience with the country at all.
But it really will depend on where you get placed and your local community, to be honest.
Well, I chose Japan, because [cliche] I'd like to learn more about the culture and history by actually living there. I'd also like to learn the language, eat the food, participate in festivals and community events, and...live there.
When you get my age you want to try something new, somewhere else. Besides Mexico and Canada, I haven't traveled to any other countries and Japan happens to be one of the countries I'd like to experience.
So, if I can live there AND make money, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't at least try.
here it is http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=108934
I was delayed a bit with a paperwork run around with the korean consulate but i'm scheduled to be heading there at the end of the month now.
I was actually kind of split between japan and korea myself (although I found korea to have the strictest requirements/most hoops to jump through) but went with korea for the higher pay/lower cost of living/free rent and flights. I'm not trying to save money but I figure the more money I have to blow while not working the more fun it'll be
Awesome, talios!
Good luck with the new land.
@ Slider - All those reasons are fair enough, though hopefully you have a realistic perspective on the kind of cultural exchange you're likely to experience. Considering you have no real attachment to one country or the other, besides perhaps a general "Japan seems more interesting than these other places (anecdotally)", you might want to put some deep thought into which nation might provide the most benefit to your future self. I remember you recently made a post about taking the GRE; do you hope to pursue any future language/linguistics studies at the graduate level? If so, which language/culture will be the most relevant? Ignoring education, which language would benefit future career endeavors?
Obviously questions like that can sort of drain some of the fun of just thinking about the "adventure" of living in a new land, but a 1 year contract in foreign land is no joke. And certainly finding a greater motivation for language acquisition will engender a greater overall experience while you're there.
Find a job in Japan! JET is kind of competetive, it really goes a long way if you have prior teaching experience or some sort of certification. I'm not really sure how old you are honestly but they tend to take people who in their late 20's or so I understand. I did research into the JET program and it seems like there's a lot up to chance in terms of placement, unless you want bumblefuck nowhere, then it seems you can guarentee where you end up. I'm sorry I can't help you with private instituitions.
Just curious, how familiar with Asian culture and attitudes are you? I'm part Korean and sometimes I even wonder what I'm doing here. I'm always curious what peoples percpetions are before and after their arrival and their motivation behind wanting to live in an Asian society.
I applied to graduate programs in School Counseling, which is somewhat related to education and working with students.
To be honest, I don't care how difficult the transition will be. I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't do this.
Teaching in Japan>
Companies:
NOVA> www.teachinjapan.com
ECC> www.japanbound.com
GEOS> www.geoscareer.com
Aeon> www.aeonet.com
Classifieds:
www.Gaijinpot.com
www.jobsinjapan.com
www.daijob.com/wij
And here are some additional things my girlfriend found
http://www.eltnews.com/jobs/
http://www.japanenglishteacher.com/BrowseEmployer.php
http://www.jalss.com/
https://www.interacnetwork.com/recruit/
http://www.rcs-ed.jp/en/index.htm
http://www.joytalk.biz/
According to Laura, by far the best place to look is the ohaiyo sensei newsletter. almost every job listing found scattered across random web pages is listed there. The newsletter comes out 2 times per month - great resource!
http://www.ohayosensei.com/
Also some things I wanna throw your way just to more get you prepared than anything. Japan is sort of an "at will" employment country when it comes to foreigners. If you do one thing they don't like they can sometimes drop you like a bad habit and it's in their right to do so. One girl I read about did not get her JET contract renewed for another year due to having one epileptic seizure. They basically did not want to have to deal with her health issues so they'd just rather get a new teacher.
I'm not trying to be a negative nancy or anything but just realize Japan isn't a super polite place when you don't conform to their standards, or don't fit exactly what your boss, or your school wants out of you.
If you wanna know more again I'm not gonna bash Japan in the open I loved my time there, but I can give you some of the opposite side stories as well if you wanna hear what I've seen and heard. PM Me.
My friend who I met in Japan had done a year in China before hand working as an English teacher in college teaching freshmen. He said he loved it so it's totally something you might want to look into. I mean their economy is currently on the grow.
I have heard that BOE's are getting somewhat cut throat with their ALT jobs. It's your choice but I wouldn't be doing this so much for the money.
And while ALT positions are certainly available in Europe (I've had a number of friends teach in Spain and Italy) and South America, I think it's safe to say that there's a larger market for foreigners to quickly attain an ALT position in the Asian territories due to the great distinction between English and the Asian languages.
EDIT - Also, just to point out something that somewhat demonstrates the present decline of corporate ALT in Japan: most of of Mosaic's company links are dead. Aeon/Amity appears to be running strong, but I vaguely remember hearing that NOVA has folded.
I think it's perfectly reaonable to work as an ALT in other countries. I thought it would be fun to work/live in Russia, too.
I apologize. I did read the OP, but I've been following this thread for the last day or so, so I guess I forgot.
... My bad.
I was rather interested in pursuing some sort of teaching career in Macao, China.
Does anyone here have any first-hand experience when it comes to teaching English or other languags (Romance) in China?
I was pretty much thinking of learning Chinese and just going there and see what I can do.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.
I'm in the middle of my second year in Korea now, and enjoying it.
From what I've heard, its harder to get a job in Japan compared to Korea, simply because Korea has a gigantic demand and market for native English teachers.
PSN: Corbius
I was once recruited by footprints when they found me on monster or somewhere, they seemed pretty up and up, but I've never done it.
I'm excited, but also a little nervous.
I think "Cokebottle" works for Interac.
Aeon's interview is slightly inconvenient, being that the closest one (for me) is located in Los Angeles.
Now I just need to pass the interview(s) and find some money for the airfare.
1. good luck! it's hard as shit to get into JET and some of the other programs at the moment, and if you can do it i salute you. i will say this, it isnt a crapshoot, draw names out of a hat type thing a lot of people like to say it is. i got into JET mainly because of my teaching background, not because of any real skill with japanese or a knowledge of japan, and if you want in it's a good idea to do some tutoring or volunteering to shore up your application. JET wants teachers, which brings me to point #2,
2. if you do get in, please remember that you're there to teach first, and enjoy being in japan second (although its a close second). i feel like there are a lot of people here with the attitude that their job is really secondary to what they're doing here, which kind of blows. every situation is different, but even people with the lightest workloads and most schools still have a job to do and can make a positive impact in the kids they teach. i personally dont think thats something to take lightly.
3. don't buy into the stereotype that asian kids looovvveee to learn and will hang on your every word. this is critical, because a lot of what it takes to be successful in this or any teaching abroad program is managing expectations. i teach in 8 junior high schools, and they run the gamut from awesome with amazing kids, to crappy with not so amazing kids. that's just part of teaching, and you'll find that kids in japan can be just as disruptive or just as awesome as kids in america can be (or wherever youre from).
4. managing expectations also applies to your daily life. i think japan is an incredibly interesting country with a crazy and deep history contrasted with a hugely modern economy and society (kind of). but it isnt the land of anime and honey all the time, and at some point youre going to have deal with some hugely stupid crap that will make you want to rage on everyone and everything around you.
i think a lot of times these things are usually of the "WHY CANT THEY JUST DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY?!?!" type, and what's important to realize is that yeah, sometimes what goes on actually is bullshit and you have the right to be pissed (japan's legal system and treatment of women is still pretty terrible), but for a lot of other things there is simply a cultural difference that you're going to have to deal with or work with.
i had a friend here who literally called up McDonalds corporate and raged at them for an hour because they didnt have BBQ sauce for her nuggets, for instance. i guess what i'm saying is that other cultures have their own norms and expectations and ways of doing things, and while sometimes they're flat out wrong, most of the time its just different. either way, its important to remember that they arent going to change for your sake, and it will be up to you to decide how youre going to react to it.
5. enjoy yourself as much as possible, and get out and meet people. in japan even a few words will get you in the door with people, and really meeting so many new and different people has been the best part of this program. the job and your responsibilities to your students should come first, but also not at the expense of the overall experience. get out on the weekends, see a ton of cool stuff, travel, etc. its worth it and they expect you to do it.
alright, thats all ive got, if anybody has questions about JET or living apart from the craziness of honshu, let me know.
I always got bbq sauce at McDonalds so it's crazy they didn't have it at your friends.
But being the motto of JET "every situation is different"
Most everything else you've stated I totally agree with. I don't think I could handle 8 different middle schools? Did you change like daily, weekly, monthly?
I knew a girl that worked two high schools but they only wanted her at school till lunch then she got to leave each day if she wanted which in Japan means (stay till everyone else leaves).
yeah, i think just recently they're trying to shift the program to people who want to teach and who have teaching credentials, i talked to the main guy at the nashville consulate and they said within a few years they want to make some kind of teaching experience a prerequisite for JET, which im totally down with.
and that's the weird thing about the BBQ sauce stuff, im pretty sure they have it too, they just mightve been out and my friend's japanese wasnt good enough to figure that out. McDs seems to be a flashpoint for a lot of my friend's problems, i think the combination of something really familiar with some things that definitely aren't can set people off. i had another friend who bitched and moaned because they were trying to give her a bottle of water instead of a little free cup of water with her meal; nevermind that she barely speaks japanese and was probably just misunderstood, she spent the better part of ten minutes being pissed at japan and everyone in it for no real reason. i dunno. even if she wasnt misunderstood, it's incredibly naive to come here and expect everyone to have the same kind of social norms you do. you're not always gonna get extra ketchup, you're not always going to have the door held open for you, etc. also it's wrong to project the actions of one asshole onto the entire country. if you say ohayo to someone and they just glare or dont say anything, it doesnt mean all of japan hates foreigners, it might just mean that guy does. or maybe he's just an asshole in general. either way, you don't know. don't let your preconceptions or even misconceptions of japan cloud what is really going on (i have ANOTHER friend who insisted and still insists that the netting on the outside of our apartment was to prevent suicides, "everyone in japan is miserable" amirite?, despite it clearly being to prevent clothes from blowing away while they dry)
aaannndd how the 8 schools thing works out is that i have two main schools i'll spend 4 days at in a row, and then the others i'll go to for maybe 2 or 3 days in a row, depending on their size (one school i just go to once a month because it only has 40 students). i'm actually not a huge fan of this, i'd rather have 1 or 2 schools where i can get to know my students, but them's the breaks.
I'm just nervous about the teaching aspect and formulating lesson plans.
...and then I need to find some money for the airfare. *sigh*
1 - I've been teaching a High School college prep class (SAT prep, Essay skills, and general guidance) for the past year and a half, with previous experience volunteering for after-school programs working with disadvantaged youth and children with autism.
2 - I have 5 years of Japanese education, including 6 months living on my own in Tokyo working for a Japanese fashion photographer and a semester spent at Kansai Gaidai.
I mostly worry that they looked at my undergraduate transcript, saw that it was 14 pages of written assessments, and just said "fuck it". And that's not something I can really change any time soon.
Bear in mind too that the ultimate purpose of the JET Program, depending on who you talk to, is very different. I've heard some claim that applicants with too much Japanese experience are less desirable because they're not as effective when it comes to sharing foreign culture--they focus too much on assimilating and blending in. Some people say that applicants with too much teaching experience can be more troublesome because they have clear expectations and strong opinions about education.
So yes, while I agree that it's important to focus on your job first, it's essential to first determine what your school is really paying you to do. If ESL isn't a priority but cultural exchange seems to be, you may want to make a stronger effort to get involved in club activities and the local community outside of school. And while these things are rarely written into your contract, refusal to do so can be viewed as a black mark against you. I'm familiar with cases where there were complaints against ALTs which had nothing to do with their teaching performance. ESID ne.
Also, though I'm not aware of the details, contracting organizations have the ability to request JET ALTs with certain characteristics that they find more desirable. Many consistently employ ALTs with high level Japanese, or significant teaching experience, etc.
To what extent these requests impact the recruitment process in various locations, I don't know. That said, it's pretty well known that different interview sites have radically different recruitment goals and range from super competitive to not terribly. Alas, it's not really possible to pick your interview site, so just hope you don't end up interviewing somewhere in California, for example.
However, I can say that the demographics of new JET ALTs over the past several years, in my region, have not changed significantly. Our numbers have gone down, but that can also be attributed to private companies being cheaper to use, as well as more aggressive in their attempts to expand market share. I've even heard cases of schools being directly contacted by private companies attempting to take over JET contracts, completely without cause or solicitation.
Anyway, if you go private, Interac has the best reputation in this region. I've heard more than enough horror stories about OWLs to make me warn everyone I know off them. Beyond that, I know little about privates.
Those are a few of the obvious differences I've noticed.
However, I'd still be happy if Interac offered me a position and Aeon didn't.
yeah youre right this is really good point
The clubs are where it's at.
Do they have wrestling?