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Originally Posted by Neffiline
I was also wondering, how does it work when you get there? I assume they don't just shove you into a class and leave you to your own, right? And, what kind of class can you get? Is it random? Or do you get to choose? Can you only teach to beginners, or are there intermediate classes? Generally are there only young students (12 and younger) or do you get teenagers also?
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All of these questions' answers depend on where you work and what kind of teaching you were hired for. In general...
No, you do some sort of training/orientation first. Then again, you could just be handed some textbooks and a schedule before being asked, "Could you prepare something?" This was my case.
Depends where you work. Gaba has one to one classes, some eikaiwas outsource you to a business, there is the ALT thing, university writing classes, that question is really broad.
Usually you get both types of classes. In some poorly structured eikaiwas you get beginners stuck next to advanced students. In elementary schools you have three kids out of thirty that go to eikaiwas screaming the answers while the others look at you with a blank face. Mixed level classes are pure torture in my opinion.
Your last question is a tough one, but I would say that the majority of eikaiwa students are over 12. However, Japanese housewives who can afford to drop the kids off at the eikaiwa once a week just to be rid of them are quite common. Eikaiwas on the other hand target young learners for a few simple reasons, they are easier to teach because the subject matter is so basic at that level. It is all fun and games. Second reason, if the kid shows progress the parents are going to keep sending them back. Last reason, English is one of the five core subjects taught in Japanese schools and is crucial in how far your kid makes it in school.