How and why?

[silver89]

what about this,take up a course in japan..eg:MBA >.<

[lazyrapper]

If I was Japanese and wanted to learn English I would expect a teacher who had a reasonably good understanding of English grammar. Why do you think you could teach Japanese people to speak English when your English grammar is so lacking?

Learn to speak English first then ask the question again.

[isisbathory]

Originally Posted by alanX

I agree with everything you said. It still doesn't promise you a road to Japan, though.

I think luck has a big role in it also.

You were all those things in Japan? Or Korea?

well it will for sure give you better chances than being not graduated...

[Tsuwabuki]

Originally Posted by lazyrapper

If I was Japanese and wanted to learn English I would expect a teacher who had a reasonably good understanding of English grammar. Why do you think you could teach Japanese people to speak English when your English grammar is so lacking?

Learn to speak English first then ask the question again.

It would be nice if the Boards of Education in Japan agreed with you. Unfortunately, they don't. They think that sticking just anyone who was able to muddle their way through English courses in college, regardless of degree, is acceptable, assuming the people involved are native speakers.

It is often shocking to my Japanese Teachers of English that I, gasp, went to college to be an English teacher and have an actual English degree. That I know how to diagram sentences. I even met a teacher tonight who just moved into the area who admitted when he first came to Japan to teach he had to look up the difference between a noun and a verb!

I chose to teach in Korea and Japan because I wanted to be a bit more adventurous, but I honestly expected that I would find myself in the company of other people who actually went through school to be a teacher. Imagine my surprise when I found out that all of my native speaking coworkers held degrees completely unrelated to English or even communications, and have never had an education course in general, let alone a TEFL course! I find it mindboggling.

I have had to put in a lot of hardwork in order to show my schools and my BoE that they can believe my transcripts because of a lot of piss poor behavior by earlier ALTs. I am not a human tape recorder, I am not a teaching assistant, I have the qualifications. Luckily, the teachers I work with really respect me, and we work very well together. Sometimes I team teach, sometimes I teach alone, but there is never any doubt that I am actually teaching.

I really wish that people considering coming to Japan to teach would stop and ask themselves how important the teaching aspect is to them. I am not asking everyone to pursue English as a degree or teaching as a career like I have, but I would definitely recommend reading up on teaching theory and child/adolescent psychology, or even taking a genuine education course or two. Maybe research how difficult it is to became a teacher in your home country, or more, look at how difficult it is to obtain a teaching license in Japan (I am working on it, and it is NOT easy). Try to bone up and be able to talk to talk when you get into the classroom because you have put in effort on walking the walk.

[Kayci]

I have an interest in teaching, and an interest in business negotiations...
I just like to talk to everybody. LOL.

I am looking at different ways through colleges and after-graduating programs.

Japan IS my priority, but I've considered being an interpreter for American, Canadian, or British businesses who intermingle with Japanese.
Or, oddly enough, for tourist groups....

...Iunno. I guess my goal is less of Japan- although I do want to go so badly- and more of just working with Japanese people. Or even the deaf, or Koreans...

...
Rather confusing what I put, I know. I'm still trying to map everything out

[Sangetsu]

I had never entertained the idea of living in Japan until after I visited here a few years ago. During my visit I found that I liked most of the things I had experienced here, such as the weather, the food, and the pace of life.

It wasn't until after my third visit that I made the decision to move. I was tired of my career in America; it paid well enough, but there was no challenge, and I was going crazy doing the same thing day in and day out. On my third visit to Japan, I stayed for a month to make sure that it was really what I wanted.

My degree is in English Literature, so my English isn't entirely bad. But even so, I had a bit of brushing up to do, as I had made little use of my degree in the Army and my job afterward.

Now I have been living in Japan for more than a year, and I have no regrets. I've become comfortable living here, and it feels like home to me.

[Kayci]

Actually, after finding out some things this weekend= I think I may start with a transfer program.

Apparently, Fresno State, and San Fransisco State have exchange ties even with Waseda...so...

Maybe I should just start as a student after a few years of American college, see how it goes.

[mousee09]

Originally Posted by spicytuna

It really puzzles me when I hear people choosing their careers based on their possible future life in Japan. Don't go to college because it opens the door to Japan! Go to college to enter a profession or field which YOU want to spend the rest of your life doing.

Nothing is guaranteed in life but if you really want to live in Japan, find the nearest Japanese national, marry her and follow her back to Japan.

good point ...personally i rather go to college choose my desire career and just go and travel to japan as often as possible...

[isisbathory]

Originally Posted by mousee09

good point ...personally i rather go to college choose my desire career and just go and travel to japan as often as possible...

yes, me too, I've choosed to do veterinary many years ago, and not really thinking about Japan, but rather if it would give me money or not, and if I would like to do it, or not.

[survivingonrice]

Originally Posted by MMM

You don't need an English degree to be hired to teach English in Japan. Basically you need to be a college graduate.

WHAT!! BIG SHOCK!

so you could get...say a music degree and go and teach english

how about a business degree??