Teaching in the JP 2.0

[jasonbvr]

Removed, just because.

[TokyoFerrari]

Originally Posted by baronchar

and the social circle and support network already in place is much bigger.

Interesting... Never thought there was one.

[TokyoFerrari]

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

Are you asking me or vulgarshudder? If it is me you're asking, I wrote most of the posts in this thread. I am an ALT in Gunma. If you have a job for me, I would be interested in it summer '08.

Asking you.

[jasonbvr]

Removed once again.

[st2l]

I've been reading and reading your posts jason and I have to tell you: THANX!! I'm a 4th year student at Teacher's university in Croatia and am very interested in Japan and would like to work there someday. Thanx to you I learned a lot about what's going on there and what is good and what is not. Keep up the good work and I'll keep on reading it

[jasonbvr]

Although I don't particular condone breaking immigration laws, you can, kind of, teach without a visa. Also even if you have a visa, you can teach without the pay being reported. Honestly, most of the times this happens it is to avoid the paper work.

Alright, here's the deal. If you teach someone English and they pay you for that service without reporting it and paying the taxes (regardless of your visa status), that is illegal. Now if you meet someone, have an English conversation and they happen to give you a cash "gift," (again, regardless of visa status) it is not technically illegal. There is also another method of going about this which is even more acceptable. The person "paying/giving" you such generous "gifts" can go and buy a gift card that can be used at numerous chain stores, malls, and convenient stores for the amount of the agreed gift.

You can't really live off this type of work. So don't just think you can fly over and get an apartment for a few months and suddenly have lots of private classes to support you. You really need a steady job or if you are a student a bank account with money from mom, dad, the government, scholarship or a student loan.

[Enkidu22]

Hello everyone ^_^ this is my first post on this forum.
I must say you made a great thread jason, I learned a lot from your posts but I have one question that bothers me a lot: do non native english users have a chance of becoming ALT's? I'm not a native english user (I'm polish) but I'm using english for years and I'm confident I can teach it well, so do I have a chance or the fact that I'm not from english speaking country ruins this possibility completely?
Also do anyone here know peoples from non english countries that get the job of english teacher in japan?

[xYinniex]

Originally Posted by Enkidu22

Hello everyone ^_^ this is my first post on this forum.
I must say you made a great thread jason, I learned a lot from your posts but I have one question that bothers me a lot: do non native english users have a chance of becoming ALT's? I'm not a native english user (I'm polish) but I'm using english for years and I'm confident I can teach it well, so do I have a chance or the fact that I'm not from english speaking country ruins this possibility completely?
Also do anyone here know peoples from non english countries that get the job of english teacher in japan?

I think, there was a thread that was brought up concerning this, But unless you have a really clear accent than no, you cannot be a teacher.

And even if you are a native english speaker, there is SO much competition, so that narrows the percentage of non native english speaking teachers even more.

And also, it all depends on whether of you are a good teacher and can interact with the kids. I think you should be asking yourself - Can i speak japanese AND english? IF you do, there would be a higher chance of you being hired. IT would be only logical is you knew how to speak japanese, or at least understand the language of a country you are employed in.

[Enkidu22]

Thanks for the response Yinnie ^_^
I'm currently starting to learn japanese and I will be doing that for at least 3 years (I still have 2 years of studies to get my degree and I don't plan to go to japan the very moment I graduate my university) so I believe (hope) that I will be good at spoken japanese by that time, besides I know quite a bit from M&A. I will also polish my english skills (I already have a business english certificate from my university, I hope that will help). I can also teach polish and basic german, but I doubt those skills will come in handy in japan.
I would really like to become a teacher in japan to experience modern japanese culture from it's roots and I'm pretty sure I will be good as a one. My personality match japanese standards more than european ones, and I know a lot about the life of japanese students from M&A. I'm only scared that most schools won't even bother with me once they learn that I'm not from an english speeking country.

BTW from what I know it's easy for caucasian-type women to become a hostess in japan, but is it also possible for males? I heard that there are clubs for women that hire males as hosts (or bartenders, waiters, etc.) and that their numbers are increasing rapidly, is that true? I was thinking about finding such a job for a start if I would have problems with becoming a teacher.

[jasonbvr]

Killing posts is fun.