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So you’re thinking of becoming an English teacher in Japan? It can be an excellent memory and one heck of an adventure or it could be none of this. Why you want to teach in Japan is something you need to give a truckload of serious thought to.

Not to dissuade any future ESL teachers, but Japan is radically different from western countries in more ways than you can shake a stick at.

In addition to having to adjust to different customs, work ethics, foods, currencies, transportation systems, accommodations etc., You’ll have communication challenges. So spending some time thinking clearly about why you wish to teach in Japan is an excellent way to make sure you’re doing it for the correct reasons.

So what are some reasons why so many travel to Japan to teach? Many flat-out have a fascination with Japan and all things Japanese. Other common reasons are: for studying the language, martial arts, making money, starting their careers in ESL – you name it. Those who are first to break contracts and gripe and complain all the way to the airport are those who didn’t really know why they went in the first place or had some fantasy about what it would be like.

Another group of disillusioned or disgruntled is the English teacher who plans on striking it rich working for Aeon or some other large chain school. Fat money can be made but you’ll need quite a few of your own students or your own school.

So which type of ESL teacher is happiest in Japan? In general, those who really try to integrate into Japanese society. These teachers have both Japanese and foreign (Canadian, Australian etc.) friends. These ESL teachers, in general have healthy hobbies and a basic appreciation for the culture. They also learn Japanese and gain some level of fluency.

Japan is a unique culture. One that gives an employment chance to beginning ESL instructors and a definite path of advancement for those who choose to have a carer in teaching ESL. But simply put teaching English in Japan isn’t the right career choice for everyone. It can be the adventure of a lifetime or an object of regret. Understanding what you want out of your teaching experience and understanding your motivations for going is a critical first step and one that bears repeating.

Although there are 3 basic roads to teaching in Japan most recent graduates use to start their teaching careers, the destination in terms of salaries and working conditions are fairly similar.

Teaching English Conversation in Japan “Eikaiwa” The Most Heavily Traveled Road
“Eikaiwa” refers to the teaching of English conversation and it’s billion dollar industry in Japan. These consist of your large chain schools like ECC, Berlitz, Geos & Aeon. They employ thousands of English teachers all over Japan and can be found in all but the tiniest cities. There are literally thousands of “eikaiwa” schools dotting the country side.All of these schools are attempting to carry out the daunting task of teaching English to the Japanese.

What You Need to Teach
You need a 4 year degree from an University to get a job. (2 year degrees won’t cut it.).) You pretty much also need to speak English at native level fluency. There are some that do find teaching jobs in Japan even though English is not their first language but this is more an exception than a rule.

Although there is no minimum wage, most teachers drag in  250,000 yen a month before taxes.Most work weeks will be 5 days. Don’t expect weekends off. Saturdays are usually work days. The “eikawa” business whirs like a motor on weekends and someone has to teach the students right? This means that most teachers work at least one Saturday or Sunday with another weekday off.  Vacation packages are quite similar for most schools. 2 weeks of paid vacation and a handful of national holidays off is the norm. Schools differ on which national holidays they observe but the norm is 8 to 10 per year. It’s worth noting that ECC has the best vacation package of the monster chain schools and  arguably the  fewest complaints. Here is a handy chart to help you compare salaries and working conditions for huge chain schools like Geos, ECC, Berlitz and Aeon.

Expect to work close to 40 hours per week. Each school is different but you can expect roughly 20 to 25 actual teaching hours per week with the rest being office hours.  Most schools also will provide you with health insurance or subsidize it. Typical office hours are filled by grading student work, taking class notes, preparing future lessons or just chatting with students. Furthermore, teachers are sometimes expected to hand fliers as well. No joking here folks, by the end of an average day, you’ll know you worked. When the dust settles, your typical teacher workds roughly 40 hours per week.

Larger chain schools, mentioned above,  have fixed curriculums. What this means is that you’ll be using their textbooks and other teaching materials. For those who don’t have a lot of teaching experience it’s a helpful in reducing stress (there already is quite a bit in adjusting to the culture and learning the language etc.) Those who need to express their creativity in the lesson will probably find it stifling.

Students  assigned to a typical teacher schedule will probably be of all ages. Literally from a mere 5 years of age all the way up to 75. Some schools deal specifically with children  like Amity and Peppy Kids Club. Other large chain schools like Gaba cater to only adults or adult private English lessons.Because of how cut-throat competitive this industry is, most schools cater ot all ages. Student wise, you can expect a healthy dose of children and young professionals like office ladies and salary men as they’re called to make up the bulk of who you teach.

All most all of your large chain schools will provide their respective teachers with some kind of accommodations. This is a very big help as it’s difficult to find accommodations on your own without the help of a Japanese national. And it’s definitely not cheap. But the type provided will vary, you should expect things to be half the size of what you might find in most western countries. In general, furnishings will be a bit sparce as often they consist of departing teachers belongings.

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