English teaching jobs for Non-Native English Speakers.

[Jeso]

Hi,
I'm really interested in teaching English in japan. English is not my native tongue. My nationality is Mexican, but I studied high school, and College in the US. I'm also getting a TEFL certificate. Someone said that based on that, I'd have a good chance of getting a job as an English teacher in Japan. But my question is, do you actually know of anybody who was given a work visa to teach in Japan, and that is not a native from an English speaking country? Wondering specifically for companies such as Interact, AEON, Gaba, and the like.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mike Cash]

Oh god I hate those "English teaching jobs for Non-Native English speakers" things. Its amazing how many of those I've seen by now. You want it? Call the employers and ask for a job.

 

[Jeso]

Haha! Nice one. But I'm not asking for thousands of dollars from strangers man. So that's a bit uncalled for. I just want some insight. I searched around, and couldn't find threads with this specific question right off the bat, hence why I'm here.
Man are you hostile.

 

[Mike Cash]

Haha! Nice one. But I'm not asking for thousands of dollars from strangers man. So that's a bit uncalled for.

Every bit as called for as what you unloaded on that other kid.

I just want some insight. I searched around, and couldn't find threads with this specific question right off the bat, hence why I'm here.

Google:

site:Japan Reference (JREF) | Japan Forum non-native English teaching job

and you'll find a ton of them.

Man are you hostile.

のしをつけてそっくり返します

 

[Jeso]

Right, I admit what I told that other kid was harsh. But again, that is somebody who is asking for a lot of money from strangers for nothing in exchange. Isn't that insulting to you? How does that even compare to this.
Whatever man, thanks for the google advice, and have a nice evening.

 

[Glenski]

I'm really interested in teaching English in japan. English is not my native tongue.

Ok, so can you explain why you would want to teach English, then? This is a real puzzler.

I studied high school, and College in the US. I'm also getting a TEFL certificate. Someone said that based on that, I'd have a good chance of getting a job as an English teacher in Japan.

ON what did he base that advice? As someone from a non-anglophone country, you will have to prove that 12 years of your education was totally provided in English. If it wasn't, you're going to have a hard time because visa regulations (what I go by) will not permit you to teach what is already a second (or foreign) language to you, certificate or no certificate.
Read this for starters.

GABA and Berlitz hire people to teach other languages. I'd say you have a better chance of teaching with them than most other institutions, and I'd advise against GABA. Go to the ESL Cafe discussion group and talk to teachers there for more advice.

 

[Jeso]

Ok, so can you explain why you would want to teach English, then? This is a real puzzler.

GABA and Berlitz hire people to teach other languages. I'd say you have a better chance of teaching with them than most other institutions, and I'd advise against GABA. Go to the ESL Cafe discussion group and talk to teachers there for more advice.

Why is it a puzzler? Cause its not my mother tongue? I like English, and the whole experience of going abroad to japan and teach it. Seems very appealing. That simple.

Alright. Thanks for pointing me towards the ESL cafe.

 

[Glenski]

Yes, to like a language that is not yours to the point of wanting to teach it is strange. At least your written command of it seems very good. However.... to say you like "the whole experience of going abroad to japan and teach it." is also a puzzler. What do you know about doing that anyway?

 

[Jeso]

What do you want hear? That I only care about going to Japan for the novelty of it, and that teaching English is the easiest way of going about it, so here I am?
I'm not going to pretend that teaching English is like my life passion or anything. Yes, I really want to go to japan, and It so happens that teaching English is the easiest way to do it.
It is also true that I really like English, I like to speak it, and I like thinking in English more than in Spanish, which is my native tongue. I'm also good with kids. Add it all up, and here I am. With this, going to Japan to teach English goal.
I dont know anything about going abroad to teach, but do I need to in order to want to do that? No.
I get where you are coming from though. You guys are probably pretty jaded about all of these topics. Kids probably pop up on these forums and ask these questions over and over.
But so what man, let us dream a little.

 

[Mike Cash]

Kids probably pop up on these forums and ask these questions over and over.
But so what man, let us dream a little.

You have a real nerve saying that after your very first post on the forum.....

Were you legally present in the US during your education? I ask because it may make a difference to the immigration authorities in Japan.

 

[Jeso]

You have a real nerve saying that after your very first post on the forum.....

Were you legally present in the US during your education? I ask because it may make a difference to the immigration authorities in Japan.

Alright, that first post I made, was indeed a ****** thing to do as a first post in here. It was literally the first post I saw right after registering, so I just did it. But I didn't mean anything about what I just said, I was generalizing, and including myself in my own comment.
And for the second thing you said, wow man. Are we really going there? Well disguised discriminatory questions? Cause that's what that sounded like. And yes, I was here legally.

Man, this is tiring. Is this what its like in this place? Just answering to hostile comments over and over. Mike cash, I told you why I told that kid on the other thread what I told him. I thought it was called for, due to reasons already stated. You either agree or disagree with my judgment. Now, I'm not that kid, I didn't kindly request to take advantage of your wallet to fulfill my personal interests. What are you gonna do now? Chase me around on threads I make, and comments I post? Pick on me for what I told that kid? Why not just let it go and move on man. Either share the insight or move on. Quit the condescension.

 

[marley'sghost]

Don't sweat it. From you writing I'd say your English is perfectly proficient enough for teaching English in Japan. I work for a ALT company called Interac. Lots of non-native speakers. I'd check out the JET program first before the eikaiwa companies and dispatch companies. Tough to get into and the application process is long and you sort of have to put your life on hold while waiting to see if you get accepted, but still the best pay and benefits going.
Do double check on the education history. I know that for native speakers, a bachelors degree is all that is required. Others have to prove that they had "X" years of education in English, or so I've heard. Not sure how you do that. A bit of Google ought to dredge it up.

 

[Jeso]

Don't sweat it. From you writing I'd say your English is perfectly proficient enough for teaching English in Japan. I work for a ALT company called Interac. Lots of non-native speakers. I'd check out the JET program first before the eikaiwa companies and dispatch companies. Tough to get into and the application process is long and you sort of have to put your life on hold while waiting to see if you get accepted, but still the best pay and benefits going.
Do double check on the education history. I know that for native speakers, a bachelors degree is all that is required. Others have to prove that they had "X" years of education in English, or so I've heard. Not sure how you do that. A bit of Google ought to dredge it up.

Hey Marley! Thanks for the response. Much appreciated. Yes, I'm aware of Interact, and I thought I saw somewhere that is one of the easiest to get into, out of the big companies. I'm also aware that there are non-native English speakers teaching English in Japan. Do you know if your Non-native English speaking coworkers got the work visa through interact? That's the toughest hurdle I see appearing in my way whenever I decide to start applying.

 

[Mike Cash]

And for the second thing you said, wow man. Are we really going there? Well disguised discriminatory questions? Cause that's what that sounded like. And yes, I was here legally.

You can act offended and start yelling "that's racist!" if you want, but the fact is that with the world famous phenomenon of massive immigration violations by Mexican citizens in America and Japan's tight-a$$ed immigration policies one could very well expect the question to arise during your visa application process. If you were to show a diploma from an American university but nothing in your passport showed you being legally present there during that period, it wouldn't bode well for your chances of receiving a visa from Japan. They don't like people who don't follow immigration rules here and actively, vigorously, and unapologetically boot them out of the country. If you don't like that the question needed to be asked, blame the multiple millions of your countrymen who violate immigration laws, not me. Personally, I don't give a damn who lives in America or how America chooses to enforce or not enforce their borders; I haven't lived or even visited there in a very long time and never expect to live there again. I also don't give a damn if you come here and teach English. Neither of them affect me in the least.

 

[Jeso]

You can act offended and start yelling "that's racist!" if you want, but the fact is that with the world famous phenomenon of massive immigration violations by Mexican citizens in America and Japan's tight-a$$ed immigration policies one could very well expect the question to arise during your visa application process. If you were to show a diploma from an American university but nothing in your passport showed you being legally present there during that period, it wouldn't bode well for your chances of receiving a visa from Japan. They don't like people who don't follow immigration rules here and actively, vigorously, and unapologetically boot them out of the country. If you don't like that the question needed to be asked, blame the multiple millions of your countrymen who violate immigration laws, not me. Personally, I don't give a damn who lives in America or how America chooses to enforce or not enforce their borders; I haven't lived or even visited there in a very long time and never expect to live there again. I also don't give a damn if you come here and teach English. Neither of them affect me in the least.

See, you make a valid point about something I should watch out for. So thanks for that. But there were sure as hell several other ways to present that point other than the angry and condescending (and near racist) way you just did.
Things down in Mexico are pretty damn rough. That's no excuse to break the law, but in many cases, It saved peoples lives, either from danger or hunger. So no, I dont blame them.
So, thanks for the warning, but I was here legally, and I continue to be here legally. I have the legal documentation to back it up. Anything else I should watch out for in my way to Japan Mr. Cash? Or are you going to turn this simple "Share insights about working in Japan" thread and turn it into a racial war? Ah, right, you dont give a damn. Good then, I guess I shouldn't expect to see a response from you to this thread again then? That would be a relief.

 

[marley'sghost]

Cheers. For the non-native speakers, I know one who has her visa through the company for sure. A lot have spouse visas. But there have been many over the years and I'm sure not all of them were married to a Japanese. Shoot the question to Interac, I'm sure the recruiter can tell you what you need to qualify for a visa better than me.

 

[Mike Cash]

Dude, you made it about race.

 

[Glenski]

What do you want hear? That I only care about going to Japan for the novelty of it, and that teaching English is the easiest way of going about it, so here I am?

What I want to hear is an honest answer. Why get so hissy? You weren't complete, I'm here to help/advise, and I merely asked a simple question. Chill out.

It is also true that I really like English, I like to speak it, and I like thinking in English more than in Spanish, which is my native tongue. I'm also good with kids. Add it all up, and here I am. With this, going to Japan to teach English goal.

Thank you! That was very well explained. Sincerely, man, thanks.

I dont know anything about going abroad to teach, but do I need to in order to want to do that? No.

Correct. Thousands of foreigners come here with absolutely zero idea about what they are supposed to do to teach. Some make it. Some don't. You are absolutely 100% right.

However...
To teach well, you really ought to know something about going abroad to teach. I hope that distinction is clear. If you want to avoid painful hours, days, months in front of classrooms or with an employer, if you want to make your hiring experience as smooth as possible, if you want to get hired for an outfit that generally won't cause you grief and misery, you really need to know something about going abroad to teach. That's why I'm here (and the ESL Cafe exists).

A quick aside... you're welcome about the tip concerning the ESL Cafe.

Now, in regard to my earlier question: What do you know about doing that anyway? I will assume from your reply that you know nothing. Nothing about how to prepare a lesson, gear it toward the right age group or a mixed one, speak as little as possible so your students get a chance to practice, how to review, wrap up, perhaps even correct mistakes, give advice on culture other than your own or America's, teach pronunciation, etc.
All of that nothing is yours to decide whether to learn before getting paid money to teach people (and it may not be just kiddies, mind you). Like I wrote, some do it, some fail, some hang on and screw up miserably.

I get where you are coming from though. You guys are probably pretty jaded about all of these topics.

No, you are wrong. Before this thread turned ugly, notice the turning point. It was the post where you said this. You're wrong! I just wanted some background info, ok? Get it?

Kids probably pop up on these forums and ask these questions over and over.
But so what man, let us dream a little.

Yes, they do ask, and people like me continue to offer our years of experience to help them. It often gets nasty, though, usually when the "kids" start popping off about stuff they don't know anything about, or when they think they can survive at something when they can't. That's where we seem to be now, and I can only sit here and shrug about the cause.

Go ahead and dream about a life here. Really! Enjoy the dream. Fawn over it all you want. But if you want to succeed at it, take time to listen to voices of experience. If we didn't give a hoot, we wouldn't have even started to type.

marley'sghost: I work for a ALT company called Interac. Lots of non-native speakers.

Be careful about such an open-ended statement. It doesn't say what kind of visas they are on or whether Mexicans are included. It would behoove people to explain a little more than this to avoid getting people's hopes up falsely. (I see you followed up and gave better more specific advice later. Good.)

Hey Marley! Thanks for the response. Much appreciated. Yes, I'm aware of Interact

Interac. No T at the end.

As for the JET programme, I don't believe it takes Mexicans. I can't see Mexico on the list of participants, anyway.

 

[Mike Cash]

As for the JET programme, I don't believe it takes Mexicans. I can't see Mexico on the list of participants, anyway.

That summary of the number of participants by the number of years on the program is very enlightening. Just look at the sharp drop-off and attrition in the program widely acknowledged as the gravy train of English teaching in Japan for most aspirants. I wonder what the figures look like for the lesser programs/employers.

 

[Jeso]

What I want to hear is an honest answer. Why get so hissy? You weren't complete, I'm here to help/advise, and I merely asked a simple question. Chill out.

Thank you! That was very well explained. Sincerely, man, thanks.
Correct. Thousands of foreigners come here with absolutely zero idea about what they are supposed to do to teach. Some make it. Some don't. You are absolutely 100% right.

However...
To teach well, you really ought to know something about going abroad to teach. I hope that distinction is clear. If you want to avoid painful hours, days, months in front of classrooms or with an employer, if you want to make your hiring experience as smooth as possible, if you want to get hired for an outfit that generally won't cause you grief and misery, you really need to know something about going abroad to teach. That's why I'm here (and the ESL Cafe exists).

A quick aside... you're welcome about the tip concerning the ESL Cafe.

Now, in regard to my earlier question: What do you know about doing that anyway? I will assume from your reply that you know nothing. Nothing about how to prepare a lesson, gear it toward the right age group or a mixed one, speak as little as possible so your students get a chance to practice, how to review, wrap up, perhaps even correct mistakes, give advice on culture other than your own or America's, teach pronunciation, etc.
All of that nothing is yours to decide whether to learn before getting paid money to teach people (and it may not be just kiddies, mind you). Like I wrote, some do it, some fail, some hang on and screw up miserably.

No, you are wrong. Before this thread turned ugly, notice the turning point. It was the post where you said this. You're wrong! I just wanted some background info, ok? Get it?

Yes, they do ask, and people like me continue to offer our years of experience to help them. It often gets nasty, though, usually when the "kids" start popping off about stuff they don't know anything about, or when they think they can survive at something when they can't. That's where we seem to be now, and I can only sit here and shrug about the cause.

Go ahead and dream about a life here. Really! Enjoy the dream. Fawn over it all you want. But if you want to succeed at it, take time to listen to voices of experience. If we didn't give a hoot, we wouldn't have even started to type.

Be careful about such an open-ended statement. It doesn't say what kind of visas they are on or whether Mexicans are included. It would behoove people to explain a little more than this to avoid getting people's hopes up falsely. (I see you followed up and gave better more specific advice later. Good.)

Interac. No T at the end.

As for the JET programme, I don't believe it takes Mexicans. I can't see Mexico on the list of participants, anyway.

Hey Glenski. I'm not gonna dwell on the moments where this thread got ugly anymore. But, thanks for the response man. I am getting a TEFL certificate, like I mentioned on my OP. While I got no actual experience teaching, hopefully I'll fill in the huge gaps in my teaching knowledge after I'm done with the certificate.
So yea, hopefully someone else who directly knows non-native English teachers in Japan hops in here and shares some insight.

 

[Glenski]

Jeso,
Does the fact that I've been teaching for almost 20 years here, and belong to professional organizations with native and non-native speakers as teachers, qualify me to give insight? What exactly do you want to know?

FWIW, I also work with a half-Mexican/half-Japanese at my university. He teaches Spanish, not English.

While I got no actual experience teaching, hopefully I'll fill in the huge gaps in my teaching knowledge after I'm done with the certificate.

How are you "hopefully" figuring to do that?

 

[Jeso]

Jeso,
Does the fact that I've been teaching for almost 20 years here, and belong to professional organizations with native and non-native speakers as teachers, qualify me to give insight? What exactly do you want to know?

How are you "hopefully" figuring to do that?

That would qualify yea, haha. I would just like to know if those non-natives had their Visas sponsored by their company and how hard was that process relative to what a native speaker would go through.

As for your question. After getting the TEFL certificate, which will provide me with the knowledge on how to teach a class, I'm planning on getting some English tutoring part time jobs, Skype lessons as well. Things like that. Get some practice on it. That's the plan. For what I hear, a lot of people go and teach with no experience what so ever. I'd say that would put me ahead of them in terms of ability to teach from the get go. Unfortunately not on paper. Being Mexican and all.

 

[Glenski]

After getting the TEFL certificate, which will provide me with the knowledge on how to teach a class,

It will give you some background and theory at the least. Depending on which cert you go for, it may not provide any actual practicum. The way you wrote, it sounds like you think this will give you a huge wealth of knowledge. I am skeptical, having gone through a cert program myself. Which one are you going to use?

Good idea to get the practice that you describe. Get whatever you can. But learn whether you will even qualify for the visa first, or how to do that. I can't answer your question about whether the non-native speakers that I know were sponsored by their employers. Too many people, too many situations. I can only tell you that the vast majority of teachers that I know (native and non-native) are married to Japanese or in the case of natives, they also qualified simply by being native.

What have you learned from the hundreds of people on the ESL Cafe? I'm one of the few teachers here, but the Cafe has tons more to draw on for info.

 

[Jeso]

It will give you some background and theory at the least. Depending on which cert you go for, it may not provide any actual practicum. The way you wrote, it sounds like you think this will give you a huge wealth of knowledge. I am skeptical, having gone through a cert program myself. Which one are you going to use?

Good idea to get the practice that you describe. Get whatever you can. But learn whether you will even qualify for the visa first, or how to do that. I can't answer your question about whether the non-native speakers that I know were sponsored by their employers. Too many people, too many situations. I can only tell you that the vast majority of teachers that I know (native and non-native) are married to Japanese or in the case of natives, they also qualified simply by being native.

What have you learned from the hundreds of people on the ESL Cafe? I'm one of the few teachers here, but the Cafe has tons more to draw on for info.

Yea, I mean, whatever knowledge I get by the end of the TEFL thing, is better than not knowing anything right? Besides, It might help my resume, if just a little.

I've been trying to get in touch with Dave himself. Because that forum has a really weird registration process. I tried to register in there, and It automatically sent me some questions by email that I needed to answer back in order to sign up? So I did, and nothing has happened. I can't even use the search function in there if I'm not logged in.
I skimmed through some threads in there. There seems to be a ton of info, and I'm dying to get into it, but, that registration system in that site is a bit ridiculous. So yea, I'm just waiting to maybe hear back from Dave, I massaged him on facebook.
I think I'm going to try a different email to see if the same thing happens.

How could I know If I qualify for the Visa first? Isn't applying the only actual way to do that? I've emailed Interac about it recently. I think Its gonna be a while for me to hear back from them. The other one was to hear from somebody in a similar position than me who succeeded, corroborating that what I'm attempting is possible and maybe not uncommon.
So my plan now, Is to finish my TEFL, and start putting together a resume and all that jazz. Start applying to to the big companies. See what kind of response I get. All of these would be happening around March-April. Figure If I can get hired, that would put me in the batch of teachers that arrives on the fall of next year. Between a successful response and my flight to Japan, I would get my hands dirty, and practice my teaching skills.
I will try this no matter what. This thread was more for hopefully getting a "Yea, I've been there, and I did it, so keep calm" kinda response, and feel a little better about it.
But, Its never that simple is it...

 

[Glenski]

Give up on contacting Dave Sperling. He has not responded in years (literally!) and allows the site to run on its own with a tiny number of moderators to govern the forums. Nothing more. Also, the search function has been broken for years, and nobody is fixing it despite massive complaints.

So yea, I'm just waiting to maybe hear back from Dave, I massaged him on facebook.

Messaged.

Yea, I mean, whatever knowledge I get by the end of the TEFL thing, is better than not knowing anything right? Besides, It might help my resume, if just a little.

Much clearer, but it's scary how unclear you were before.

How could I know If I qualify for the Visa first? Isn't applying the only actual way to do that?

No. Go to the immigration guidebook page, look under the List of Documents link, and click on the first link after that (Application for certificate of eligibility). When that opens, click on the last huge link at the bottom of the page, just before Adobe Acrobat Reader. On the next page that opens, go to the menu bar in the top right corner and select 英語 so that you get the whole list of visa requirements in English only (by clicking the 表示 button). Skim down to the one you should get for teaching English (Humanities) and read carefully.

I've emailed Interac about it recently. I think Its gonna be a while for me to hear back from them.

Why would you say that? Besides, in order to see what visa you need for the previous paragraph of instructions I just wrote, go to the Interac FAQs. Item 6 is for you. Otherwise, when you get into the ESL Cafe, ask Interac employees there.

So my plan now, Is to finish my TEFL, and start putting together a resume and all that jazz. Start applying to to the big companies. See what kind of response I get. All of these would be happening around March-April. Figure If I can get hired, that would put me in the batch of teachers that arrives on the fall of next year.

Where are you getting this timing? Most companies will start their fiscal and teaching year in April. Most ALTs get interviewed in December or thereabouts in order to get selected for the April start date. (JET has expanded to 2 hiring periods per year, FWIW.) Some eikaiwas will hire year round, and yes there is a tiny surge of hiring in fall, but most of them hire only for April start dates.

And, it's in the fall, not on. (Sorry, I teach English.)