| There is, in Japan, a great demand for native | | | | Many people, however, find that the premiere |
| English speakers teaching English, but most | | | | English teaching jobs in Japan come through |
| of that demand comes from private English | | | | the JET program, overseen by the Japanese |
| "conversation schools", or Ekaiwa, or JET, | | | | government. The JET program, while it does |
| the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. | | | | include employment teaching English in |
| | | | Japanese schools on a daily basis, is really |
| Teaching English in Japanese Ekaiwa | | | | designed to expose the Japanese people to |
| | | | foreigners. |
| Ekaiwa are very common in Japan, and are | | | | |
| "schools" in which those teaching English | | | | Most of those teaching English in the JET |
| will be actually offering individual of small | | | | program are assistant teachers in Japanese |
| class sessions of conversations. Ekaiwa give | | | | middle and high schools. They must be under |
| Japanese of every age a chance to engage in | | | | forty, and have both excellent language |
| real English conversation; teaching English | | | | skills and a college degree--although the |
| in this way can give the teacher a chance to | | | | field does not matter--and they are not |
| see their students progress in a very short | | | | allowed to choose the part of Japan in which |
| time. | | | | they will be working. If accepted to the JET |
| | | | program, however, their airfare will be |
| There are chains of ekaiwa in Japan, rather | | | | provided. For more info see on Teaching. |
| like there are chains of ballroom dancing | | | | |
| studios in the US. The premier chains | | | | Those accepted to teach English in the JET |
| include Geos and ECC, which have upwards of | | | | program will have to have great interpersonal |
| two hundred ekaiwa, but there are thousands | | | | skills, because they will be immersed in a |
| of smaller schools. Salaries and working | | | | foreign culture and left more or less to |
| conditions will vary according to the money | | | | their own devices as far as seeing that their |
| behind each operation. | | | | basic needs are met. And they will be |
| | | | responsible for representing their native |
| Those wanting to teach English in the | | | | countries while in Japan. |
| Japanese ekaiwas can contact one of the | | | | |
| recruitment offices that the chain ekaiwa | | | | Given a choice between the ekaiwa and JET |
| operators have established abroad, in | | | | English teaching positions, most of those |
| particular in the US, UK, Canada, and | | | | considering a job in Japan opt for the JET |
| Australia. While the better schools in the | | | | program, which offers better salaries and, |
| most desirable locations may require degrees | | | | most of the time, better working conditions. |
| in English and teaching experience, many | | | | But if you are young and resourceful, and |
| ekaiwa only require a college degree. | | | | want to see Japan while getting paid for |
| | | | doing something that is second nature to |
| The JET Program | | | | you--speaking English--an ekaiwa job can be |
| | | | just the ticket!. |