Teaching English/learning Japanese

[Sideroller]

So university starts up again at the end of August for me and I've been kicking around the idea of learning Japanese because I'm hoping to teach English there some point after College.

My college offers Japanese from beginner up to advanced and I've considered minoring in East Asian studies along with English Education. It's basically combining the one thing I'm really good at and the one thing I'm currently very interested in (Japan).

I know quite of few people on here are "Japanophiles" and I guess my question is do you guys think it would be a good idea to learn Japanese now or wait until I have a degree in teaching/English before I worry about learning it? I figure I'd like to get some experience teaching in the US first with internships and what not. I know there are companies that you can sign up with to go teach over there as well.

Anyone have any input? I figure now's the best time to do it if I'm serious and while I'm studying, and not afterwards when I'm looking for jobs.

[vlame]

people in the jet programme don't even need to know how to speak Japanese.

http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/faq/faq01what.html#06

[Sideroller]

Yeah, but from what I've heard/read it still helps to know it and communicate - even if it's just basic Japanese.

[brunoafh]

Breetai and hashiriya, get in here.

[Sideroller]

Yeah the more I hear from people who've done the JET program the more interested I become in at least trying it out and going there. I feel like my experience would be a lot smoother if I learned the language.

I just don't want to take the language in college then end up not doing anything with it, but I can always drop the class if I really feel like it isn't a good idea.

[Breetai]

Breetai and hashiriya, get in here.

Did someone call?

I don't know if Hashiriya was teaching English or not, but he was definitely in Japan for a long time and knows Japanese better than I do. Upsidedownfuji, another member here, is in Japan. I think I read he was thinking of leaving, but I'm not sure.

So university starts up again at the end of August for me and I've been kicking around the idea of learning Japanese because I'm hoping to teach English there some point after College.

It's a degree, right? As in a 4-year degree? The definition of college and university is a bit different between Canada and the US I think, so I always get mixed up. Anyway, if you're from America, you'd need a 4-year degree in anything to be able to get a working visa in Japan.

My college offers Japanese from beginner up to advanced and I've considered minoring in East Asian studies along with English Education. It's basically combining the one thing I'm really good at and the one thing I'm currently very interested in (Japan).

None of this matters much for your basic run-of-the-mill English teaching job. It MIGHT help in an interview, however, to show that you are serious about living in Japan and have given it a lot of thought, time and study.

I know quite of few people on here are "Japanophiles" and I guess my question is do you guys think it would be a good idea to learn Japanese now or wait until I have a degree in teaching/English before I worry about learning it? I figure I'd like to get some experience teaching in the US first with internships and what not. I know there are companies that you can sign up with to go teach over there as well.

I don't really like to identify myself as a "Japanophile", but I guess I probably am. I mean, I lived in Korea and am pretty interested in Korea and China also. I guess I'm an "east-Asiaophile with a leaning towards Japan and Korea."

If you are looking to just live in Japan for a year or two, you won't need to know Japanese other than to make your life somewhat easier. It certainly isn't a necessity. If, however, you think you might be there long term, then DEFINITELY make Japanese study part of your routine now. The more comfortable you are with the language, the sooner you can challenge the JLPT exams and apply for higher-end jobs (not necessarily in the teaching industry) that require Japanese skills (how about your nation's embassy?).

Anyone have any input? I figure now's the best time to do it if I'm serious and while I'm studying, and not afterwards when I'm looking for jobs.

Someone mentioned the JET Programme. If you don't mind NOT living in a large city, this is the best paying starter ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching job in pretty much all of Asia. They only hire once a year and you have to have your application in WAYYYYYY (nearly a year, I think) in advance.

[pakopako]

They're still doing JET? I remember a few decades ago they suddenly became very very selective.

[Breetai]

They're still doing JET? I remember a few decades ago they suddenly became very very selective.

They ARE very selective. They also seem to be shrinking the programme. There are rumours, that have been around for years now, that they might cancel it altogether. I don't really see it happening, though. Companies like Interac, Westgate, etc., that send out ESL/ALT teachers to school, are technically illegal. This is generally overlooked by the government, however I believe the government in Chiba forced the schools to stop using ALT teachers and suddenly a lot of teachers found themselves without work.

The ESL industry in Japan is largely a cowboy industry.

[Sideroller]

Thanks for all the info! I haven't really thought about if I want to stay their for more than a year, so that's probably a good point.

Out of curiosity, what did you do in Korea/Japan? Teach as well?

[Breetai]

Out of curiosity, what did you do in Korea/Japan? Teach as well?

Taught ESL in various settings (hagwon, eikaiwa, ALT, juku, industrial employees at an international company). By the end, I was working part-time independently at a number of different places. You can make more money that way, but it is less secure. I also made some decent spare change by selling used video games online. Hashiriya and Upsidedownfuji have also done that to various degrees. I know one guy who was making between US$2000-4000/month just selling video games. At least, he claimed to! It certainly is possible, but it takes a lot of work. I grossed in that range one or two months, but not net. If I go back (I do want to), it would either be teaching foreigners at an international school with a teaching degree, or I'd open my own business (probably eikaiwa/juku).