How Old Are Middle Schoolers In Japan

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English to high-school students and teaching English to university students are uniquely different and require different skills and teaching methods. High school students are in a period of development known as adolescence. One of the leading developmental psychologists, Erik Erikson, defines adolescence as a period of struggle between identity versus role confusion (Hutchison, 2013). During adolescence, high schoolers are going through many physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes (Hutchison, 2013). They are struggling to define who they are in this world not about their parents. They want to make their own choices in life based on their reasoning. A high schooler may choose on their own to...  [Read more]

Maddy Payne Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences In 2019, my sister and I received the exciting news that we had been accepted into the JET Program to live and teach English in Japan! If you have ever looked at teaching in Japan, or even Asia in general, you have probably come across the JET Program before. JET allows you to live and work in Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) while earning one of the highest wages you can get as an ALT. The catch is: you could be placed anywhere in Japan. My sister and I didn’t actually write any location preferences, but honestly, we didn’t want to be in Tokyo. That might sound crazy to a lot of people. Why wouldn’t you want to live in Tokyo?!...  [Read more]

Laura Payne Destinations Japan is full of vibrant, world-famous cities that many people dream of living and working in. However, when I first decided to become an English teacher in Japan, I never held such a dream. I am an introvert who prefers quiet spaces, and being close to nature is especially important for me. This is why when my goal of teaching English in Japan came true, I was ecstatic that I could find a place to work in the inaka (countryside). Japan's inaka is full of small, rural towns and reasonably-populated, but little-known, cities. My living and working situation is in the latter. Since moving here, my little rural city has been everything I hoped it would be and more. Aside from my personal preferences I've noticed that there...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In Japan, elementary schools typically employ an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) to provide support to homeroom teachers during English classes. I have been working in such a capacity for the past two and a half years, first through an international program and currently as a direct-hire via my local city hall. Until recently, mandatory English classes at the elementary school level have been limited to the fifth and sixth grades, but new national requirements are being rolled out that will require mandatory English classes as early as third grade while doubling English classroom hours for the fifth and sixth grades. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rodica C. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences If you ever find yourself driving in French Canada, you will be stopped by stop signs that say ‘arrêt’, which is stopped in French. Almost all drivers in North America would know that this means stop because it’s the same octagon red stop sign. In Japan it’s very different, stop signs are triangular with Japanese script on them but, beneath the Japanese, you can find English subtitles which read ‘stop’. In fact, if you travel anywhere in Japan, the majority of signs and announcements related to travel are offered in Japanese and English. English has been taught in Japanese schools since the American occupation after World War Two. However, according to an EF English Proficiency Index in 2017,...  [Read more]

Laura Payne Destinations TEFL Information The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program is not the only means to teach English in Japan, but it is one of the most popular programs out there both for aspiring teachers and those who wish to pursue other fields. I first joined this program a little over a year ago. In the short time since then, I've gained incredibly valuable experiences through my work as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). Local prefectural governments and larger government bodies, including Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, manage the JET Program. They hire ALTs from English-speaking countries all over the world to increase Japan's international understanding at the level of local communities. Japan is an...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations With more than 220 million speakers globally, French is among the most spoken languages in the world. If you are interested in learning French, check out the five best places to learn French when teaching English abroad. Linda Dunsmore Destinations France is one of the most popular destinations for teaching English as a foreign language in Europe. While many teachers come and settle in Paris, you should definitely also check out what other amazing places there are around the country. Here are the top 8 places to teach English in France. Linda Dunsmore Destinations Are you interested in teaching English...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Destinations Just as there are many countries around the world where you can choose to live and work as an EFL teacher, there are also many different reasons that motivate people to actually want to teach English abroad. For some, it is to explore new cultures or to leave behind the predictable 9 to 5 existence, while for others it is simply a great way of earning money for travel or to pay off student loans. Whatever your own motivations, the vast continent of Asia offers plenty of great opportunities to satisfy them. Take a look at the following statements and choose which one most closely fits your personality. We will then point you towards the best destinations in Asia to suit your plans and dreams. Great options for you include...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Destinations TEFL Information Mainland China and Taiwan form a very large part of the Asian ESL market. There are obviously many similarities but also many differences. In this blog we will look at some of the major differences in job requirement in these two regions. It is said that there were around 100,000 foreign teachers working in China until recently, so that's a huge number. China is a vast country with huge demand for EFL teachers. There are opportunities at public schools, kindergartens, boarding schools, universities and international schools. However recent regulations have changed the Chinese EFL market drastically, so it's not as easy to find work as it used to be. Basically the government has placed...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas So, you’ve just finished a delicious meal of sushi at your favorite sushi restaurant in Tokyo. The waitress comes by and leaves the check at your table, you place your money inside, hand it back, and she shortly returns with the receipt. You proceed to place a generous tip on the table to thank her for her wonderful service, and you show yourself out of the restraint, back to the busy streets of Tokyo. Can you spot something that you shouldn’t have done in this scenario? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zachary B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Most Westerns won’t be able to, as this scenario is perfectible acceptable...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Next year, Japan will host the thirty-second Olympiad in the capital city of Tokyo. To correspond with the timing of the 2020 Olympics, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (hereafter MEXT) has laid out a plan for the reform of English education to meet the future needs of Japanese students in a globalized world. However, this plan presents several challenges for current and future learners of English in the Japanese educational system. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Philippa K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The thrust of MEXT’s plan is to roll back English education in Japan so...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Many challenges come with teaching English in Japan that is unique and not innately obvious to some people. In addition to the more universal challenges of learning a new language, there are inherent cultural obstacles that English learners must overcome in Japan as well as several problems with the current course of study that is being taught. However, English teachers should do their best to work within the limits of the system to foster an interest and passion for language that lives on outside the classroom and beyond the school years of learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Issei E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This essay will be a comparison of my personal experience teaching English in Barbados, a country whose main language is English versus teaching English in a rural area in Japan, a country whose main language is Japanese (not English). Firstly, I will briefly discuss the definitions of teaching. Secondly, I will summarize English education for young learners in each country. Finally, I will compare and contrasts my personal experience in both countries and the valuable lessons I have learned. To protect the anonymity of the schools, the specific areas and any other identifying information will be excluded from this essay. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Desriel G. Please note that this...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Japan is a Pacific Island nation whose history is marked by periods of nationalism and seclusion, as the Japanese government closed the borders to international trade. The lack of foreign influence in Japan has enabled a unique culture to flourish and the population to remain nearly 98% homogenous, meaning nearly everyone that lives in Japan is Japanese. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Andrew C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Within the past hundred years, government policy has changed and Japan has opened its borders to trade and tourism, becoming a major global economy and popular international tourist destination...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English is my first language, however, I studied Spanish throughout high school growing up in the Midwest and eventually received a Master’s degree in Spanish Literature. I learned to speak Spanish very well after becoming a high school Spanish teacher for eight years and then a principal for elementary and secondary schools for 26 more years speaking Spanish to new immigrant students and parents the whole time. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rex P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In reflecting on the title question I first asked myself how Spanish had influenced me over the years. The first obvious answer was that I...  [Read more]

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Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Teaching English abroad is one of the most interesting career paths one might take up. You get to move to a new country and even get paid for it! However, too many people are unsure whether teaching EFL is right for them. This article highlights 6 things you will miss out on if you don’t teach English abroad. When routine becomes a ball and chain, you know it’s time for something new. Moving to a new country to teach English is the perfect opportunity to discover a whole new world. Whether it’s cherry blossom season in Japan, Chinese New Year festivities in Taiwan, Christmas markets in Germany or the Carnival in Brazil - there are new experiences ahead of you on every corner! It’s not only large cultural...  [Read more]

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  This TESOL review video was recorded by ITTT graduate Floyd. Floyd is from the USA but is currently living and working as an English teacher in Japan. Floyd took the 120-hour online course with tutor support as well as the teaching business English course and intends to take the Diploma course with ITTT in the future. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. In this unit, I learned about the usefulness of games in the classroom, and their value as an...  [Read more]

Anastasiia Ovchinnikova Visa and Legal Budget and Salary Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences In the post-epidemic time, qualified TEFL teachers grow in real demand in China again. If you consider this TEFL destination, we suggest you read carefully the article written by our ITTT TEFL expert who shares their important experience of job hunting in this country. Anastasiia Ovchinnikova Visa and Legal Budget and Salary Destinations Alumni Experiences Are you considering China as a TEFL destination? Read our TEFL expert's story to find out where...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In between the lesson structures of teaching a five-year-old how to ride a horse and a 20-year-old did I first witness the relationship between age and abilities, attention spans, and structural needs of the different students. As German riding schools would follow a structured pyramid system to train a horse and rider from the ground up, so can teachers of a first or secondary language. Questions to discuss in this essay are, “What is early childhood development? What comes next?” and “How can a teacher encourage students through the different stages of development?”. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kate S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Spring is the perfect time of the year to get out there and explore the world! These are the top 10 places to take your TEFL certification course in the springtime. What better place to experience spring than in beautiful Japan? During the spring season, the entire country is painted in pastel pink cherry blossoms and the capital of Tokyo is an especially great place to see them. Take a boat ride on a blossom-lined stream in a traditional Japanese boat or hike up to see Mt. Fuji surrounded by cherry trees. The choice is all yours how you want to spend your spring in Japan! Get started and take our in-class TEFL certification course in Tokyo and find out more about living and working in Japan in our country guide. Also...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Destinations TEFL Information oday’s exciting topic is the top hiring seasons for teaching English abroad. We're going to go over different countries on different continents and what their hiring seasons are, so when's the best time to go job hunting. Also there will be some tips for job hunting in those places as sometimes you need to get hired in advance when you're still in your home country and you can do online interviews, but in some countries you need to apply in person. So we're going to talk about that as well. Thanks so much for tuning in and as always please don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss a live session. We go live twice a week, one time with me on Fridays, or Thursday...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In speaking of any language is global, and in our case, particularly English, several categories could be discussed to give us more understanding. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Frederic S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first is the history of the language, where did it originate? If we say English was an obscure German dialect we can also say that without knowing more of the history behind it, there would be no way for us to plot its progression or understand its popularity. The second is the spread of the language, how and why did it occur? The third is economic, what were the factors that propelled its growth,...  [Read more]

Wisconsin is a state rich in natural beauty and history. Located in the Midwest of the USA, south of the famous Great Lakes, the landscape of Wisconsin is lush and diverse. It is not hard to see why Wisconsin earned the title ‘America’s Dairyland’, as it is home to the country’s most renowned dairy products, cheese being the most famous. Wisconsin is a particularly great place to escape from the city rush by hiring a cabin in the woods. Hike around lakes, climb waterfalls, or simply relax in the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside. Whatever you are looking for, you will find it in Wisconsin. The area around Lake Superior is a wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts. Some of the best outdoor activities include biking and hiking in Chippewa Valley, and enjoying a great day out kayaking...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker TEFL Information The worldwide market for qualified English language teachers is simply huge and it continues to grow in many parts of the world. Right across Asia, from China and Japan to South Korea and Taiwan, there are always jobs available throughout the year. Dozens of other countries in Europe and Latin America also have plenty of positions waiting to be filled. However, if you want to be able to pick and choose the right job to suit you, it is a huge advantage if you are qualified in as many areas as possible. In addition to a standard TEFL/TESOL certificate, having specialized TEFL certification on your CV/resume will really make you stand out from the crowd and give you access to the widest variety of interesting jobs....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I love flashcards. Honestly, I really do. For me, they are a never-ending source of games and activities. Nowadays I work as an ESL teacher in a training center and I teach mostly young learners (students from 3 to 8 years old) and I am strongly convinced that this age group may learn a foreign language only through games, entertaining activities and live communication. Therefore, I am trying to be creative and use plenty of teaching aids and props, such as IWB, OHP, whiteboard, course books, board games, balls, balloons, hoops, various arts and crafts, etc. However, I find that using flashcards is simple yet one of the most effective tools to increase my student’s vocabulary. And here are some of my favorite...  [Read more]