| Japan is a wonderful place to experience but just | | | | The idea is to always teach below their level and |
| traveling to Japan for a week or two will not even | | | | constantly encourage them. Most of the students |
| scratch the surface of what Japan truly has to offer. | | | | come to the lessons for fun and entertainment, and |
| To really get the full experience Japan has to offer, | | | | not to actually work hard at learning. This is the whole |
| you'll need to stay at least a year. | | | | operating principle behind the major English schools like |
| One of the best ways and most hidden ways to | | | | Nova, Geos, Aeon and ECC. |
| experience Japan for free is to just find a job as an | | | | Teaching English means teaching grammar, |
| English teacher and get paid to stay for a year or two. | | | | pronunciation and a bunch of other difficult stuff, |
| To get going on this as soon as possible, you'll need to | | | | complete with homework, tests and everything else. |
| know one Japanese word... Eikaiwa! This is your ticket | | | | Eikaiwa is different. Your students probably won't do |
| to a free ride in Japan. | | | | any studying outside of the weekly 40 minute lesson. |
| What Is "Eikaiwa"? | | | | The emphasis is on speaking tasks. For example, |
| For those who have never taught in Japan, you see | | | | English for traveling, general conversation on certain |
| this term pop up everywhere; for those who have | | | | topics, and other useful things. For the most part, |
| taught in Japan, it can still be a confusing concept. | | | | students want to practice their English and have fun. |
| "Eikaiwa" technically means "English conversation," and | | | | Lots of eikaiwa teachers get frustrated because they |
| it refers to schools that teach it. | | | | feel like entertainers rather than real teachers. The |
| But, eikaiwa is different from a regular English school. | | | | good news is that there are lots of "real" teaching |
| The whole idea behind it is that students are studying | | | | opportunities available in Japan, but you just have to |
| conversation. This may seem like a contradiction, after | | | | look harder for them. The eikaiwa's are all right outside |
| all how can you "study" conversation. For those who | | | | the station with big signs, and they are notorious for |
| think it is a contradiction, you've probably never been to | | | | hiring just about anybody who can string together a |
| Japan. | | | | sentence in English (being handsome helps, too). |
| In Japan, every one has to study English from the | | | | Some teachers think that eikaiwa stinks, but others find |
| beginning of junior high school to the end of high school, | | | | it to be more fun and interesting than grammar drills. It |
| and most study English in college as well. However, | | | | presents a different set of challenges to teachers. |
| almost no one in Japan can actually carry on a | | | | The great thing is that you can always get an eikaiwa |
| conversation in English. This is because they study | | | | job to teach in Japan. Like me, you might find that you |
| vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar, but have no | | | | enjoy doing something else more; in my case, it's |
| real life English experience. Add to this the fact that | | | | teaching kids. But, the big eikaiwa company can at |
| Japanese people are, by nature, horribly shy, and you | | | | least get you a job, an income and a visa. You get the |
| can see why the eikaiwa industry exists. Most eikaiwa | | | | experience, and that can help you decide what's the |
| students are beginner to intermediate level, and they | | | | next step for you. |
| may or may not remember much of the stuff they | | | | Some of the big Eikawa schools to look into with a |
| learned in school. | | | | simple Google search would be, GEOS, NOVA, |
| The whole idea behind eikaiwa is to have friendly, fun, | | | | BERLITZ, AEON and ECC. Some of these schools |
| non-threatening teachers who help Japanese students | | | | are known for hiring you and flying you over for a one |
| practice their English. In an eikaiwa, you'll almost always | | | | year teaching contract. Remember, you do not need |
| see an emphasis put on NOT challenging students. | | | | to be a "teacher" to do this. |