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