Category Archives: English Teachers in Japan

Eikaiwa continues to shrink

David English House in Hiroshima, a well respected school run by author and all round booster of professionalism in Nippon David Paul, closed for business on 1 September leaving him personally bankrupt. Sounds like they managed the process well, though, according … Continue reading

Posted in British Council, David English House, Eikaiwa, English Teachers in Japan, Let's Japan, Teaching English in Japan, TEFL chains | Tagged | 5 Comments

TEFL scabs

Seems that there is an interesting TEFL strike story going on right on my doorstep that I hadn’t even heard about, including loads of juicy controversy. You can see the recent open letter by the leader of the Berlitz strike … Continue reading

Posted in Berlitz, David English House, Eikaiwa, English Teachers in Japan, JALT, Job security, links, Teacher associations, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Japan, TEFL, TEFL chains, TEFL conferences, TEFL strikes, TEFL unions, TEFL working conditions | 3 Comments

Teaching English in Japan- Sources Part One

The books all teachers in Japan should read Part One- The best books about Japanese language and education I’m sitting here mourning over the 100 or so books about Japan that I will be leaving on the school bookshelves rather … Continue reading

Posted in Cultural differences/ cultural training, Delta Publishing, ELT publishing, English Teachers in Japan, False friends, links, Pearson Longman, pre-school/ kindergarten/ very young learners, Teacher training, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching young learners, TEFL, TEFL workshops | Comments Off on Teaching English in Japan- Sources Part One

The disadvantages of teaching in Japan

“My first two years in Japan were spent teaching English… The students… studied English- or should I say, English was taught in their presence. Nothing ever seemed to sink in. Years of classes and endless tests and still they couldn’t … Continue reading

Posted in becoming a teacher trainer, British Council, Business English and ESP, Cambridge Delta, CELTA, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Eikaiwa, English Teachers in Japan, Functional language, JALT, Materials, Mixed ability classes, Pairwork and groupwork, Problem students, Teacher forums, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching low levels, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL working conditions, TOEIC | 22 Comments

The benefits of teaching in Japan

Number one is that the status of English teachers is not so obviously low that when I met the love of my life and asked her to marry me she actually agreed! You won’t hear a lot about it on … Continue reading

Posted in Becoming a Director of Studies, Cross cultural training in EFL, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Discipline in the classroom, Eikaiwa, ELT management, English Teachers in Japan, IELTS, Job security, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching English in Spain, Teaching Japanese primary school children, Teaching older students, Teaching shy students, TEFL, TEFL working conditions, TESOL, TOEIC | 7 Comments