In this interview, Marc Helgesen talks about the changes the English teaching community in Japan has witnessed over the last 30 years, the importance of “positive psychology” in language pedagogy, and what it’s like to be a Buddhist monk for a month.

You started teaching English in Japan in 1982. Since then, what have been some major changes you have witnessed, both for better and for worse?

Hmmm. So many changes.  The biggest thing, for what we do, is that English is more real now. Everyone has the internet so they can – if they want to – connect with English speakers everyday.  Back then, trips abroad were expensive and rare. Now most young people assume they will go aboard, for vacation if nothing else, with some frequency.

In terms of the profession, I’d say at the university level there has been a real increase in professionalism. Early on, degrees in TESOL were rare. Now most universities won’t even consider people without at least an MA TESOL or related.

In the eikaiwa (PLS/ private language school), I think the biggest trend as been toward chains. Eikaiwa’s have always been businesses, but there used to be a lot of small schools with a dedicated teacher/owner who was trying to make a living while also making a difference (and a few other teachers, most of whom only stayed for a few years).  Now the chains are mainly businesses.  I know some have trainers who work really hard, but most schools seem less than concerned about qualifications.  This is in contrast to some other countries in Asia where PLS teachers at least have a CELTA/DELTA or other training certificate.   By the way, don’t get me wrong. I think a lot of the best teaching in Japan goes on in eikaiwa schools. But overall I don’t have a lot of confidence in the chains.

One other thing I have to mention is Extensive Reading (ER). It has become HUGE in Japan and many other parts of Asia.  This really has been a grassroots, teacher driven thing.  On the gaijin (foreigner) side , back in 1997, Rob Waring put together a special issue of the JALT Language Teacher on the topic.  The same year he, Julian Bamford, myself and a few others did the first ER colloquium. That has continued. On the Japanese side, similar things have gone on – the “read a million words” movement, etc.  Anyway, ER has been growing. Foreign publishers have traditionally counted on coursebooks to provide the bulk of their income. I know of one major publisher for which readers recently passed coursebooks in terms of revenue.  And coursebooks are still big for that company.  I’m approaching this not in terms of sales (I don’t write readers) but am delighted to see the growth.  And I’m happy to have recently been chosen chair of the Extensive Reading Foundation (www.erfoundation.org), an organization which tries to promote ER.

English Firsthand, the textbook series that you co-wrote, has been incredibly popular in Japanese schools and universities. Are you currently involved in any further publications?

I’ve been very lucky to be able to focus on Japan and Asia. I think a lot of popularity has been that focus.  And we are continuing to develop it. I’m lucky that my editor, Mike Rost, has always had the attitude with every new edition, “What are we going to do that hasn’t been done before?” So that let to us being maybe the first coursebook to put the CD in the book. We had one of the first websites, etc.  Right now we are looking at how to handle technology. An LMS (learner management system).  Also, the whole publishing industry is trying to figure out what will happen with ebooks. No one knows but it is exciting.

So we are still developing the English Firsthand series.

Something else that I’m spending a lot of time on trying to create a link between English Language Teaching and Positive Psychology (The Science of Happiness).  I should emphasize that Positive Psychology is real science (controlled experiments, replicable studies, etc.) and not the “power of positive thinking” which is more like a philosophy.  Anyway, I’ve written a lot of activities that combine positive psychology with (I hope) clear language goals.  I’ve got a website where folks can download them free.  It’s at www.ELTandHappiness.com.  At last count there were over 50 activities, articles, posters, etc.  Is there a book in there someday?  Maybe, but at this point I’m happy to get things into teachers’ hands for free.

In 2007, Paul Knight claimed that Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) was “the current dominant methodology” in teaching English as a foreign language. The English Firsthand series also seems to be written with the CLT approach in mind. Do you think CLT still dominates in 2013? Will it continue to do so for the foreseeable future?

I think CLT is dominant in Europe and the USA, but don’t think it ever has been in most of the EFL world – and keep in mind I strongly believe in CLT and think that is reflected in my books. But western-published ELT books probably account for 20-30% of ELT books in Japan. The vast majority are those thin books from the Japanese publishers.  Most are either not communicative or not very communicative.  Also, even among western-published books, many are used in different ways. I remember once talking to the editor of a best-selling text from a foreign publisher. She said, “I think it is popular because it is whatever you want it to be.  If you are communicative, it is a communicative book. If you are audio-lingual, it is  ALM.”  My response way, “Sort of sounds like a book that doesn’t believe in anything.”  I believe in CLT but don’t think it is the only game in town.

Tell us why you decided to become a Buddhist monk for a month. Is it an experience you would recommend?

It was a fantastic experience. I spent a month in a temple in northwest Thailand on a program called “monk for a month.” I ordained as a novice monk.  I had the same lifestyle as the Thai monks except that the dhamma (teachings of the Buddha) was in English.  It was highly disciplined: up at 4:00 for chanting, walking alms (collecting donations from laypeople) barefoot, rain or shine, meditation, study, no food after noon.  Interestingly, a lot of the things I thought would be tough weren’t (and vise-versa).  No food between noon and sunrise the next day – no problem.  No beer –and this was a hot summer in Thailand – not and issue at all.  Those beautiful, flowing saffron robes – a total pain to wear. There are very specific rules about how to wear them. Kind of like kimono in that sense.  The chanting in Pali (the language of the Buddha) and not understanding what I was saying — that was frustrating. I found it interesting that my brain would sometimes match sounds for Pali into Japanese, even though the translation had nothing to do with the meaning:  bhagavato, arahato (“hato” that’s pigeon!)  samma (“Samma” – a fish!)  san buddhasa (“san buta” – Three little pigs).

One of the issued for me was hair. I had figured out how long it would take to grow my hair back.  I learned what an “attachment” (in the Buddhist sense of the word) it was. So now, 2 1/2 years later, my hair is still very short.

The program I went on no longer does temple stays in Thailand. But they do have a “monk for a month” program in India.  And they have a “Muslim for a month” program with Sufis in Turkey. Both sound fascinating (http://monkforamonth.com/).

If folks are interested, there’s a PechaKucha (short, 6:40 minute) presentation I did on my experience at http://tinyurl.com/marcmonk.

Marc Helgesen is professor in the Dept. of Intercultural Studies, Miyagi Gakuin, Sendai. He is the author of over 150 books, textbooks and professional articles on ELT and has done teacher training workshop on five continents. He is Chair of the Extensive Reading Foundation. Beginning Summer 2013, he will teach a course on Positive Psychology in ELT in the grad. school at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.

Don’t forget to check out Part 2 of this interview!

University teaching through an agency

Working through an agency is the easiest way to get started teaching English at Japanese universities

Perhaps the easiest and most accessible way to start teaching English at Japanese universities, especially for those currently based outside Japan, is to teach through an agency. One of the biggest recruitment agencies for university English teachers in Japan is Westgate Corporation, which regularly advertises for new teachers on websites such as TEFL.com. Westgate offers short-term renewable contracts, with two main intakes per year in the spring (April) and fall (September) semesters.

In order to work for Westgate, you will need to be a native speaker of English with at least a Bachelor’s degree, and have teaching experience either in an EFL classroom, or other educational institution. The compensation tends to be better than the average ‘conversation English’ teaching job in Japan (from ¥275,000/month), although this is not paid in the break between semesters. Westgate will also pay for your flights and provide help obtaining a working visa.

Getting a direct contract

Annually renewable contracts tend to be the norm for English teachers at Japanese universities

Getting a direct contract with a Japanese university tends to be more difficult, both in terms of qualifications and experience required, and the process of finding and applying for vacant positions. There are three basic kinds of contracts for English teachers at Japanese universities, with each progressively harder to obtain than the last. The three kinds of contract are: part-time renewable, full-time renewable, and tenure.

Part-time renewable contracts

Most Japanese universities rely on part-time lecturers to provide at least some, and sometimes most, of their English lessons. The qualifications and experience applicants require have been rising gradually over the past few decades, and it is now usual practice for universities to request the following:

• Prior English teaching experience at university level, particularly in Japan;
• An MA (in progress or completed) in TEFL, Applied Linguistics, or related field;
• 2 or 3 publications TEFL-related journals, particularly those based in Japan;
• Conversational ability in Japanese

As for any other job, good references and a successful interview are also a must. If you tick all the boxes, and impress the recruiter at interview, you will likely be awarded with a one year renewable contract for teaching a certain number of ‘koma’ (90-minute lessons) per month.

Compensation is usually in the range of ¥20,000 ~ ¥40,000 per koma per month, including the summer months between semesters when there are no lessons scheduled. In other words, you will receive a set monthly salary all year round, despite only teaching for 30 weeks per year (15 in the spring semester and 15 in the autumn semester). Travel expenses will also be provided, although health insurance and pension contributions will not.

Full-time renewable contracts

The qualification and experience requirements for a full-time position tend to be incrementally more demanding than those required for part-time positions, i.e. more teaching experience, more publications, and at least an MA (completed) in TEFL or a related field. It is not unusual for universities to give preference for full-time positions to Ph.D. holders over MA–only applicants.

You will usually be required to teach a certain number of koma per week, in addition to other responsibilities, such as attending faculty meetings, designing course syllabuses, proctoring exams, and attending special events. Although your contract will be ‘full time’, you will normally only be required to work four days a week, with the fifth day designated as a ‘research’ day. In addition to research, for which you will be given a budget, many full-time university teachers choose to take on additional part-time work during their fifth day in order to further supplement their income, which is usually in the range of ¥300,000 ~ ¥600,000 per month. Contracts are usually one or two years in length, renewable two or three times, after which you will have to start your job hunt all over again.

Tenure

Tenured positions: the 'Holy Grail' of English language teaching jobs

Tenure is widely regarded as the ‘Holy Grail’ of university English teaching in Japan, both in respect of the difficulty of obtaining such a position, and the high demands made on applicants in terms of both qualifications and experience. But if you do manage to secure such a contract, you will be granted eternal life (well, an eternal contract, which is the next best thing really).

Usual minimum requirements for tenured positions include:

• Significant prior English teaching experience at university level in Japan;
• A Ph.D. (completed) in TEFL, Applied Linguistics, or related field;
• A comprehensive number of publications in reputable TEFL-related journals;
• A sufficient command of Japanese to pursue administrative duties.

Salary and other benefits will be equal to or greater than those conferred by full-time positions, including generous research allowances. Of course, you will receive your salary over a much longer period of time (i.e. until you retire). You will also be entitled to pension and health insurance contributions, and the enduring respect of all your non-tenured English teaching peers.

Finding vacant positions

The most common and effective way of finding university English teaching positions in Japan is through the referrals of friends and acquaintances. Indeed, many universities never need to advertise positions, relying instead on a surprisingly close-knit network of their current employees, employees acquaintances, employee’s acquaintances’ friends and… you get the picture. If job searching for university English teaching positions in Japan could be summed up in three words, they would be: network, network, network.

Besides networking, the second best way to find vacant university positions is online, through job postings provided by JALT, JACET and JREC-IN. Because of the staff high-turnover caused by the lack of long-term contracts, there are normally plenty of positions advertised each year around October/November (recruiting for April) and to a lesser extent January/February (recruiting for September). However, for the same reason, there are also plenty of applicants looking for positions.

In summary

Teaching English at Japanese universities is a very rewarding profession, and English teaching careers are available to those with the motivation and means to undertake the qualifications required. If you are a passionate educator with an inclination toward academic research, then teaching at Japanese universities will definitely provide you with a wealth of opportunities. But be prepared to change jobs frequently, and network extensively if you want to stay ahead of the game.

Further reading

For more information about teaching English at Japanese universities, I recommend the following excellent articles:

Getting a university teaching job- Q&A from a reader – by Mike Guest
Foreign university faculty face annual round of ‘musical jobs’ – by James McCrostie and John Spiri

Why did you choose to teach English in Japan?

Originally, I wanted to come to Japan, because I have always had a fascination with Japanese culture, music and food. A friend of mine, who was working at the company where I now work, decided to move to Tokyo. She emailed me and said her job was available if I was interested. I decided to go for it. I never considered other countries. There wasn’t a particular reason, but in retrospect I’m glad I came to Japan. It’s beautiful, safe (in terms of crime), interesting, and clean.

I don’t notice it really. There are many women teachers around me in my conversation school and other local schools. It might not be the same in other education facilities, such as universities.

I love teaching English and I don’t feel there is any difference between being a female teacher. I suppose, one thing is that maybe female Japanese teachers may feel more comfortable with a female ‘native’ English teacher.

And the worst thing?

Being female has its challenges, just as being a male teacher does. Discipline and proper conduct can be tough if you don’t set ground rules from the beginning of class, but that can happen just as easily for male teachers.

Yes, but it was with a male native English teacher at my company. I used to work in downtown Vancouver and would walk through rougher areas everyday before I moved to Japan, so I feel pretty confident in being able to handle uncomfortable situations.

Well, I may not be the best person to ask this question, because my husband is Japanese! I think one obstacle would be that Japanese men have heavy obligations to work long hours, which prevents time for a relationship as most may be used to in other countries.

Also, there are still many expectations that women will stay home and raise the kids, which many non-Japanese women will not accept. There is also the expectation that even if women work outside the home, that they will still cook, clean, shop and take care of the household finances. However, this is not my experience in my relationship. We have a very equal relationship, I’m very lucky – even by Canadian standards!

For sure! It’s deeply ingrained in the society and the language. Things are changing to allow women more freedom of choice, and guilt-free choice, but these kind of changes are very slow. There is also great respect given to elders and that includes women. Almost everyone I have met in Japan adores their ‘obaachan’ (grandmother).

Buying women’s clothes for long legs and a short body. My body type is the opposite of how clothes are manufactured for the Japanese market.

Meeting new people, sharing stories with my students, and doing something I love.

Understand that there are very solid traditions working here. Students, especially in rural areas, may not have the experience dealing with or even discussing women in different contexts. However, I have had many great conversations by explaining my feelings as my own and qualifying them by explaining that I grew up with a very independent mother and the societal values around me in Canada were fairly positive and supportive of women as well as women and children. The way I think is not ‘right’ and I make it clear that there are many viewpoints. Many of my adult women students really appreciate having male-focused English language pointed out and explained. It helps that I notice and pay attention to pronouns and language excluding minority groups. An example of this is that some older learners may have used old textbooks that use inappropriate terms in today’s world. I correct them, explaining that language changes and we should use language to respect everyone.

Japan is a great place to live, work and play. Be open, understanding and patient. There are horror stories of women who have been taken advantage of or hurt here in Japan, but the same can be said for any country. Be aware of yourself just as you would in any other place.

After teaching English in Japan for 7 years, Beth is making the move back to Canada to continue teaching after finishing a Masters degree in TEFL/TESL. Using music for language acquisition, teacher-researcher development, and online learning are among her many interests.

I taught English in Belarus!

TEFL qualified Gemma Toovey found struggles and triumphs when she opted to teach English in Belarus, a  lesser frequented part of the former Soviet Union. I asked her more…

1)      What are your first impressions of teaching English in Belarus? What is the first thing you noticed? What’s the part you have found most challenging?

Like lots of cultures, Belarus takes a much more ‘relaxed’ approach to work, especially where there are foreigners and therefore visas concerned. My pay arrangements were slightly…improvised. I didn’t really have any idea what I was going to until I arrived and met up with the director of the school. Nothing dangerous but just a little unnerving for a Brit who quite likes to know what’s going on…

There wasn’t really much support or training offered as to how or what I taught;  no resources, colleagues or on the job training.

Having said this, there is something great about being the only native English speaker these students had ever met. I clearly did things in a different way from what their education system had taught them to expect from such a course, and their appreciation of that was clear to see. A really nice rapport developed over the course of the semester and there wasn’t one student I wasn’t sad to leave when the time came.

2)      Was it hard to find and fix up a job?

The way things are done is very much still word of mouth and someone who knows someone…and most of my work emerged that way once I was in the country. The initial contract which enabled me to get a visa was arranged through an existing contact I had. International organisations like International House would probably be the best bet for securing a visa and getting into the country.

3) Can you give me an idea of a typical working day?

My week consisted of two lessons in a primary school teaching 7 year olds from scratch, two lessons at an IT company doing advanced conversation practice with businessmen and women, two evening classes each with two groups of young adults at intermediate and advanced level, and one free conversation class for any of the language school students who wanted to come. It was a bit of an odd working day, but left me lots of time to plan lessons and also meet up with friends. I definitely didn’t feel overworked, but could’ve taken on private students or probably other classes if I had needed the money.

4) How did you find your students? What is the biggest challenge in your teaching and where have you already seen success?

My students were great – they were the real plus of being there. One group especially really adopted me and in the classic Belarusian way, went out of their way to make me feel welcome in their country. They worked hard, but once we had built up a good rapport, I think they really enjoyed the lessons too, and made them enjoyable for me. The kids were the only challenge as far as teaching was concerned – it was my first experience with children and my first experience with low levels, and I still look back and slightly wonder why I ever said yes!

5) If there is one piece of advice you could give to someone coming to Belarus to teach, what would it be?

You have to be thick-skinned to cope with the initial frustrations and the fact that nothing seems straightforward. But it is so worth it; once you get to know them, the people are the most generous and open I have ever met.

Find out more about Belarus.

Why not share your experiences, struggles and joys about teaching English in a largely forgotten location below?

Second language ability of English teachers

When a language teacher first arrives in their host country, they probably don’t have much choice about the matter. Unless they have studied the host country’s language extensively before arriving, they will not possess the requisite language skills to to order an orange juice, let alone explain the present continuous in their students’ native tongue.

Likewise for those teachers who teach multi-lingual groups of students. There is no place for L1 instruction in this scenario, because there is no single L1 that all the students possess.

But where the teacher has lived in the host country long enough to acquire at least an intermediate level of the native language, and teaches groups of students all of whom possess the same first language – should he or she use the language?

CLT and the ‘no L1′ precept

The strict version of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the current dominant methodology in TEFL, suggests that learners acquire a language by using the language and being exposed to the language. In this sense, we might argue that the teacher should provide all possible opportunities to their students to be exposed to the language in use. As addressing students in their L1 also tends to procure responses in L1, a teacher who adopts the students’ L1 for grammar explanations and classroom management instructions arguably not only deprives their students of the chance to improve their receptive skills but also deprives them of the chance to improve their productive skills.

The exception to the rule

However, I would argue that there are situations where addressing students in the target language is actually counter-productive, and adopting the students’ L1 does not deprive them of the chance of acquisition in the way that CLT suggests. (I also argue that there is a place for grammar explanations and classroom management instructions, despite the impact of CLT in relation to the former, and the wisdom of the adage don’t explain, demonstrate in relation to the latter. These issues are, however, topics for another blog post).

These situations occur when:

• students are of an elementary or low-intermediate level of English
• the focus of the lesson is reading or writing, not speaking or listening

Where students are of an elementary or low-intermediate level of English, it is very likely that they will lack the requisite knowledge to understand meta-linguistic grammar explanations or complex classroom management instructions.

Yes, students probably should know words such as noun, adjective, verb, subject, present simple, etc. But some do not, and if the teacher has the ability to express these concepts in the students’ L1, he should not refrain from doing so on the basis of depriving them a chance of exposure to the target language.

After all, in elementary and low-intermediate lessons, what is the target language? It will most likely be language relating to self-introductions, expressing likes and dislikes, talking about hobbies and interests, and other building blocks of basic expression.

L1 as a direct route to understanding

Even if the teacher does insist on using the English words for grammatical concepts (noun, verb, adjective, etc), it is very likely that he or she will have to use the L1 translation of each word in order to teach its meaning, thereby confounding their efforts to use only English in any event.

Furthermore, it is a lengthy digression from topics such as self introductions and expressing likes and dislikes, to teaching English words for grammatical terms. And who needs to use such words anyway, other than English teachers themselves? Yes, we need to understand the concept of a noun, a verb and an adjective to learn a language effectively, but we don’t need to know the words for these concepts in the language we are trying to learn – or at least, its not a priority at the elementary to low intermediate level.

Finally, in relation to classroom management, as I previously stated, the old adage don’t explain, demonstrate is a reliable one – at least with demonstrable concepts. But to convey ideas such as: “Please go to the school office and hand in these questionnaires”, or “If you miss two more classes you will fail the course” or “These are the criteria for course assessment” to learners who have an elementary level of English, I would argue, requires, at the very least, an L1 gloss of the key words in each sentence.

Do you believe that the critical period hypothesis is applicable to learning a second language? Would you support the proposition ‘the younger you start, the better’ when it comes to learning a second language?

I feel that the critical period hypothesis in regards to SLA has some interesting ideas about language acquisition but research has shown that older learners tend to be more successful in becoming fluent due to various factors such as learner motivation and language environment. That being said, I do believe that providing a child with and English rich environment will enable them to “code switch” between languages and thus further their proficiency in both English and Japanese. My school will only accept children who can use and understand Japanese because I believe children must have an understanding of how language works in order to make the study of a second language meaningful to them. Therefore, there is a limit to how young a child can be before starting to learn a second language. Also I feel that, when a child starts learning a foreign language while they are still acquiring their mother tongue, they seem to be more receptive to foreign sounds and intonations only because their mother tongue has not fossilized in their minds yet.

What is the best thing about living and working in Sendai?

I feel that Sendai is the best balance between the country side and the big city. The city is large enough to finds various kinds of entertainment without having the feeling of being too crowded. It also has great surfing, skiing and other outdoor sports that are accessible without the need of driving for hours to reach them.

Have you taken part in any volunteer relief work since the tsunami?

Sadly, no I have not. I opened my school four days after the earthquake and on the weekends I was quite busy cleaning my apartment and packing. By chance, I had already planned to move to another apartment a month before the earthquake struck so I was preparing for the move. Moreover, I was in the middle of writing a 4000 word paper on the Lexical Syllabus for my M.A.

Is the declining birth rate in Japan affecting your business? Do you expect it to do so in the future?

I have not had any trouble from this trend nor do I expect to have any in the future. I try to market my school as one where serious learning takes place and the parents are required to provide some learning support at home. It has been my experience that the children from families where the parents take an active role in their children’s education are the ones who achieve the best results. For this reason, I would rather cater to smaller families with highly motivated students than take on children from larger families where the parents are far too busy to review the lesson materials at home.

Is there anything else you would like to say about living and working in Japan/Sendai, or teaching very young learners of English?

I would like to say that working in Japan requires a certain amount of doggedness. On a day to day basis, there are always ups and downs however, on a long term basis there is a lot of subtle pressures and stress that can accumulate before one is aware of it. As for teaching children, this stress can be even more overwhelming so a positive attitude and a solid understanding of teaching methodology and child psychology are essential.

Thank you very much to Mario Passalacqua for the interview.

Where were you and what were you doing when the earthquake hit?

I was just about to start a lesson for 3-4 year olds. The children were happily running around in the lesson room and their mothers were busy chatting. When the earthquake began every one stopped and watched the building sway. As the swaying grew in intensity I realized that this was not an “average” earthquake and quickly escorted the mothers and children outside. We waited outside and watched the whole city shook for what seemed to be at least 20 minutes. We saw very little damage occurring so we were unaware of the true extent of the danger. Luckily, we were far enough away from the tsunami that struck the lower parts of the city.

How is your life in Sendai changed since before the earthquake and tsunami?

I am very grateful to say that my life has not changed since the earthquake. Of course the week after the earthquake, we had to live in a state of “constant readiness” in case of another large quake. Many stores were closed and the city itself was a shadow of its former self. At that time, I felt that the quickest path to recovery was to open my school and give both the students and the mothers a chance to resume a normal life. Everyone seemed grateful for the opportunity to forget about the stresses of aftershocks and the uncertainty of nuclear fallout. I believe this enabled me to not only retain my student numbers but also has helped me to gain more students during the summer months, a time where usually there are no new student enrollments.

What advice would you give to English teachers thinking about living and working in the Tohoku area?

The Tohoku area is very beautiful and very easy to settle down in. However, it is still considered to be a rural area. Thus, there isn’t many things to do here if you don’t like the outdoors. Another aspect is that there aren’t many schools here so if you burn your bridges at one place your next employer will be sure to find out about it. Lastly, I feel that a good understanding of Japanese is important. It has been my experience that those with limited Japanese skills tend to feel uncomfortable here and usually only stay one year or two whereas those who apply themselves to the learning the language tend to stay much longer.

Some English teachers left Japan, while others left the Tohoku area after the earthquake and tsunami. Can you take us through the factors you considered in reaching your decision to remain in Sendai?

Well making that decision process was an emotional roller coaster. When the earthquake first struck everyone was in a state of shock. Due to the lack of information, we were unsure of just how safe we were. The aftershocks kept coming and it wasn’t until 2 days later we heard about the radiation. That’s when we started to consider leaving Japan. The only complications that remained in my mind was what to do about my school and what to say to my wife’s parents. Once I mentioned these concerns, my wife started to question if she really wanted to leave her family behind. Then the Canadian embassy started calling and offered me and my family a bus ride to Tokyo. However, when I found out that this was a one way ticket I began to question the logic fleeing. I read the media reports in earnest and felt that we were far enough away barring a nuclear explosion. Since that was not physically possible at Fukushima I began to feel a little safer. As everyone began to leave the city, I felt that those who stayed would be an invaluable asset in the rebuilding process. Finally my thoughts turned to the business end of things and thought that if I closed my school even temporarily I would lose students and that if other schools would close, my school would be remembered as the only one which kept its doors open and provided a service to the community even in the toughest of times. In fact, I opened my school 4 days after the big quake!

You specialize in teaching very young children. Do you think training courses such as the CELTA or Cert TESOL adequately prepare teachers for working with such students? What do you like or dislike about teaching very young learners of English?

First of all I greatly respect teachers who get CELTA or TESL certifications. Any training is better than none. However, when teaching young learners many other factors come into play besides grammatical knowledge and teaching pedagogy. Teaching young learners requires a combination of knowledge in developmental psychology, early language acquisition and classroom management. A good children’s teacher must be able to assess the children’s moods, motivation and skill levels on a constant basis because the children themselves are ever changing. This brings me to what I love and hate about teaching young learners. Since the children’s attitudes and motivation levels are constantly changing, I must continuously improve or fine tune my teaching skill and methodology. Though I really like this challenge, there are times where I feel I am not doing enough because a game or teaching material that worked well the day before utterly bombs the very next day. When this happens classroom dynamics break down and a good lesson can turn into a bad one in seconds.

Click here for the second part of the interview

Wish you were here? EFL teacher Anne Lowe in Korea

If you are looking to escape this country to teach English abroad, Korea is definitely worth considering. Korea offers some of the more stable TEFL contracts around to native English speaking graduates, including round-trip airfare and paid accommodation. There are also plenty reputable recruitment agencies enabling you to fix up something secure in advance.

New teacher Anne Lowe has recently started teaching in Korea and I asked her to share her first impressions and recommendations for living and teaching there:

1) What are your first impressions of Korea, Anne? What is the first thing you notice? What’s the part you have found most challenging?

My first impression of Korea is that it is so different from what I’m used to back in the United States.  To the writing on the buildings, to the neon on every single building, to the faces walking by–nothing is familiar.  It’s all new and exciting.  The first thing I notice is that there are more people packed into a much smaller space than I’m used to. Real estate is at a premium, so nearly all the buildings have businesses occupying them; the most challenging part is being stared at by everyone.  I’m in a smaller town and they aren’t used to foreigners, plus I do kind of stand out with my lighter hair and eyes.

2) Where are you working and how did you find your job?

I found it through a recruiting company; OK Recruiting.  My recruiter, a woman named Bonnie, was a fantastic help through the whole process. I interviewed with three schools (through her company) and received job offers from them all; I picked my favourite and here I am.

3) Has your TESOL qualification helped you finding work and in the classroom? If so, how?

My TESOL qualification was definitely a big help in getting a job.

It fleshed out my resume since I don’t have any previous classroom experience teaching English.  In the class, it has helped some, but on-the-job training really can’t be beat.

4) How do you find your students? What is the biggest challenge in your teaching and where have you already seen success?

With a few exceptions, my students have all been wonderful. There are always some kids that have no interest in being there, whose parents are forcing them, but they challenge me to really work and draw them out in class.  The most truculent students thus far are the teenagers.  With them, the surest method is to be patient, take none of it personally, and try and make the lessons as relatable to pop culture as possible.  My greatest success lies with those students who are around ages 11 and 12.  They retain the enthusiasm of their youth but they are much more capable of understanding and being understood when they speak English, which really knocks down some barriers.

5) If there is one piece of advice you could give to someone coming to Korea to teach, what would it be?

Everyone says you don’t need to, but for heaven’s sake: make some attempt to learn the language.  If nothing else, learn how to say hello, do you speak English, thank you and goodbye.  Koreans are incredibly forgiving when it comes to foreigners not speaking their language but that first attempt always makes them smile and gets them talking.  Classroom phrases shouldn’t be necessary (all the students should understand simple commands such as “repeat,” “sit down,” and “write”) but it might not hurt.  Above all: speak slowly.

Could you see yourself teaching English in Korea? Are you already teaching there? Share your experiences below:

The same staffrooms are also awash with lively, perky (often young) teachers, fresh from their first stint overseas and energised by the lively summer school atmosphere. Many only entered TEFL as a means to see the world but fell in love with teaching and stayed.

Having been in many a TEFL staffroom, the young ‘n’ fresh example is really a joy to see. However, without at least one eye on the future, it’s surprising how quickly the perky can turn into the jaundiced.

I think this is largely because TEFL is a very odd profession. Fragmented, largely unregulated and with worldwide opportunities, it presents limitless and exciting options on the upside. The downside is there is little structured career progression. This means if you don’t make it work for you, then 10 years after starting your first TEFL job, you could find yourself teaching exactly the same lesson for exactly the same money.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this but my guess is that for most of you 18-25 year olds, this is not your idea of a career.

So if there is even an inkling that your gap year could turn into a career, I cannot stress how important it is for your bank balance, job satisfaction and sanity to keep learning and keep progressing. Consider every opportunity that comes your way both personally and professionally.

On the professional front there are many examples of people who have made TEFL work for them and turned it into a career. One lady, for example who was teaching English to pilots in Khazakstan went on to write an English for Pilots book for Oxford University Press. Others become teacher trainers, language school owners, materials developers or work for publishers. Some become specialists; teaching English for academic purposes, for example, taking the chance to leave their comfort zone and try something new.

TEFL is a ‘people’ profession and opportunities can arise simply through your everyday contacts. I know of one relatively new teacher who was offered a partnership with his boss to open a new school. This happened simply because the boss liked and trusted him – factors that clearly trumped paper qualifications and experience. TEFL can be like that.

So, if you want to get on in TEFL,  ensure you look for ways to keep on keeping on; you can teach that lesson better, you should brush up on that sticky grammar point and do consider the DELTA after a couple of years to help you get into management. Upskill and keep abreast of the new technology that is set to revolutionise the way we learn languages in the future.

It is a very wide TEFL world but if you’re not sure what you want out of TEFL yet, then here is some general rule of thumb guidance; if you start to lose interest in teaching and learning, then it’s time to get out and get yourself a ‘real’ job.  And do it before it’s too late!

What are your plans in TEFL?

The English teaching industry in Japan has, to some extent, been marred by the lack of professionalism of native English teachers. In your experience, do you think some native teachers need to adopt a more professional approach?

Yes, I think so, from my experience. When I was working at another branch, we had a cover teacher, but that teacher, the day before work, had drunk too much, and when he entered the school, the smell was so bad, I couldn’t stand it! A mixture of alcohol and yaki-niku! [fried meat] The classroom was really small, and it was winter time, so we had to close the door. It was terrible – disgusting! I tried to say something nicely, but he didn’t notice. In other cases, during the lesson, teachers have complained to the students about how busy their schedules were! It’s unprofessional to mention those kind of complaints to the students.

Recently the Japanese government enacted a new law making the study of English compulsory at elementary school. For new teachers wanting to come to Japan, do you think teaching children will become much more important?

There is still a balance between children’s and adult’s lessons. They don’t have to focus just on teaching children.

How about teachers who don’t want to teach children at all? Would it be hard to work in an average English conversation school in Japan?

Yes I think so. The language school business in Japan has a tendency to focus more and more on young learners.

At your school, what was the ratio of children to adult learners?

About 65% or 70% were children – so it was the majority. From the age of around two to Junior High level.

For someone who has worked in an English school for a long time, and is also an advanced speaker of English, what do you think are the three most important qualities for a teacher?

A positive personality, patience, and a cooperative attitude with administrative staff.

How important is Japanese ability?

I think, of course, Japanese ability, especially listening ability, to have that ability is better. At my school, for example, the company’s policy was to give lessons in English without any Japanese. But, sometimes, especially when kids fight with each other, if the teacher can at least understand what they are saying, maybe it’s easier to organize the whole class.

So, for discipline reasons, Japanese is useful?

Yes. Also, not only discipline. Sometimes, native speakers don’t realize that the students haven’t understood the lesson. Even one or two words of Japanese will help the students to understand. The teachers don’t have to speak in full sentences – just the keywords.

How important is grammatical knowledge? Not just for teaching children, but for adult students?

It is important. Especially in Japan, in our school days, we first learn reading and writing, we just focus on grammatical things, so some students ask questions about grammatical points such as “why is this sentence correct”. If they do that, I think the native teachers should answer those questions. But if they lack the grammatical knowledge, it’s hard to answer.

Do you personally like to have a grammatical explanation of new language?

Yes. Also, personally, more than the grammatical point, I like to know in what situations I can use words which have very similar meanings – for example, “opportunity”, “possibility” and “chance”. I don’t want to focus too much on grammatical points – more importantly what situations I can or should use certain words as opposed to other similar ones.

Many thanks to Aki for the interview.