I hope everyone is doing good. I’ve been interested in Japan from some time now. The history, the culture, the language and the people. It’s a place I’d like to visit and work. Currently, I’m working as a secondary Ed teacher for social studies and reading. Right now I’m contemplating what I should pursue for my M.A.. My plan is to apply and work in a Japanese high school within 2 years or so. My main option is teaching English. However, my main question is, do I need a TEFL or a related certification to teach English in Japan?
I’ve talked to people that say yes you need, but others say it’s not necessary. For that reason, I’m wondering whether I should get a TESOL M.A degree or a History M.A. degree. I’m leaning more towards history, but I want to be certain whether or not a English certification is necessary, even if I already have some experience as a teacher. If anyone can give me any advice or input, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to read this!
12 comments
My recommendation major in Japanese…
To be a teaching assistant, you only need a bachelor’s degree. To teach in an international school you need a teaching degree and experience, which it sounds like you have. Either way, do the master’s program you prefer, not the one you think will get you to Japan.
This place is overflowing with English teachers, and unless you just want to get your foot in the door, get that MA in History and try finding jobs at accredited international schools as a social studies teacher. I teach History at an IB school, despite having a B. ED TESL, because I had experience teaching IB History.
It’s rare for high schools on the Japanese curriculum to hire qualified teachers from abroad. I’ve met a few but both had a really rough experiences and left within a year.
Have you looked at international school websites? Many specify the qualifications they look for.
Try these posts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/teachinginjapan/comments/wutvi9/teaching_prospects_when_your_country_doesnt/
https://www.reddit.com/r/teachinginjapan/comments/wv0zgn/can_you_name_some_decent_alt_dispatch_or_direct/
https://www.reddit.com/r/teachinginjapan/comments/wretm7/respectfully_asking_for_advice/
https://www.reddit.com/r/teachinginjapan/comments/xj3khx/teaching_in_japan_with_jp_passport/ip9cfwg/?context=3
You’re welcome.
You aren’t Japanese, getting a full license to solo teach is illegal. They do issue emergency licenses (the one year one) and specialist licenses to teach a single subject. Both those licenses do not guarantee that you will have a job next year.
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If you want a real career in teaching get your MA, get a license in your home nation, get five years experience in a good school and get a few years coaching experience and maybe you will be lucky enough for a good international school position for you to apply to.
If you want to work as an ALT, you can do that with just a bachelors degree.
You don’t want to work as an ALT, though. It’s closer to a gap year experience, not something that you should give up an existing teaching career for.
If you want to work at an international school, you need a teachers license and experience.
If you want to work at a regular Japanese high school, you need a *Japanese* teachers license. Which can be obtained, but the two routes to do so are:
1. Spend 4 years at a Japanese university (not including time to learn Japanese) in order to obtain the 普通免許状 (‘normal license’ that can be used anywhere in the country)
2. Come through the English education sector (which isn’t thought highly of) and work your way into getting the 特別免許状 (‘special license’, which even then can only be used in the prefecture it’s obtained)
TL;DR: it’s probably not worth the effort.
If teaching history is what you’re more interested in, do the history M.A. and consider the international school route.
On a separate note, and this is a rain check that I think everyone needs to do before coming here: why Japan? You’ve said ‘the history, the culture, the language and the people’. But this is very vague and could apply to literally anywhere. China has all of those things. Nigeria has all of those things. Brazil has all of those things. What *specific* reason does Japan appeal to you?
If you have trouble answering that question, you may find Japan isn’t what your looking for, partially because what you’re looking for is a vague, idealised ‘better’. Japan is not necessarily ‘better’. Japan is different. And maybe that works for you, but just in case; temper your expectations.
Japan’s English teacher population is primarily comprised of people like yourself who are doing it just so they can be in Japan.
This means that the population rises until the point where the costs of being in Japan match the benefits, meaning that the supply of teachers pushes wages and conditions down to the point where a marginal teacher is 50/50 about wanting to be in/out the country.
That’s just for context.
Of the very few I saw break out of that but stay in English teaching, they had gotten masters degrees, which gave them a shot at breaking into university level teaching, where the conditions are significantly more comfortable.
white skin and a pulse are the two biggest qualifications that will edge you ahead
DM me. I’ve got a masters and great teaching gigs at unis. I can fill you in on what you need to do.
Don’t come here. The salary is so low. With laughable conversion rate.. also there are too many teachers here. If you wanna be just another ALT with a low paying job yes come… fight for peanuts.
I work at an international school and have my teaching license. A rare thing in Japan. And even then the salary is just okay. Not enough to brag about. Good thing I get bonuses.. although many schools don’t
Please also don’t come here if you just like the CuLtUrE please come here because you do want to teach. So many of these “teachers” who don’t wanna teach and just come here to be in japan. Ugh