Not being taken seriously as an English teacher because I’m not white or blonde.

25 comments

1. Zed is used in some places in the US.

   I think overall some of this may be in your head. Kind of like the, “no one sits next to me on the train” meme. It is very easy to get into a strange mindset in this country. It can sometimes feel like everyone talks about you and stares and mostly that isn’t true.
   I’m a strange looking guy and I DO get a lot of stares but in the end most people don’t care at all about you.

   As for Japanese people not respecting you, there are a ton of Filipinos here. They get along fine and have a lot of really good jobs. I’ve been told they do get a lot of racism and they also feel inadequate sometimes as they are normally licensed teachers and do the job of some FOB American with no training. I guess what I am trying to say is that there is some racism in Japan, that’s obvious, but there is a lot of shit that just goes on in just your head. Don’t let it poison you too much.

2. Not all schools learn the American standard, and teachers who have travel experience (or who learned a different dialect of English, like Australian), may be inclined to use their knowledge and experience in the classroom or school. Honestly, just take their “corrections” in stride. They aren’t wrong and neither are you. I don’t think your skin or race has anything to do with it. However, if their first response to your being an English teacher is to show shock, be the face that represents your heritage. Show them that not only blonde white people use and teach English. You got this 💪🏼

3. ‘ I got pale skin, dark eyes, bushy eyebrows, long eyelashes and black hair.’ I look just like this and haven’t felt any less respected because of it. If someone only cares about having blonde hair and blue eyes, they’re obviously not taking those people seriously as teachers either.

   I haven’t been corrected as I’m Australian and already say ‘zed’, but just from what students say, it seems like some schools teach ‘zed’.

   I know it’s hard when you’re young, but I think learning not to care what other people think is a really important skill.

4. American English isn’t standard. If there is a standard, and there does tend to be a “usual” for teaching of English as a foreign language around the world, it often leans to “North American English,” which means Canada plus US. Canadians use zed. Pop over to Malaysia, Thailand, India and you will hear both zee and zed.

   So if you say zee and the teacher doing another lesson points uses zed, don’t take it as correction. Take it as students learning both. Maybe even bring it up as a learning moment: tell the students that different dialects use English in different ways and neither is wrong. Heck, as an American, I have rarely if ever used the British “You mustn’t turn the…” as North American English tends to be shouldn’t or can’t. It’s just regional difference. Nobody is wrong, you aren’t being corrected. (Unless the other teachers says to you “That is wrong, it is zed, not zee.”

   Not sure on the looks portion as with pale skin, I don’t think the average Japanese person sees you as Mexican. They think Hispanic equals golden or tan or varying hues of brown skin. But don’t worry about it. Many a black-haired / dark brown haired white guy out here teaching English with no issues.

   But does racism or other discrimination occur in Japan? Yes. I’ve seen JTEs and English departments coo and awe over standard Bob with a bachelors in general business and no work experience, run to Bob with all their English inquiries, run to Bob and ask him to organize the native English teachers or activities, while Mary, with a masters in Secondary Education, formerly licensed to teach in home country, and actual teaching and management experience is sidelined because…woman.

5. You are definitely being paranoid. Some Americans do say “zed” and American English is not necessarily “standard” in Japan, some schools and individuals are showing a preference for British and other varieties of English too. What even is “American English” anyway considering the thousands of different accents and variations within the US?

   Also, I’m not sure if these are just typos but you said “I am English teacher in Japan” and “anyone gotten the same experiences” (I think you mean had the same experiences) so it’s not totally surprising that people are correcting your English

6. That’s a shame if true, but I don’t think it’s as bad as you think it is as stated from another poster. I was also born in America from Central American immigrants so I don’t look like the blonde, blue-eyed foreigner or whatever. But usually, when my Japanese coworkers find out about my heritage or find the courage, they’ll tell me about a trip to Latin America they made, Spanish they can speak, or even how much they love Mexican food. I can understand how frustrating it can be at times to work under the Japanese system, but I think it’s best to just be friendly with the staff in a non suffocating way. I don’t know exactly what your day-to-say looks like, but try not to let it get to you. Maybe this teacher is just a prick or wants the English taught a certain way. This is my third year at my school, and one of the office managers finally told me a story of how she used to live in Brazil.
   Also learn some Japanese, it’ll take you far!

7. Step one is asking if you’re actually a teacher with a degree in English education, linguistics, or education. If not, you’re just a native speaker in a support position. The reason this is important is because if you’re not a language professional by trade and education, it’s pretty likely that you are actually making “mistakes” in your language usage. You just don’t notice them because you’re a “native” speaker and those “mistakes” are part of your idiolect, but they are prescriptively incorrect for syntax, grammar, etc. Japan is extremely prescriptivist in how language education is approached, so your co-teacher could be seeing your natural speech as grammatically incorrect when it’s acceptable within the speech community you’re from.

   If you can’t explain in technical/teaching terminology about why your production is natural or acceptable while contrasting with what is prescriptively “correct” or what students would be assessed by, then Japanese English teachers will likely just see you as less competent.

   This isn’t to say there is no racism in play, but how seriously Japanese English teachers will take you will be pretty heavily affected by how seriously you take teaching English, which includes how much you’ve invested into your own education on the topic. Most Japanese English teachers are honestly pretty low level when it comes to actual teaching ability and understanding of what language is, and what is important to educate students on for the real world, but many of them can be encyclopedias of gramma, syntax, and vocabulary. If you know less than them in those subjects, as arbitrary as this is, they’re much less likely to take you seriously.

8. Oh how I wish I was at your age.

   In my opinion you are wasting too much time/energy on this. You haven’t learned yet, but you should stop worrying about other people’s opinions about you. If they are your family, actual friends, mentors etc, sure, hear them out, but other than that just stop worrying, seeking validation and comparing yourself to other people.

   Life is too short. If you are unhappy at your work place, just find another job. I’m sure this wasn’t your first job, and guess what, it won’t be last.

   If it’s of any consolation, I’m south american and most likely I look just like you. I haven’t had any of your problems, because I don’t care and I don’t allow such things affect me.

9. There is no “standard” in Japan for zee/zed. A LOT of teachers studied abroad outside of the US, and a TON of ALTs are from non-US countries, so zed is pretty standard. I use zee but I never correct a student for using zed. I just carry on.

   You’ll definitely see a difference in how you are treated, unfortunately. I can’t speak from experience on the racial issue since I’m a white guy, but Japanese definitely have a “stereotype” that they insist on. I am constantly told that I’m not ‘foreign enough’ because I’ve adapted maybe too much for their taste to life in Japan, and I’ve had people flat out argue with me that I can’t be an American because I’m too laid back and polite.

10. American dialect is neither the standard nor the “correct” way of speaking.

    I don’t have blonde hair, but I’m polite and don’t insist my home country is the only one that knows how to speak English properly. So far, so good.

11. Zed/zee: ‘zee’ sounds too close to ‘G’ for native Japanese speakers.

12. > I wonder if anyone else on this thread who is an English teacher has gotten the same experience? The ones who don’t fit the “blonde hair, blue eyes” archetype to a T?

    Not really. I’ve seen all sorts of people including black/white South Africans (some with that Dutch-style accent, others with the British-style accent), Mexicans (born in Mexico, grew-up in the States), various Latin Americans (who speak Spanish at home in the USA), various Asians from the UK (English accents… one with a hilarious accent as she was small/cute but had a thick, working class accent), Indian Australians…etc. I’ve never heard anybody suggest they are less ‘native’ based on their skin colour. If anything, I’ve seen schools not want (white) people with thick Scottish/Irish accents.

    Oh and I’m a dual Italian/Australian citizen (I look Italian… heck… people around town often think I’m Russian). Kids wanted to touch my ‘permed’ hair a lot and regularly called me a playboy for whatever reason (while giggling). However, that’s about it. I speak with an Aussie accent and there was no confusion. Though, a few assistant teachers from the USA (like you) occasionally got really irate about my pronunciation of some words (dunno why as I could usually find a YouTube clip of a movie where a US actor used my pronunciation… I find that we people from smaller countries are generally a little more aware of alternative pronunciations as we hear them all on TV, in addition to what we hear at home/school/work…etc).

    > Also, in class, instead of pronouncing the American “zee” they have started to say UK “zed” instead, which makes no sense since American English is standard in Japan.

    LOLz no it isn’t… ‘native’ is the standard. I’m Aussie and was never told to speak like an American (that would just be weird). These kids probably learned it from their eikaiwa or something. So long as it is correct then it shouldn’t bother you.

    Maybe you’re trying too hard to be a ‘real American’ instead of focussing on the fact you’re a native speaker who defaults to a US dialect? The only time I’ve ever seen the issues you speak of was when some random ALT kept deducting marks from a student’s speaking tests because they were VERY particular about their US pronunciation (which had its own regional quirks). They were super bummed about it even after a senior teacher told him ‘bomb isn’t bum on their CD… and aunt isn’t ant on their CD… there’s intentionally 4 or 5 voices to model off. My problem is when they use katakana-style English, not when they’re using a version that they learned from the other ALT last term!!!’

    My advice? Get over it and take this as a chance to grow your understanding of different pronunciations. They’re kids FFS! So long as they are using something that’s correct (likely taught by another native speaker or a parent who’s fluent), it doesn’t matter. You’re not the boss of the English language.

13. I’m East Asian and I was born and raised in the Philippines. I can easily pass as a Japanese person. I’ve never had this problem. I’ve never been corrected by coworkers or by Japanese English teachers. But I’m also pretty fluent in Japanese so my coworkers would ask for my help for translations.

    I allow zed in my classes but only after explaining that in American English they would need to use zee instead. I have some kids who are returnees from the UK and I never correct their pronunciation, only grammar.

14. My company hires people from anywhere as long as they speak English fluently and can prove they have the background necessary to teach/lead their own class. It’s always been imperative that they don’t correct each other’s accents and that the kids learn that English comes in all flavors. That being said, I wouldn’t be upset if the teacher teaches a dialect different from yours. Maybe they did their study abroad or university education somewhere that mainly uses that dialect. Pride and ego will just cause you more stress than it’s worth. As for a standard, while North American English does seem to be heavily favored there isn’t a set standard nationwide. Most schools could care less as long as the kid’s overall English improves. Hell, academically speaking, Japan doesn’t even care about pronunciation in general.

    In terms of being treated like a lesser. Maybe it is happening, maybe it isn’t. It’s hard to say. But the best thing to do is stop caring about those people since there are plenty more that aren’t like them.

15. I’m non-native and I do blend in with the Japanese look with a mask on. I have always felt that I need to prove that I can do my job and compete with my native co-workers. My english would probably be around C2 or C1 but whenever I do get corrected, I appreciate it. Cos tbh, english grammar sometimes doesn’t make sense and will never make sense if you’re adding slang or too casual english to it.

    I try to brush up on my grammar every once in a while and I actually am interested in all that complicated syntax stuff. It does help having a complicated answer given just in case you get a curious student.

16. Honestly, I think you’re not running into a problem because you’re not blonde, you’re probably running into teachers who are set in their ways. Some learned zed vs zee and by golly that’s how they are going to teach it. I’ve had teachers who ask me every little detail about English, and some who have argued with me and gone to google to try and prove me wrong. I’ve also had teachers who seemed to be happy with me one year, and then hate me the next, and did so with all the ALTs they met.

    Is there discrimination in Japan? Absolutely. To be honest, blonde-haired, blue-eyed teachers are often seen as a spectacle. They look so starkly different, they are more like a museum piece than anything. But even with your dark hair, you do look foreign.

    I agree with other commenters: Don’t think too much about it, because you just don’t know what the real reasons are, and it will get you down over nothing.

    **But also:** try to write down or just think about the corrections the teachers are making. Sometimes, the teacher learned a different dialect or Pronunciation. Sometimes they are using grammar or pronunciation that is slightly different because it matches more closely to the Japanese, and is easier to use while the students are learning. Make sure you’re keeping things simple, even if, technically, you wouldn’t really use that language in real life.

17. Zed’s dead baby, Zed’s dead.

    https://youtu.be/5lL1ypndnWA

18. I’m not “typical American” either and have had no issues because of my appearance. I do have non-native speakers try to “correct” my English sometimes but that’s because they’re stupid so they think they know best. English is the only language I know whose non-native speakers think they know the language better than native speakers. It’s annoying, but it has nothing to do with us, it’s just that some people simply happen to be plain stupid.

    Edit: on the question of American English, I don’t see the issue with people saying “zed,” for example, as that’s the pronunciation in various countries. As far as I know American English is not the standard at all, as there are teachers from various countries here.

19. You’re projecting your insecurities and isolating negative instances which conform with your own self image.

    I’ve worked with numerous English speakers, of all nationalities: black, Asian, middle eastern, Celtics, Anglo-Saxon, Slavic…whatever your flavour. Everybody responds differently to one another.

    I’m an overweight, balding, dark haired (where it’s not gray) white British male. I have a face like thunder and can be scruffy.
    I’ve gotten on eith some students. Been disliked by others, young and old.

    To stereotype the western image of people as being blonde haired and blue eyed is extraordinarily..well, let’s say, naive. If you look at most advertising for English Language companies you’ll find a very small representing. Of blonde haired blue eyed people. Because blonde hair is actually much rarer than the alternatives.

    I think you’re connection with this is based on a very limited exposure to culture and history as a whole, hence my assertion you’re projecting. That is, being insecure.

20. I have students tell me all the time how they love my blue eyes. psa – They’re brown.

    But back to the op, shrug it off. Most foreigners in Japan have experienced feelings of being some exotic zoo animal. Become numb to it. If you enjoy teaching, take your job seriously and perform well. You’ll soon teach others not to make judgments on appearance. And that’s an important lesson. You’re a pioneer. Chin up.

21. This isn’t a special case.

    Background: I’m white.

    ​

    >I’m starting to notice my co-teachers correcting my English

    My JTE’s back when I was an ALT would also “correct” my English. They would get on my for my “the” (thuh vs thee), whether I ask “whats the date?” or “what day is it?”, etc. They have very specific, textbook-English that they want to teach. It doesn’t matter if it’s non-native-like or not.

    ​

    >I’ve noticed a slight difference in how Japanese people react when I tell them I’m an English teacher

    People in Japan *always* pretend to be surprised when they ask what I do and I say I’m an English teacher. It’s some weird form of politeness. “WOW! An English teacher! Sugoi!”

    ​

    Again, this is normal. Unless they’re saying something like, “eh? but you aren’t white, why aren’t you white, huh?” Then you’re overthinking this.

    Best of luck.

22. Slight tangent, but as a Brit I actually don’t mind Japanese students learning Z as Zee because that’s a sound that doesn’t exist in Japanese and needs to be learnt from an early age.

    Think Brazil, New Zealand, etc

23. On the bright side they won’t worry about you being a child predator.

24. I’ve been in Japan teaching too for a few years now. I think the first year is always hard with lost of moment of culture shock and learning. I think what helped was to kinda… not really care? Yo pick my battles and just go with it. I do think some Japanese people think Americans are only blonde haired and blue eyed because they imagine Western movies and movie stars? Maybe they haven’t met many foreigners? To be honest I’m not sure.
    As for people correcting your English, I sometimes have had that as well. And yo be honest, I didn’t study teach English as a subject. So there a lot of grammar rules I don’t “know” I just know from speaking. So I make mistakes. And I think sometimes they question us thinking we just don’t know the rules? But I think it’s usually not out of harm. But maybe them not wanting to be wrong as well? I’m not sure but again I say try not to take it to heart.
    I’m sure you’re doing a great job and I hope you’re enjoying your life here besides the few bumps 🙂

25. Not white, not blonde. You’re reading too much into this.

    >because I have a lot of European blood.

    lmao, *no mames güey*